THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996 TAG: 9607040254
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: IVOR LENGTH: 136 lines
THE CUE WAS POISED, the shot lined up, the ball hit - the ball hit the side of the pool table.
Next player, the same - ready, aim, fire, miss.
``The more I shoot, the worse I get,'' the first player said.
``The more I shoot, the worse I get,'' his opponent echoed.
Not exactly a scene from ``The Hustler.'' Not exactly a tense moment between Minnesota Fats and Fast Eddie.
The players at Deb's Road House Inn are more laid back.
Here's an example of ``laid back'' from one of the women at one of the two pool tables:
``I don't know one ball from another. These guys - they point - they say they're gonna get ball No. 6 or 7. I say I'm gonna hit the red or yellow ball. One time, though, I had a couple drinks, hit two balls and sent one to each pocket.''
Sometimes, when those pockets are missed, a player will cuss under his breath - spewing out such epithets as ``phooey'' and ``darn.''
Things are quite genteel Thursday nights - yeah, right - for the weekly Ladies 8-Ball Tournament which, more often than not, winds up as a co-ed event.
Gender aside, tournament time is a couple hours of rack-'em-up-break-shoot - fun for everyone, more fun for the winner who ends up with a fair-sized pot.
James Beamon, a Franklin construction worker, won $40 during a recent competition.
``I gave it to my wife. Let her spend it,'' said the dream husband, who spends at least two nights a week at Deb's, often with the Mrs.
Wednesdays, he is part of a house team competing with other local clubs, all members of the Amateur Pool Players Association.
``I prefer the 8-ball games,'' said Meg Holland of Ivor. ``You don't have all those tournament rules.''
The 8-ball rules are simple - pay and play. Give owner Debbie Williams $5 and she gives you your cue.
One player chases the even numbered balls, the other goes for the odd. If all goes well, the eight ball is last in a pocket.
If the eight ball is pocketed immediately following the break, that player gets a pot.
It happened two weeks ago. The player behind that eight ball had good luck.
Otherwise, losers play one another, the winners play each other.
It keeps going that way until the two winners who won the most games face off.
``I don't get nervous during that final game,'' Beamon said. ``You can't get nervous when you shoot pool, especially when you're doing it for money.
``You gotta be calm, cool and collected,'' said Beamon, who was calm, cool and collected $40.
It's not the first time. ``This is the 12th tournament I've won.''
Several of the tournament players are also members of one of Deb's league teams - the Road Warriors, Road Runners or Sidewinders.
``I've been playing since I was a teen,'' Holland said. ``My brothers taught me and I practice here. I like pool. It's a challenge.''
The challenge was recently picked up by Heather Harmon, who visits Deb's regularly from her Courtland home.
``I've been playing less than a year - never tried it before,'' she said. ``I shot a couple times, ended up liking it.''
Harmon has reached the point where she can call her shots. Watch. The 15 and 5 balls are bunched together. She calls for ``15 in the side pocket.''
In goes the 5.
Harmon, a materials analyst at Franklin Equipment Co., is a self-described ``country girl.''
Country girls and guys, including many best described as rednecks, make up the bulk of Deb's visitors.
If you are thinking of making the common mistake of equating redneckism with rowdyism, forget it.
If you are looking for a fight, check the Saturday morning cartoons; if you are looking for a newfound friend of the opposite sex - well . . .
Deb's is a small club with a large variety of goings-on - pool, karaoke, country music bands.
There's room for dancing and, all told, there is room for up to 200 folks.
``We get people from Suffolk, Williamsburg, Waverly, Wakefield - all over,'' Williams said. ``We had about 200 with Wooden Nickel - about 150 with Burdette Station.
``The good friends, like those bands, I try to book often,'' she said. ``I have friends from Southern Country and Southern Blend.''
Recently, she tried Driver for the first time. The reception was rousing. The band, yielding to popular demand, kept going until 2 a.m.
Williams, 36, keeps going, holding down three jobs in behalf of her three children - one job for each child.
In addition to running the club - her pet project since it opened in November - she works at Sentry Food Mart No. 10 and, for the past 12 years, at Cal-Ray Supermarket, both in Windsor.
She is leasing the building that houses the Road House, with option to buy. Whether or not she gives up the other jobs depends on the success of her club.
Williams' Cal-Ray boss, Mike Tuck, a member of one of her pool teams, has encouraged her enterprising nature.
``He told me to give it a try. His dad, Calvin, always told me I could be what I wanted. He taught me about the business end of the business,'' she said. ``I've always had an inspiration to do a lot of cooking, and I like music. When this building became available, I thought I'd try it.''
Her boyfriend, Lee Ivey, helps her out, running the bar, sweeping the floor, greeting the customers - many of whom are regulars, including 39-year-old Brenda Carr who lives in Suffolk but was raised in Windsor.
``A lot of people I grew up with come here,'' Carr said. ``Also, I like the atmosphere. It's laid back and comfortable. I play pool, I sing karaoke, I listen to the bands. I do it all.''
Sometimes, Carr switches from pool cue to music cue - from 8-ball to karaoke as she leaves the game long enough to go to the other end of the club and perform.
Then, it's back to the pool table. Pocket a few, miss a few, smile prettily, pick up stick, take another shot.
Not exactly a scene from ``The Hustler,'' but it is more fun. ILLUSTRATION: ON THE COVER
[Color Photo]
Heather Harmon lines up the cue tip with the ball during a ladies
tournament. Staff photo by Michael Kestner.
AT A GLANCE
Deb's Road House Inn
Where: Route 460, Ivor
Hours: 4 p.m. until the band or the pool playing stops, Wednesday
through Sunday
Phone: 859-6151
Details: Wednesday - Amateur Pool Players Association League
Play, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday - Ladies 8-Ball Tournament, 7:30 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday - Live band.
Meg Holland of Ivor has been playing pool since she was a teenager.
``I prefer the 8-ball games,'' she says. ``You don't have all those
tournament rules.''
Meg Holland checks the action on the dance floor through a window in
the wall separating the band from the pool hall.
Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Debbie Williams opened Deb's Road House Inn in November. It's open
Wednesday through Sunday. by CNB