One more game won by Mojo

It’s like an addiction literally; You can even purchase a set of professional pucks. A good size table to play costs around $5,000. If you’re thinking Monopoly, Chess, Checkers, or Uno, nice try.

The name of the game is Shuffle Board, and Mojo and I have been hooked on it for a while now. The rules of the game are simple. Each player has four pucks. To decide who goes first during a game, you must get your puck farther than your opponent without it falling of the edge of the table.

Pucks that don’t pass the second foul line are just taken off the board so that they can’t interfere. A player’s points are determined when both players have used up their throws. A puck that is hanging from the side is considered double points. For example if you have one hanging from the end of the board, you have now collected six points.

But to have success at this the game, you should play defensively as well as you play offensively. Once you get your puck in a good spot, make sure your other pucks are used to protect the one that will get you the most points. The rules of the game are pretty simple.

In case you’re wondering, you can play right here in Downtown Modesto. There are other things in Modesto to do instead of going to the mall, or sitting on your ass all day wasting your precious time watching pointless afternoon soap operas.

A local bar called T’s Cocktails on 9th street is where we’ve been hanging out lately. You get used to the music, the people and the atmosphere. If you do happen to go in there make sure to say hi to Cathy, the bar fly. She’s a nice lady most of the time, she bought us a round of Red Bull one time. But once in a while she has one too many and gets a bit angry. But that is the fun of a place like this. There is no telling what will come out of the jukebox or fly through the air!

Mojo and I don’t even go in there to drink, we either drink Red Bull or soda. But if you do drink, the drinks are simple, well made and cheap. You won't find an $8.00 White Russian here like at The Fat cat.

Yesterday was a close game; I seriously thought I was going to win. It was really close. I started out winning 10-0. Man, was I proud of myself! I was actually going to win one game for once! I haven’t even won a single game against this guy. Sometimes I wonder if he has a playing table hidden in his side yard.

Mojo even said, “Dude it’s like God just gave me the magic playing hand." He caught up slowly like he always does, but I was thinking it wasn’t enough. I was on a roll and I was not going to let him have it. Not like all the other close games I almost won. Soon the score was 15-7 after looking at the scoreboard a little, I couldn’t believe it.

I had a reasonable lead to crack jokes and make fun, like he does to me. But one little mistake can turn the game completely around. I hit all my pucks off my table on accident and that really screwed me up in the end. I ended up hitting one of my opponent’s pucks; and turned it into a hanger. Like I mentioned earlier, a hanger is worth double points and he killed me with this one. Soon enough the scoreboard that read 15-7 turned into 15-16. Damn that was a really big mistake. I told myself there is no way I have gotten this far and I’m going to lose.

Then the tables did turn against me all right. Suddenly Mojo was getting was getting everything but single points. He caught up quick; I couldn’t believe my eyes at what the scoreboard read. The final score you’re wondering was 20-21, Mojo made a great 13-0 comeback. I was bummed but hey, my score is better than that of the Los Angeles Clippers getting beat in Game 7 against the Phoenix Suns.

Join us sometime if you want to try something new to do in Modesto. Sometimes bands plan and there may be a random sighting of a cowgirl tying to dance with a beam supporting the cieling. T's is a fun place where, like cheers, everybody knows your name after a while!