Entry Note To Self...confidence

The Old Barn

Journal Entry: 1/7/18

If you are coming from the south, turn right at the only red light in Hornbeck. Go over the railroad tracks and take the fork to the left. Drive until the black top turns to gravel and dirt. About two miles you will come to some dogs laying in the road. Make your way through the dogs and take the first dirt lane on the left.  As you round the curve you will see my house down in the pasture. You will find me in the old barn...

TK,  they call him. He lives to the north side of Hornbeck. When I went to visit TK on my last trip into that part of the world, he gave me those directions to find his house;

Sure enough, he was in the barn grooming a skinny ole paint horse he had just rescued from the grips of Horse Heaven.

I've known TK all my living days. We played in the woods, made pine top forts, explored small ponds and even double dated sisters on one occasion when we were still wet behind the ears. TK could write a dissertation on the Game Of Dominoes, simply because he claims to be the world’s foremost expert on the fine art of the game. Said the only time he loses a game is when he has to donate a game for the aid of  personal pity or use it as a long range strategy.

Tall and spry, dressed in faded Big Mac overalls with a loud welcome of, ”look what the cats dragged in; see you found the dogs in the road!" He is always quick with a joke and a philosophy on just about any subject you can conjure up.

I don't even know how we got off on the subject of Dominoes. Never my intention. I only wanted a pint of his famous corn whiskey. It may have been the sampling from the pint mason jar that lead us in that direction? Not sure, but he tasted it first, said he wanted to make sure it was still good. Guess it was still good, as he passed it over to me for my liking. Yep, it was that sampling that begged my first question. ”Is it true TK, that you are the best Domino player in the world?"

”Y no," he said. ”But I beat the hell out of the best that said they was."

Domino is a good game. A game of skill. I would say it is about 10 percent luck. It requires a lot of concentration, thought, and just plan smart ass grit. Not like golf or chess where silence is required of spectators and competitors alike. A good player must shake off any heckling remarks. A Domino player has much more on his mind. He is working on his style of play. 

TK for example said he played with an Amateur Style. As he describes it; ”Amateurs play not knowing their next play. Just random, not following any expected strategy. It makes my competitors try and figure out what I'm going to do next. I know, if I don't know, then they couldn't know either." See how the moonshine brings out the best in logic?

TK plays most mornings at Hoot's Barber Shop. I spotted it as I crossed over the railroad tracks. A gathering of the towns finest men, doing their part to keep the moral and social fabric of Hornbeck alive. A lot of social bonding and way to many lies being exchanged. They call it therapy and gossip . I call it a reason to get out of the house. I always thought it would be great to host a live daily radio broadcast from Hoots Barber at the time of these gatherings. Maybe sell cassette recordings of the Therapy sessions...:)

There was an old straight back chair leaning against the barn wall. TK introduced the chair as, the retired in honor chair, of old man Pete Alford. As the story goes, Pete sat on that chair every Friday morning for twelve years, in this barn to best TK's Amateur Style.

”Alford was a nice feller, a fine upstanding citizen and looked reasonably good in his clothes for a man of his age. He just didn't understand the game of Dominoes very well." TK continue to spout, ”I feel it is my duty to report that I beat him sober, not so sober, whittling whist I whistled, and even left handed. Beat him four out of five times when we played...well maybe three out of four." As he looked up and grinned. ”Alford retired from Dominos in 1997 the same year the chair retired."

TK is known for his Wisecracking Psychology game strategy when he wants to humiliate his opponents and destroy their confidence. Here are a few techniques he shared with me:

Laugh-as if you didn't intend to, while your opponent is studying the board. Play fast for those that ponder and hesitate. Ponder and hesitate for those who play fast. After you choose your rock to be played, pause with your arm in midair, purse your lips as in thought then lay it ever so softly on the table. Each time after you win, idly say to your opponent, "one day I sure would like to know why you played that way." This implies stupidity and gives them something to think about. Before you begin each game, let your opponents know that 50% of your foes seek mental health counseling after playing you. Never appear to doubt the tale of your opponents, no matter how improbable. Except for Champions, and they have no need to gild the lily. They all are liars and braggarts. Smile, nod, and politely mumur as your opponent tells of humiliating ole Joe or Bob. Just say in admiration. "Gee Pete, you must have been really good...back then...gimme twenty-five."

We even played a game or two. After getting soundly whooped, I commented to him that I wished I were a good Domino player. He quipped, ”Yep, I wish you was too."

You see, the Game of Dominoes, as in the game of life, one’s confidence can seem boundless, but the matter for keeping it...well, that remains forever the challenge. Does it not?

Be well, play your doubles when you can and always take the dirt Lane past the dogs in the road. You just might enjoy an afternoon therapy session with an old friend...a pint of good moonshine and much more...Doc