Gage and I enjoyed a lengthy walkabout throughout the downtown yesterday afternoon. It’s a rare day when I get down there during any of those farmer’s markets simply because I’m always working, but that square was totally packed. It was actually tough trying to navigate our way through the crowds and whatnot.

We did a bit of last minute shopping for tomorrow’s block party. And I also wanted to treat Gage before his last summertime visit concludes and he’s whisked away to fulltime kindergarten. Since he first learned to speak he’s been projecting about all of the things he would do when “he got bigger.” Well, it seems bigger has finally arrived and it’s kind of a bittersweet moment. Anyway, we did the hoddog on the square thing and scoffed up some of the reasonably priced action figures from the animated Cars movie that were waiting for us in the basement of Boscov’s. By the way, there were two beat cops on the square as well as a cruiser.

I got a heads up that Campus Square Billiards was about to open it’s doors, but I was surprised to find the place already open for business. So, true to form, I just had to wander on in there. I’m more than happy to share my opinion of the place with you, but lets start with the official press release.

For Release: August 17, 2006 Campus Square billiards entertainment center now open on Public Square (Wilkes-Barre, PA) The new Campus Square billiards entertainment center on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre is open for business. According to co-owner Joseph ‘Tex’ Clauss, the 10,300-sq. ft., $450,000 billiards entertainment center offers 25 pool tables and 2 ping-pong tables. “We are still putting the finishing touches on a few things, but all the pool tables are in place and the games can begin.” Clauss reports that facility is the brainchild of fellow co-owner Lou Teberio, who proposed the need for a billiards center in Wilkes-Barre. Clauss previously designed the popular billiards center, The Spot, in Trevose, PA, northeast of Philadelphia, owned by professional pool player and trainer Peter Fusco. Campus Square, located in the former CVS Drug Store at 39 Public Square, also features what is known as a Players Pit, a special, private area designed for the avid enthusiast, that features special lighting, elevated seating for spectators, and three premium (more challenging) tables. Work is being done to complete a large snack bar that will soon offer such fare as hot dogs and hamburgers. “We are particularly proud of our state-of-the-art BOSE sound system, featuring a touch tune system connected to a 150,000-song mp3 jukebox. It is music at its best,” Clauss notes. Currently open to the public, Campus Square will eventually be a "membership club." For the first nine months, the facility will be open to the public; then membership will be required. According to Clauss, there will be a nominal membership charge and after that point ID will be required to get in. A new destination for local college students in the downtown area, Campus Square will have pool leagues and anticipates activities such as a "Campus King and Campus Queen" competition between local colleges. For more information, contact Campus Square at (570) 970-3217.

The following picture was taken by me as I could not open the attached photo files I received.

When I wandered in, I ran right into not only the owner of the new business but the owner’s of the building itself just as they were putting this press release together. I chuckled when Wilkes-Barre Online was described to the pool dude as being Wilkes-Barre’s third newspaper. I guess.

Long story short, the billiards hall is really sharp. It’s got the game room area, the ping pong area right against the windows, and then three different areas to shoot some 8 ball. There’s the area for the “heavy hitters,” which I will never be playing in. There’s an area that was referred to as the “beer league” area. And then there’s the larger area where you and I can mis-cue balls all night long.

I’m not going to mention the membership fee just in case it isn’t set in stone, but it’s mere pennies. It’s more or less just a tool by which any unruly people can be unceremoniously bounced out of the place. That’s a good thing. The hours of operation will basically depend on the business. Now all we have to do is support the place.

Anyway, it’s a great facility, and it is exactly what downtown Wilkes-Barre needs many more of: businesses that fill a particular niche.

And that it does.

Rack ‘em, loser.

After the brief tour of the billiard hall, Gage and I were also treated to a walk-through of the new dance club which is called Club Mardi Gras. Since it’s far from finished, I didn’t take any pictures of the interior. It will have three bar areas and even has one of those fan boats they use to navigate the swamps and such down south. That’s unique.

Boy, those returning college kids better not get to whining about having nothing to do this year. Since last they attended class they’ve gotten themselves 14 theaters, a huge billiards hall and what promises to be a lively dance club. All within walking distance under all of those new streetlights.

I’ll certainly stop in there when it opens and throw back a few. But don’t even bother trying to get me to dance. A disco boy I ain’t.

As far as cursing is concerned, there are two cursing events on film that crack me up every single time. The first one is from Animal House when after practically destroying Flounder’s brother’s Lincoln, Otter looks him right in the eye and says point blank: You fu>ked up. You trusted us.

The other one is from Christmas Story when Ralphie’s perturbed dad stomps down into the basement and lays down a verbal barrage while trying to get the furnace working properly. That is some of the foulest sounding non-cursing I’ve ever heard. And funny as all hell.

I try to be nice these days, but when I was much younger I was known to cuss with the very best of them. I can’t say I’m proud of it, but it is what it is. Or was. Something like that. Fuuddge!

The work on the Sterling Hotel tower seems to be in full swing these days. You’d never catch me on this elevator thingie. No way, Jose.

Catch this nonsense. We’ve staged 16 of these block parties spanning 16 years, and only one time did it occur to anyone to sic the police on us. That would be those folks who bought McGroarty’s cardboard house down on the corner. Theirs is a Penn Avenue address, but they mistakenly think they can do as they wish with a piece of city-owned property on Thompson Street.

Turns out, they got to mouthing off to one of the neighbors that they plan to throw a huge party tomorrow night and promised there is going to be trouble since we cordon off our entire street and no parking will be allowed for most of the day. First of all, we have a permit from the city which allows us to do as much. Secondly, if their main complaint turns out to be about parking, they don’t even live on this street. So why would someone from another street think they have parking rights on this street? And yet, these people have complained that none of their neighbors like them. You know, it’s not them, it’s the rest of the world causing the problems. Whatever.

All I know is, I’ll let the cops handle their nonsensical bullspit, but it’s getting to the point with these maroons where I would greatly prefer to take things physical. With some people…with some, it just ought to be legal to give ‘em a good old-fashioned sock right in the chops. It just ought to. Sez me.

Maybe Bill Vinsko can research all of that legalese mucky muck for me.

Pro bono, of course.

Well, the barriers were delivered this morning and the street sweeper just worked it’s magic. (?)

It’s just about time to flirt with alcohol poisoning.

Later