If tonight feels like too much, call or text 988. Someone is awake.
8The Felt Forum
A pool hall, most mornings
The Felt Forum/The Archive

Other mornings

Every story Sal has told, kept in one place. 10 and counting, one every morning.

2026
On chasing losses
The Drive Home
I drove six hours to a game I lost in forty minutes. The drive is what kept me there.
Monday, August 17, 2026
On hard lessons as a son
The Coffee Can
My mother saved in coins what my father earned in hours. I gambled it in an afternoon.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
On self-belief
The Game That Didn't Count
He would not play unless something was riding on it. I knew the feeling better than I wanted to.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
On day trading
The Same Animal in a Better Suit
He kept telling me it was not gambling. Mostly he was telling himself.
Monday, August 10, 2026
On being a dad
The Seat I Was Sitting In
I made every one of her games. She will tell you I missed most of them.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
On sports betting apps
We Close at Midnight
Every room I ever gambled in had a door and a clock. The one in your pocket has neither.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
On the quiet regulars
The Man on the Third Stool
Some of the strongest people I know never say a word about it.
Friday, August 7, 2026
On thinking before acting
The Ten Second Rule
The fastest players I ever knew were the slowest to shoot.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
On chasing losses
The Ninth Rack
Some nights the table takes your money. The trouble starts when you try to take it back.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
On knowing when to walk away
The Nine Ball Doesn't Care How You Feel
A story about the most expensive word in the English language. It is only five letters.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
◆ ◆ ◆
The Back Room

The door back here is always open

Some stories are heavier than others. If the game has its hooks in you, or in somebody you love, there is no shame in it and there is a way out. You do not have to be sure. You do not have to hit bottom. Curiosity is enough of a reason to make a call.

Gambling, betting, or trading: the National Problem Gambling Helpline is free and private, any hour. Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (that is 1-800-697-3738), or find a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.
If tonight is too heavy: call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.