Bubble Boy

One of things that I have managed over my many years of poker was to avoid the bubble boy spot. This meaning the last spot before points. I have prize bubbled a couple of times, but when I make it close to the points I usually make it in until last night. I made it to final table last night as the short stack with only 4500 left with blinds at 500-1000. Nine players were to receive points. There were several new players at this table and I had drawn the button, so I figured someone would get knocked out before it got to me. It was an interesting final group as after two hands it became easy to see that most of these players were limping in even at the high blind levels to see a flop. Third hand in I look down at A-Q of hearts. It's an easy all in push, but then I have 3 people in front of me that have just called the 1000 plus the small and big blind. My all in of 3500 more is going to do nothing to change them from playing. When it gets to my I think a bit and decide to just call as I can get away and still try to make points if I don't hit. Flop comes jack high with two hearts. First player beats 2000. Everyone calls up to me. So, now do I push in on the draw, just call, or fold. I know that I can't fold, because there is too much in the pot. I hate to push in on a draw and decide to call and leave myself with an out if I don't hit the turn. Two more players call behind. Turn is a heart and thank god I have the nut flush. Checked to me. I push in my 1500 and surprisingly enough only get one caller. We flip up and he has 10-5 off for two pair. The river is of course a ten giving him a boat on a four outer and making me the bubble boy. I guess I should have pushed in preflop, as the 10-5 says he would have folded, but he was the small blind and I am not sure he could have folded with all the odds he would have gotten. One guy says, I thought you were going to push in when you thought about it. I tell him what I was thinking about was should I fold the big hand and try and wait out the points. The very next hand two players get knocked out, so who knows maybe I should have folded!