Blog-A-Day Countdown: Poker Players go Bowling, Prop Bets, Steven "Cupcake" Terry

I'm going to be hard pressed to actually get out a blog post a day, and finish the remainder of my countdown before 2012.  I'm going to do my best though.

Blog-A-Day Countdown to 2012: #5

Poker Players Go Bowling, Prop Bets, Steven "Cupcake" Terry

My time here at the farm is winding down.. I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, though I haven't done anything fancy and I've been on a pretty strict budget (Still waiting on paychecks to be mailed from work already completed - Upside: can't spend it if you don't have it!).




Cosmic Bowling.. Pretty, yes. Photogenic, No.
Scott, Jen and Steven
December 28th, 2011.


Last night I went bowling with two of my favorite guys.. Steven Terry and Scott Williams. I write all the time about Scott, and really.. there is only so much you can say about the man. Steven isn't someone I've talked about here before.. I generally don't mention friends in "the blog" until they give me the "Okay".  It can be a little unnerving to some to have their name and pictures out there, floating around the interwebz, having no control over it.

Steven was a regular at Southland (the poker room I worked at before I was a dealer and before I was a supervisor at The 'Shoe), and would quite often come in and BS with me before or after playing.  He's young, 24, but he looks about 16. On some days he's a good looking, rough - tough - blue collar kinda man. On other days, he's a very cute..kid. We perpetually give each other shit about our age difference. Sometimes, in public, when he's trying to be funny.. he'll refer to me as Mom.  It makes me want to choke him. I call Steven "Cupcake" because he's just so damn adorable, and also.. because it's mildly degrading. This caught on in the poker room, and he's pretty much been "Cupcake" ever since.

Gangsta.

We've hung out a few times, once Geocaching at 3 am in Mid-Town Memphis, and we've seen a handful of movies. We've always talked easily, about all sorts of things, and I get a kick out of him because he only tolerates my bullshit to a certain extent.. before he'll call me on it.  He's pretty smart, even if his poker game could use some work. One day, my less than awesome vehicle (the piece of crap Jeep I drove before my current mechanical nightmare) broke down just as I was headed to Tunica to have dinner with Bex.  He drove all the way to Arkansas to pick me up, and THEN drove me the hour to Tunica and back.. just so I wouldn't miss out. What a sweetheart. <3 (On a side note, I found out AFTER I had my Jeep towed to a mechanic and fully checked out.. that there was actually nothing wrong with it. I just didn't have it all the way in park, and therefore, couldn't start it. I fail so hard. Seriously guys, this is why chicks shouldn't own cars. So embarassing. I swore I'd never admit it.. instead claming a bad starter, but enough time has passed that I can laugh about it).

He also knows Scotty, from my aforementioned poker room, and in my absence challenged him to a night of bowling.  Steven seemed to think he is quite the bowler, and assumed he would be able to brutalize Scott (who is nearly twice his age) with no problem.  Unbeknownst (or at least, fully understood) to him.. Scott is somewhat of a legendary bowler.  He has a handful of 300 rings, some of them 800 rings.  He used to be Mr. Professional, and I swear when he shows up at a bowling alley.. he has more luggage (gear, balls, shoes) than I pack for a week of vacation.

Aww look.. he still thinks he has a shot in this picture!
Boys and Girls, this is what "Hope" looks like.

I knew this wasn't going to end well for Steven, but I was supportive.. and they scheduled the night for when I'd be in town. The bet.. if Steven wins, Scott dresses in full drag for a full night of poker in our regular card room. If Scott wins, Steven has to dress like a cupcake (sprinkles, whipped cream.. the whole nine) for a night at Southland as well.

Like this, but with a shorter skirt.. and made with actual food product.
We want him to attract raccoons in this getup.

I showed up while they were in the middle of their practice game. I was impressed by Steven.. he was knocking out strikes right and left, and disappointed in Scott. During the first of the three games that count, Scott continued to bowl fairly pitifully.  Steven was holding his own, and at the end of the game, had Scott by 61 pins. It occurred to me on the 9th frame or so that Scott was bowling right handed. (He's left handed). He was also using a house ball while his three sat in the rack (Three? Really? Overcompensation much?).

Really, the whole night was about Scott's balls, if you wanna know the truth.

In the second game, with an almost 80 pin lead, Steven was talking a little good natured smack.  Even offering a few coaching tips with the troublesome 7 pin and 10 pin. Scott decided at this time to make a statement by laying one of his 300 rings on the table each frame.

Oh..wait.. YES! There it is..
Fear.



He looks amused at this point.

Scott then decided to actually bowl (left handed and with his own equipment), and the game was pretty much over after that.  He mopped the floor with Cupcake, who took it all in stride and with a great attitude. I don't think I've laughed that much in a long time. Mid-way through the third game, Scott had already made up for the 80 pin deficit and had Steven by at least 50 pins. It wasn't even close, but it was totally worth coming out for. Scott was pretty modest about it though.. accepting victory with the grace you'd expect from a man of his caliber. I mean, it's not like he's the type to photograph himself wearing a handful of 300 rings and a championshp jacket and post it on someone's Facebook wall.

Oh.. wait..

Afterwards we went to breakfast at CK's, where an extensive conversation about the male anatomy took place. I fully expected them to prop bet on this, but fortunately was spared. We then attempted to look for a Geocache. Hopping the curb on the University of Memphis Campus, at 2 am and putting us nearly face to face with an inhabited police cruiser put an end to that really quick. We're all old enough to know when it's time to pack it in.

Everything on the menu is under $7?
Scotty's idea of a perfect night out!

Cupcake and I dropped Scott off at his truck, and sat to catch up for a minute. Our conversation was all over the place, as usual, covering the last 8 months in a half hour or so. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy his company, and I'm really glad they scheduled their bowling fiasco to include me.  Even if Cupcake got his ass kicked. <3

All of these in bowling.. and not a one that says WSOP.
Face it Scotty, you can't hang.
Maybe you should stick to playing with your balls?
<3