What's A Plumber's Ball? Poem by Francie Lynch

Strange question indeed, so
I asked one and all:
Explain to me: 'What's a plumber's ball? '
Family and friends heeded my call,
But none could confine it, refine or define it,
(Yet Paul was sure he could design it.)
Still none could satisfy my caterwaul:
'What the hell is a plumber's ball? '
Does it sweat the pipe or wiggle the snake?
Can it clamp the nipple, for heaven's sake?
Could it snap on the cock-hole cover'
All these queries made me wonder.
Has it something to do with hardness leakage,
Or screwing the ball-cock to stop a seepage?
Has it anything to do with a saddle valve drippppping,
Electric eels or two pipes mating?
And I heard of male and female fittings,
(And should one worry if one's standing or sitting?)
If you're discharging the head or elongating the pipe,
Does a plumber's ball help it snug tight?
Is it in my tank or in my bowl,
Beneath the floor near the drainage hole?
Is the plumber's ball in the back of the truck?
(Jeff laughed and said one could rub it for luck) .
I asked Michel if he could tell,
He sensed it was something one might smell.
I sought out Ray, perhaps he'd know,
But he was on call to restrain his backflow.
I couldn't reach Gary for his wisdom and sense,
He was wigglin' the snake to unclog a wet vent.
Henry, Rick, Scotty and Brian,
Gave shameless answers I couldn't rely on.
It's not a crapper, tail piece of Johnnie-bolt,
Or catch basin, reamer, O-ring or pipe dope.
So I searched the net with a fool's wonders,
And read of ball-checks, gas cocks and plungers.
I know it's too late to ask Rolly or Ross,
For both of them knew, and that's our loss.
(And Ernie's gone golfing so I can't ask the boss!)
With final resolve I fell to my knees,
To pray St. Ferrer with grace intercede.
His silence left me in a state of depression.
Had Ferrer washed his hands of the plumbing profession?
So nothing could settle my wherewithal,
I still didn't know: 'What's a plumber's ball? '
Suddenly it hit me - he's never wrong-
The Dalai Lama of diptubes, I'll ask John.
Where others did falter, John's a rock,
He knows the difference between a gas or ball cock.
With a knowing smile he embraced our hall:
'Here, poor friend, is the Plumber's Ball.