I've never played a game of pool I didn't lose. When Hap asked to play, I said yes. I said yes because I felt bad. I'm always beating Hap. Might be nice to give him a chance.
Here's the funny thing about Hap. The funny thing about Hap is that Hap is my name too. Well, I guess that's a funny thing about me then, or maybe a funny thing about both of us, or maybe it's not even that funny. But here we are, two Haps in love.
We look alike too. He parts his hair on the left. I part my hair on the left. His eyes are green. My eyes are green. He's tall. I'm tall. But we are different. Like I said, I'm always beating Hap. There are winners and there are losers. Opposites attract. I'm the winner.
There is another thing that is different. Hap has a cane. He needs it to walk. On the train, people stare. How could a beautiful boy be so lame? This is what they wonder. Sometimes when I'm with Hap I feel like I disappear. When I hear my name, I get confused. But we're opposites. Opposites attract. And I'm the winner. Hap has a cane.
Artwork © Thad Lawrence
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I bought Hap's cane for him. I felt responsible after that bad push last year. So I bought the most expensive cane I could find. A dark oak number, with an ivory crook. A week's paycheck. It was one expensive crook. Not everybody would buy that kind of cane for his man. But what can I say, I'm a winner.
But not tonight. Tonight we are playing pool. It's Hap's birthday.
And so we go to Chears, our favorite Thai place. I think it's supposed to be Cheers, but a vowel got lost between languages. But even then it's nothing like the TV show. They just stole the name.
We have the whole place to ourselves. After we finish our duck, I take Hap to the back to play pool. I stumble a little. It's been 9 rounds of whiskey. I order 10 and we head to the pool table. Hap looks nervous, but I laugh. I love when Hap gets nervous.
Hap, he says, I thought you hated pool.
Hap, I say, this game's for you. Happy Birthday.
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