Billiard Time

The cue stick was carefully aimed and it stroked the air twice before striking the white cue ball with a loud crack. The ball triangle was shattered almost immediately, covering the table with careening ivory orbs. Three of them, 13, 14 and 15, were sunk almost at once, while the other brightly colored balls bounced once or twice off cushions before coming to rest in a circular pattern at the other end of the table.

“Elegant trick shot, eh Poca?” continued Sporgenza.
“Yes sir, quite impressive sir, and very realistic,” Poca replied. He really thought the balls were a bit large for the table, though they did roll quite well on the felt surface hanging on the wall. Poca Merda enjoyed a game of pool, but was not pleased to be shown yet another of his superior’s many clocks.

“And you see how each ball stops with its number fully visible?” urged Sporgenza, “In an hour it’ll rack the balls including those in the pocket and do a new break with new trajectories for each ball, all computer-designed. Hey! Don’t touch that!” he barked, “They’re just hanging there by magnets. I don’t know what would happen if a ball were budged.”

As Sporgenza lurched forward to protect his treasure, his large posterior seemed to quiver. Poca was sure he heard a slosh over the click-clack of the cue ball counting the seconds as it jerkily circled the clock face. In the middle was the cue stick that had made the shot. It showed minutes, and under it was a shorter stick as the hour hand.

“Well, I think I’ll refresh my drink now,” said Poca hopefully as he turned to go.
“Good idea Merda, get me another cold duck juice,” called a now sweating Sporgenza whose ample derriere seemed to let off steam, “And hurry back. I want you to peer into this basket on the quarter hour when my Cobra Cuckoo awakens."