Dr. Bush,
I’m afraid you’re going to have to take my word on it.
You see, for the first third of the game, your shots were red-hot.  
Then various Twainian dignitaries came to offer their greetings to you and you kept turning away from the table for just a few moments to warmly receive them in return.
Unfortunately I did not know them personally, so I was brought up to just smile and nod. 
That I did.
As a result, they noticed I was politely waiting which prompted you to turn back to the field of green to say, “Oh, is it my shot?”
“Yes sir, it is.”
It was growing increasingly obvious that your ensuing pool shots lacked the experienced finesse that so captured the tsunami of your earlier effortless movements of the cue.
In other words, it was correspondingly obvious to even my D+ students that you went from red-hot to white-cold within about seventeen minutes because the different topics broached by these friends were found by you to be quite fascinating.
Consequently, I made the final shot, and I said,” Did I just win?!”
“You certainly did” was your friendly reply and you laid down your cue like a gentleman, picked up your glass, and continued the group conversation.
I could not shake the feeling that you were going easy on me; that was very kind of you.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 18, 2018, at 7:02 AM, Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> John, I love the Andy Williams reference!  as for the billiards claim, are =
> there witnesses??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dr. Hal Bush
> 
> Dept. of English
> 
> Saint Louis University
> 
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> 314-977-3616
> 
> http://halbush.com
> 
> author website:  halbush.com
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John R. Pascal <alph=
> [log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 9:01:19 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Welcome back to the semester! REMINDER: renew your degrees!
> 
> Excuse me, Dr Bush,
> 
> It=3DE2=3D80=3D99s a good thing my dear parents are in heaven.  Since they =
> =3D
> paid for my B.A. in English, I think they might raise an eyebrow or two =3D
> and wish a private word with you concerning the need to renew my degree.
> 
> Also, I have taught Slaughterhouse-Five (not my choice) to my high =3D
> school juniors for several years.  It was the summer reading for =3D
> September discussion.
> It made them needlessly more depressed beyond returning to school no =3D
> matter how many different times I tried to explain it and put it into =3D
> context as an important work in American literature.=3D20
> =3D20
> So much better to have shortened SL-5 book discussion and jump right =3D
> into the mighty Mississippi River with Huckleberry Finn, which they =3D
> absolutely love each year;=3D20
> 
> It certainly is our favorite time of year.  I do play Andy Williams=3DE2=3D=
> 80=3D99=3D
> =3DE2=3D80=3D9CThe Most Wonderful Time of the Year=3DE2=3D80=3D9D every Se=
> ptember =3D
> on the first day of class and it gets even the most emotionally hardened =
> =3D
> of students to smile and grin.  But hey, what do I know?  I=3DE2=3D80=3D99m=
> =3D
> still learning myself.
> 
> I do know that you graciously let me win a round of billiards against =3D
> you at Elmira last year.
> 
> :D
> John Pascal
>> On Aug 17, 2018, at 5:30 PM, Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> =3D20
>> Colleagues;  I was reminded of this by another colleague, and =3D
> especially fo=3D3D
>> r the younger folks on this LIST:  don't overlook the very crucial =3D
> need to =3D3D
>> RENEW your degree before the start of class.
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttps-3A__www.mcsweeneys.net=
> _articles_how-2Dto-2Drenew-2Dyour-2Denglish-2Ddegree&d=3DDwIBAg&c=3DPk_HpaI=
> pE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJmaaUYK-uY8lYNHN1V=
> xNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3DeE2UoskW-tXy-PzSEWf5UiGSP6nXwremTg9eUDMV3Ac&e=3D
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> O yeah, one other thing -- just in case you meet one of those Vonnegut =
> =3D
> stal=3D3D
>> kers at the welcome back cocktail party on campus:
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> =3D
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttps-3A__www.mcsweeneys.net_a=
> rticles_what-2Dto-2Ddo-2Dwhen-2Dsomeone-2Dasks-2Dif-2Dyouve-2D-3D&d=3DDwIBA=
> g&c=3DPk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJmaaU=
> YK-uY8lYNHN1VxNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3D_rkMzW0yVjoSZo9k-Vq0ujVft4voqLrR2kD6FiMX2l=
> M&e=3D
> e=3D3D
>> ver-read-vonnegut
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> cheers, my friends!!  The earth has yet again returned us to our =3D
> favorite t=3D3D
>> ime of year...
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> =3D20
>> Dr. Hal Bush
>> =3D20
>> Dept. of English
>> =3D20
>> Saint Louis University
>> =3D20
>> [log in to unmask]
>> =3D20
>> 314-977-3616
>> =3D20
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttp-3A__halbush.com&d=3DDwI=
> BAg&c=3DPk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJma=
> aUYK-uY8lYNHN1VxNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3DJ4F8tyqDtJk0M7ehsv3UdAgzuBFAJ9wba5dMqH7w=
> KCo&e=3D
>> =3D20
>> author website:  halbush.com