Running the table

L.A. Class-Reading Blog-Short Story (Non-Fiction)

   

This short non-fiction story begins with an insight at the life of the author- Frank Conroy- at the rebellious and chaotic age of fifteen in the city commonly known as ‘The Big Apple’; New York City. We are graced with the knowledge of the boy’s adolescent behavioural patterns and problems, such as occasional theft. Frank begins by letting us know his theory on why he enjoyed and still seems to enjoy the game of pool or billiards as much as he did. He found it as an escape for his current life, where everything was aimless to a more ordered place. To where he was properly known by people, and known for a reason besides something embarrassing, such as rumour or a mistake made. It is to be noted how it’s said that Frank appeared to be non-existent in his school life, so being someone in the game of pool would have made him feel wanted and needed.

  Frank recounts how he first wandered in the pool house known as Julian’s.  Wandering pointlessly on a street and then impulsively walking through the doors that led to the place he would soon be at much more often. Here at the pool house he learned how to play, which in reality meant so much more to him. It brought him an inner peace by allowing him to vent into the game rather than at people. This was most likely the reason that he played alone most of the time rather than with another person.

  

    As the story progresses, we are allowed a flash into the present time for when this was written. The author, as a much older man, is sitting on a deserted bench in a Zen rock garden. For those who missed the point of this story and thought it to be about the game of pool, this section would make little sense. The rock garden makes him think of the peace that he found in the game of pool when he was much younger because rock gardens are meant to be relaxing places.

  

  The author most likely could have picked anything for this story-any part of his younger life that calmed him, any comfort that he had in his youth. But pool brought him a sense of achievement and recognition when the inner turmoil he faced was quelled, which made the experiences he had much more worthwhile than what they may have been had it been any other escape he had when he was teenager.

   

  The bottom line that this story aims to instill in the reader (provided that they perceive the meaning beyond the game of pool or billiards) was how much of an escape the game was. That it’s more beneficial to you and everyone around you to vent your anger at life into something besides your daily activates, and perhaps be productive with it at the same time. Even far later in life, the game still brought a feeling of calm to Frank because of his use of it as an escape when he was younger. The main idea was to let the reader know that there is more to be done when you direct anger or frustration into a certain field than if you simply act upon impulsive feelings, a lesson that should probably be remembered.