Solstice Part Two

I've just had to check how I left that last post. Between shaking my fists at Netscape and the dial up connection on my folk's computer, I had forgotten where I had reached in my post of a really long day. Ironically, it's taking me more than a week to post about it, because I'm having a busy week.

Yes, that was it. I'd just been to college to get my end of year tutorial. Upon arriving home, there was just a few minutes spare to wolf down a hearty dinner of beans on toast (right of of the Student's Cookbook). Battling with the possibility of indigestion, I made my way to the practice hall to pick up the band's equipment. The downside to owning a car and being in a band, is being the chauffer to the band. It took two trips to get the drums, piano, guitars and amps down to the Woodlane bar. Unsurprisingly, we started a little late. Which was alright, because hardly anyone had shown up at the time we said we'd be playing. Skip forward a few blurred hours of poker (an unmemorable session at the table), and the final table had been played down to. With me included. My only goal was to make it to the final table so I'd get a shirt. I know that's not great poker game play, but playing poker was the last thing on my mind. I was getting regular weather updates from my mate who wanted to go to the solstice. My only argument against going was that I wouldn't if it was pissing it down.

My final table stint lasted all of ten minutes. I kept getting rag aces behind pre flop raises. At least four or five times on the bounce. The button had just passed me and I told myself, "Any ace is an all in." Someone in early-middle position made a standard 3-4 times big blind raise. I'd just seen pocket sevens shown on a pre flop all in (which was folded round), so when I looked down and saw A-Js t was time to move. I paused for a second, counting my chips and then pushed. The original raiser spent a few minutes thinking. At least he hasn't got pocket Aces I thought to myself. He called and turned over A-Q. "You called my all in reraise with Ace Queen!" I screamed to myself. The board was helpless and I could now get on with playing a decent set with the band.

I got another weather (and green) update, "I'll be done by 12", I told my mate on the phone. By the time I'd got off the phone, the other band had started playing. Bugger, this wass going to hold me up for another half hour. Tom's band (Tom on the banjo and Luke on some sort of pedal powered organ) put in a good twenty minute set. I was gnawing at the bit to get up, play and pack off to get to Stonehenge. We played four, maybe five songs, all Ben Folds Five covers, and were done by about 11pm.

Sweet, I can get out of here quickly. I thought. Quickly it wasn't. I had to do three trips back to the hall, including one trip to drop off the pedal organ. It was about midnight by the time we'd filled up the car, and picked up some smoke. I can be very punctual when I want to be.