Someone To Save Me

It’s always nice to get away for a bit and visit old friends. I had been working hard for the past few months and thought that I deserved a little break to relax and have fun. And by have fun I mean get completely wasted with my friends from college.

My flight got in at 11 that morning, and I dropped my bags off at the hotel before meeting the girls at a small pool hall/restaurant. When I walked in I spotted them instantly.

“Katie! Only you could still look cute after a 2 hour flight.”

“Janie” I shouted back as she pulled me into a bone crushing hug. “Thanks sweetheart! I try” I added with a shrug. Before we joined our friends at the table. “Alright where the hell is my drink you promised me?” I asked looking at the table.

“It’s 12.”

“So, it’s the afternoon” I reason. “Al! Megs! I missed you guys!”

“We missed you too Katie!”

“How the hell did you bitches all get jobs in the same city? And why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“It’s not like you’re stuck in some shit hole. You’re in Chicago!”

“Yea and if I hear about the Blackhawks or the Bears at all this week I’m going to shoot someone. I mean it’s better than Ohio professional sports but I mean really I can only take so much of the cocky sons-a-bitches.”

“You talk like you know them” Meg said.

“That’s what happens when you’re the only girl on the paper that’s into sports. I’m always having to go to a game and interact with them. I swear if Patrick Kane hits on me one more time that boy is going to have a hockey stick shoved up his ass.”

“Harsh” Alex commented. “And here I was going to suggest we see a game tonight but if you . . .”

“Al I still love sports it would be nice to not have to work during a game for once.”

“Please you know that you have a camera attached to your hip all the damn time Katie” Jane said nudging me slightly.

“Alright who wants to play pool?” I said walking over to an empty table putting an end to the work discussion. “Or the better question is how wants to get their ass kicked at pool?”

“So, are you up for a game tonight? I just happen to have 4 ice level seats behind the bench. . .” Al said as I broke.

“So a Pens hockey game. Ice level so I get to admire the captain and all the rest of the hottest hockey players in the league. I seriously don’t know how I ended up in fucking Chicago instead of here. Lucky bitches.”

“I’m sorry maybe you shouldn’t have applied in Chicago if you hate it so much” she replied as I sunk 2 of my solids. “Besides I didn’t know that you had a thing for the Penguins.”

“Well I kept it quiet, when my cousin, Gerry, found out; he did say something about Sidney Crosby having the facial hair of a 12 year old Iranian girl, I don‘t know why Iranian but. . .” I said earning a loud eruption of laughter behind me. “Excuse me I believe I was having private conversa . . . Shit.” I added turning around to see not only Sidney Crosby but a large group of his teammates too all laughing.

“12 year old Iranian girl huh?” Sidney asked.

“His words not mine. My cousin doesn’t have a sensor button when it comes to things like that” I said to him before turning to give Al a death glare. “You couldn’t have given me a warning?” I said between my teeth.

“What and miss this, no fucking way” she said laughing. I was so mad at her. I tried to clear the table as fast as I could. “Well that was a fast game.”

“I told you that I’d kick your ass. And now you owe me a drink too.”

“How about a more challenging game?” Sidney asked as I was about to head to the table where we had been sitting.

“I don’t know . . . I do have a drink waiting for me.”

“You sort of owe me with the facial hair comment.”

“Actually it’s more like Gerry owes you.”

“I don’t want to play pool with your cousin.”

“One game and that’s it. No rematch when I beat you” I said racking up on the table that I had just cleared.

“Someone is confident.”

“Someone is awesome at pool” I stated with a shrug. “You can go first.”

“You sure?”

“Yea” I said watching him break and sink 3 of his balls before missing. “Not bad, now watch and learn” I said sinking shot after shot. “8 ball corner pocket” I said before sinking that one too. I looked over at him with my trademark ‘what was that you were saying’ smirk before putting the cue up and walking back to the table where my friends were sitting.

“Damn Katie you could have let him win, they are playing tonight” Megs said.

“I just hope that he plays better on the ice than he just did” I said taking a bite of the food that had just arrived.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sitting behind the bench without the pressure of having to work was, well, amazing! Don’t get me wrong I love my job but it’s nice to be able to enjoy a sport that you love for once. It also helped that this was the Penguins rather than the hawks. Not that I have a problem with my Chicago team but I mean hello the Pens are not only a great team but they’re hot! I was enjoying my view of the guys and my ability to hear them cussing up a storm bad mouthing the opposition. The girls and I continued to joke around during most of the game watching the intensity of the team and catching up on what’s been going on since graduation, cheering like crazy when the guys scored or got in a fight.

“So Katie, what are you going to do about the Kaner situation?” Al asked.

“Umm absolutely fucking nothing. He can flirt all he wants but there is no way in hell I’m ever going to let anything happen. Not even coffee. He’s such a little kid its ridiculous” I said shaking my head. “I need a man not a 12 year old.”

“Nicely put” Megs commented with a giggle.

“I’m sorry did you just giggle? Like legit giggle at a fuckin hockey game?” I said razzing her. “Wow Megs. Just wow.”

“Sorry” she mumbled. “You know beer makes me giggle. Just like rum makes you insanely flirty.”

“Yea gotta love the rum.”

“Think of what would happen if Kaner found that bit of info out?”

“You used to be my favorite Canadian Megs, but if you so much as hint at that I will make sure you never drink another beer ever.”

“Don’t take my beer!” she shouted overly dramatic, causing half of the bench to turn and look at us including the captain himself. I smile an wave at the team before they turned back to the action on the ice. “I think Crosby might have a thing for our badass friend don’t you think girls?” she asked receiving grins and nods from Al and Janie.

“Bullshit. That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever hear“ I said defensively. “He does have a pretty awesome crooked smile though. I’m not going to deny that.”

“And you’re a sucker for a crooked smile and a knowledge of sports” Janie said with a knowing smirk.

“Shut it Janie” I said taking another swig of my beer.

When the final buzzer sounded we jumped from our seats and cheered for the Penguins victory, we even did our Signature Victory Dance from college, but unlike then we weren’t as drunk and we didn’t have the players looking over at us with curious looks.

“We should probably not do that anymore” I said laughing as the stands started clearing out.

“Yea, it wasn’t as embarrassing when we were wasted and in college” Janie agreed trying to catch her breath in between the laughter.

“Alright let’s bounce!” Megs said getting out of her seat. As we go to the steps to leave there was a pounding on the glass causing me to jump slightly before turning around. There stood Max Talbot, talk about a player Kaner is nothing compared to Talbot, he motioned for me to come closer to the glass. Before flicking the puck over the glass.

“That’s for telling Sid he has the facial hair of a 12year old Iranian girl” he yelled so I could hear him. “And the victory dance”” he added with a wink.

“It’s not worth much if it’s not signed” I said giving him a confused look.

“Come to the locker room then, bring you’re hot friends.”

“You wish Talbot.”

“That I do.”

“What was that?” Al asked as I walked back to my friends shaking my head.

“He wants us to come to the locker room” I stated placing the puck in my back pocket.

“Why did he give you the puck?” she asked.

“Geesh Al people are going to think that you’re the one who went into journalism not me with all the questions. He said it was for calling Sid out on his weak facial hair.”

“Ha! That’s awesome!” Megs laughed. “Are we going to the locker room?”

“Hell yeah I need my puck signed” I said making my way to where the locker room was, digging for my media pass that I threw in my purse before going to the airport this morning. As we reached the security guards I held up my pass and told them that the girls were with me and he waved us by simply. “I might as well get a story out of this . . .” I said pulling out my smaller camera and a note pad before walking over to the first stall. “Hi I’m Katie O’Callaghan from the Chicago Sun Times, do you have a few minutes to answer a couple questions maybe let me take a few shots?” I asked holding up my camera.

“Umm sure. . . Chicago?” Sidney Crosby asked starting to take off the top portion of his uniform.

“Yep” I replied simply as I snapped a few candid’s of not only him but a few other players as well.

“Why would Chicago send a reporter to our game?”

“They didn’t. . . I’m actually here for a week’s vacation visiting some college friends before I go on assignment” I said smiling at him. “Oh, ummm, I feel like some crazed fan asking you this but would you sign my puck?”

“You’re puck?”

“Yea that French-Canadian player/teammate of yours gave it to me. I told him it wasn’t worth anything without signatures.”

“Gottcha” he said signing the piece of black rubber. ”So, are you actually a reporter?”

“I’m a sports photographer but my major was in publicity and management. I just happen to be pretty damn talented in the art department. I’m kinda sad I didn’t get to take very many picture tonight.”

“Why was that?”

“I was enjoying not having to look at Patrick Kane for once” I said adding a shiver of disgust for good measure.

“Not a fan of Kaner eh?” he laughed.

“Not really.”

“Who then?”

“Not telling” I said shaking my head with a smile on my face. “Ladies it’s time to roll out! I’m only in Pitt for a little while and I’m going to enjoy it thoroughly” I yelled getting the attention of my friends.