Right on cue

Chezka Centeno is new champion of the women’s world 8-ball. Nothing new to the Filipina cue artist, she twice won world titles before, in the 10-ball category. Any world winner from the country where Efren Reyes comes from is however seen as new, within the context of the longevity and consistency of the magician.

It was a seamless 7-0 run for the 27-year old Filipina to a $30,000 purse. Or at least P1.8 million. Huge, considering how parents condescend on billiards as a sport for the loafers. Right, within the context of children who decline school despite the opportunity. But many others are forced to skip school for different reasons, poverty foremost. While public schools free tuition, direct cost of instruction is not the only cost of education.

Curiously however, some of the world’s richest did not finish school, the university of life educates more effectively with application. Some of the smartest too, for why would they learn something they already earn, even more and better. These are however rare ingenious cases. Or ingenuity. Out of the box, not for ordinary students, unless they create something extraordinary along the way.

Immediately, the treble world title holder dedicated her win to her dear departed mother, in yet another testament to how children honor and love their parents, especially their mothers. Filipino men even love their mothers more than their sisters do, without reference to several sets of brothers and sisters in the government and their different ways of loving their mother country, lawful or awful. Sons may not be expressive in words and deeds, but deep inside they love, respect and protect the woman they come from.

The dead Rene Baterbonia is living testament. He readily shared large part of his training allowance to her mother. No ifs or buts. Too bad it ended in why and how. Carlos Yulo and his mother is a different story altogether. Thankfully, they are quiet now. The world does not need to know about their family feud. Why share sordid details about personal life is unsettling. Laws protect right to privacy, yet netizens waive such right and privilege in the name of pseudo-fame, in public they proudly wash their dirty linen.

Now Centeno guns for the 9-ball world title to rack up her collection. How do they differ from each other? Mechanics aside, 8-ball is a game of strategy and positioning, 9-ball is a game of precision and control, and 10-ball combines these elements with the need to plan and call the shots. That’s according to Poolmania. No one cares. Everyone is into pickle ball mania.