A 5t Long Expected Party;

Travis and Bubba were first to arrive. Bubba had his glasses taped with green electrical tape this time. His flirtation with designer band-aids appeared to be over. Travis glad-handed him with an honesty that belied his forgetfulness when Bubba was not within earshot.

"Bubba... How in the world ARE ya?" he hailed. "Why Travis, I'm better than Tomatoes in the spring," came the reply. "What have you been UP to?"

"Oh, in between solving the world's problems and keeping up with the Joneses, I've been computing the exact value of PI, Bubba." Travis laughed. Bubba's reply showed he knew what he was talking about. "I've been needing the circumference of the known Universe to more than 23 decimals of a millimeter... when can you have it to me?"

With the formalities of greeting out of the way, Travis led off the top of a new deck. "Did you hear about the Aggie..." Bubba turned and adjusted his Stetson, this was likely to be _good_!

...Who was watching a party in a bar? The Bar tender used a special cue to run the break, and then a sweet young thing would devise a possible pocket for a ball; it was just like Nine Ball, but with teams, and stripes and solids in order. The relevant Shark would make his point, and if he DIDN'T he'd take a swig. Well, the Aggie could see that at this rate it was gonna take _Fore-ver_ to get 'em all drunk, but as good as they were, he hung around to watch. Game after game, the teams vied to excel, and the sweet young thing was getting harder and harder to impress. Without thinking, the Aggie began taking a swig for every successful shot, and applauding the better efforts with two and three at a time. When the assembly finally dissolved, he addressed the sweet young thing with salubrious logic. "I realize they were all obedient and all took turns," he inquired, "But exactly WHO was calling the SHOTS?"

It was not Travis' best ever, and it was typical of Bubba not to laugh too hard anyway, but he gave it it's due, and replied: "Travis, I don't care who's calling the shots... GOD is gonna run the _table_!" "Can't blame a guy for tryin'" Travis replied good naturedly.

The Nippon's arrived, and they greeted one another awkwardly as they proceeded to wait for the Clementines. It was going to be FUN!