The Hustle Of Texas Billy

Billy was finally reduced to doing his trick shots for drinks all around. Horace bought.

"Man, that's some strong," said Horace's girl friend. "I'd like to borrow this guy. Double the bankroll in four or five days."

Billy drove over to the Headhunters, a beer bar in Fontana, where the owner said he'd give him $19 appearance money. In the car Billy said: "I chased a bunch of gooses in my life. Boy, I chased a lot of gooses all over. You get tired of being the best. I'm going to retire at 35—retire from playing and working. I got eight acres of land in East Texas. Two years I'll buy another 100 acres, lounge around, live on the farm, raise cattle and horses, go fishing, water ski. I'm going to build me a round house, because it's something different. Build it around a tree. I got the idea when I was laying bricks, building bars in millionaires' homes."

At the Headhunters a woman asked him: "Do you want to play for money? I got $2 here." "I generally don't like an overfriendly bar," Billy confided. The lady kept after him. Billy told her he didn't play for less than $5. She finally got up the $5 and he beat her and then beat someone else. Billy said that in Pasco, Wash, a man wanted to play him for $50 just to say he played a hustler. "He talked it over with his wife," Billy said. "I know you play for a lot more," the man said, "but won't you please play me for $50?"

Jean had to be back at Econo-Color the next night, so Billy drove her to the airport in L.A. Then he took off for the Jolly Jug, where there was going to be a shuffleboard tournament between teams representing the Jug and the Headhunters.

"I heard you got every 50� player around playing for $5," a Headhunter in a black team shirt said to Billy.

"Want to play for $20?" Billy said.

"No, but thanks for the compliment," the man said.

"Let's pitch," Billy said to Popeye, a kid playing eight-ball.

"I don't pitch cheap," Popeye said.