Miscommunication 101

At our very first scotch doubles match in the Open Scotch Doubles event at BCAPL Nationals at the end of July, my partner and I are up 2-0 or so in a race to 4.

At some point during this third game, the female of the other team is standing at the table kinda confused.  She gets down to shoot a certain shot and her opponent stops her.

Uh, hold up - what's going on here?

He says something to her, and they motion to each other and then he says, "time out" to us and walks towards her.

Time out?!  HOLD ON!

I stop them and say, "uh, excuse me, there isn't any time outs in scotch doubles."

The guy says to me, "Yes there is."

"No, there isn't," I counter.

He tells me, "we did it last year."

"Um in what league?"  I ask.

"This one."

I told him, "I have been playing in this event like 10 years, it hasn't been allowed for YEARS," as he's looking at me confused.

I ask nicely, "Can I ask the ref?"

"Sure," he says, "sounds good."

I go up to the ref that is literally just feet away from us, "Uh, excuse me, but are time outs allowed?"

He looks at me and replies, "yes."

I'm like OMG REALLY?

I asked, shocked, "since when?"

Ref's reply:  "Since as long as I can remember."

OMG....

I go back to the table and tell my partner first, "he says there are time outs."

So, the guy goes back to the table to tell his opponent the better shot to shoot.

I ask a friend of mine who is playing next to us, "hey, are time outs allowed?"

She replied to me laughing, "No, Melinda, we've been playing in this event over ten years and they have never allowed it.  Come on."   It was ironic she said ten years, too, lol.

So I go up to another ref and he says the SAME thing.  I'm about to lose my mind - has my memory REALLY gotten that bad??  I know I had two concussions in the last year but REALLY?

So I go up to the first ref, "I'm sorry, but can you ask the head ref for us, please?"

He says sure.

At this point,  my partner is like, "cool - let's take time outs."  LMAO.  It's funny because we don't need any.

The head ref shows up and they call me over.

"What is your question ma'am?"

"Thank you.  Are time outs allowed?"

"Yes."

I'm DUMBFOUNDED!

Then he adds, "you can take a five minute time-out for a bathroom break."

I ask, "no, for coaching?"  He says, "Oh no, not for coaching, just to go to the bathroom."

Even the first ref adds, "no, not for coaching."

Communication 101 people - be very SPECIFIC when you ask questions, lol.