Chasing Stanley

CS 2 Chicken Coming Home to Roost.

‘Oh Gerry, you’re right that was a misplay by the defense.’ I check my bubble gum pink iPhone that has bleeped. It’s a message from Pens GM Ray Shero. He wants to know my opinion on which of the two Dmen on the ice I would trade. I text back Lovejoy. ‘I don’t think that the Pens management will stand for this much longer. I’ll put money on Shero making some trades soon.’

‘I’d tell Shero to get some big solid Dmen, Tylyn. You tell that to him from me, eh.’ Uncle Gerry sounds pissed. But what Gerry doesn’t know is that through all the Pens games since I went to Pittsburgh in early December Ray Shero and I text back and forth.

‘He knows, Gerry, he knows.’ I look at the time on the clock. 4:13 left. The score is tied and the face off is now in the Ducks end. Geno is out with Nealer and Glass. But the Ducks wins the faceoff and the play is forced out across the centerline. It’s going to be a long 3:46 to go.

‘You think that Shero is making deals? Go hard to the net Vitale. Go hard.’ But what Gerry doesn’t know that ‘s not a fourth line role. I watch as Vitale skates up the ice with Bissonnette on his right wing. Adams is spinning his wheels to catch up. I watch as a play I worked on with them plays out in front of me.

‘Holy crap. They’re play tic tac toe with the puck. GOOAALL.’ Gerry screams into my ear. ‘Yeah, Biznasty.’

Hairy who has been playing at my feet with her new toys looks up as he yells. She comes over to me as if to see what all the fuss is about. I don’t know what she can see on the computer screen. Hairy’s pretty smart. She’s a mixed breed. The vet thinks she’s a sheltie/ Papillion cross. She’s thin and the size of a sheltie but she has the face, ears and tail of the Papillion. Her fur is medium length and evenly split between black and white in colour. Gerry brought her home last year from the SPCA where he volunteers. We think that she is maybe two years old. Hairy looks up at me and gives me a lick.

‘I’m okay Hairy.’ I tell her. ‘But I think Cappy could use a kiss right now.’ And as if she knows, Hairy tries to lick the computer. This makes me laugh. ‘A way with you kissy kid. Go play with your toys. I’m watching hockey.’

‘That‘s the end of the game Tylyn. Will Sid talk after the game? ‘ Gerry should know after every game 87 speaks to the press.

‘Yes. I’ve got to go. I want to unpack before tomorrow. Sam will be here on the first ferry.’ I shut down the computer.

‘Okay. I’m going to watch the post game interviews. You’re coming home next weekend.’ He coughs as he talks.

‘Absolutely, Gerry. You take your antibiotics. Mama should be home shortly. Tot ziens.’ I listen for him to reply. I turn off my phone and look at my suitcase and hockey bag. I really should tackle my unpacking.

Hairy is in the closet playing with some thing. I slide open the door to find her with the underwear that she stole from 87 when he came out for my birthday in November. She is fling them around her head.

‘What are you doing?’ Hairy brings me the now chewed smelly black jockeys. “Oh these are gross, Hairy. Yucky.’

I toss the offending item into the laundry basket that causes Hairy to whine. She fusses at the big hamper but I ignore her. I open my suitcase and start hanging up my clothes. The suitcase is sitting on my bed. Hairy is sniffing it. I work my way through the items. She watches me put me dresses on the hangers, shoes in the closet and small clothes in the dresser drawers.

‘What are you waiting for a present?’ I ask her.

Hairy yips at me, goes and sits by the laundry hamper. She wags her tail and looks at me intently. I ignore her obvious ask for 87’s jockeys. I move on to the hockey bag. I have a few items packed in there that need to come out. I unpack my recently purchased snowsuit and boots. I root around in the bag to find the bag of art supplies I was given for Christmas when I come up with a Ziploc bag. I know I have one in here with a sweaty T-shirt of 87’s for me but this is not it. It has another pair of his black jockey’s. Hairy barks at me. She’s positively dancing with excitement.

‘You think these are for you?’ I ask her.

‘Barruf’ she answers and dances at my feet her eyes never leaving the package. I know I didn’t pack them so I know 87 must have. I open the package and a sweaty smell comes out.

‘Oh god, they smell just like him.’ I have a moment where all I can think of is crazy gorilla shower sex. It stops me in my tracks. Hairy on the other hand is jumping up trying to take the jockey’s out of my hands. The goal horn from the Consol Energy Centre blasts out of my iPhone. I toss Hairy her new pair of jockeys, catch my breath and gather my emotions before I answer.

‘Hey there beautiful.’ The deep voice on the other end of the phone greets me.

‘Sorry, I think you might have the wrong number, Sir.’ I say very seriously into the phone. I hear laughter in my ear. 87 needs to focus on the hockey season and not me. I look down at Hairy who is dancing and waving around her new pair of smelly jockeys. It’s our Cappy on the phone and I think she knows it.

…

‘Samwise Gamgee as I live and breath.’ Frodo has the door open and is holding on to Hairy’s collar. Hairy for her part is trying to jump around and barking.

‘Frodo, you old thing you are a sight for sore eyes.’ I hug her tightly. I have missed my friend and teammate so much. This is the first time in years that we haven’t spent most of our time together.

‘Come in here. Hairy, out of the way. We’ve only got 17 hours until you fly out. I have lots to talk to you about.’ And with that Frodo pulled me through the door.
‘Want a cuppa tea or anything?’

‘Sure. It’s cold and wet outside.’ We walk to the back of the old house to the kitchen. It smells like baking. ‘Oh you haven’t lost your hobbitness. Is this second breakfast?’

‘Yeah, I guess. I thought that I’d work on cleaning out all the dead bananas out of the freezer. The boys know how to put them into the when they are over ripe but then nothing happens. I’ve got a double batch of muffins in the oven and banana coconut cake for dessert.’ I watch as Frodo fills up the kettle and prepares the teapot.

We have been teammates off and on since we were in grasshoppers. We got our nicknames from our National coach Bindy. He has liken our team to characters from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The forwards are all leggy blondes so they all have elf names. Our good friend Lauren is known as Legolas. We mid fielders are hobbits. Tylyn got to be Frodo because she wanted to shoot for the Olympic rings. The defense and sweeps behind us are the rangers with the two goalies having dwarf nicknames. In turn we refer to our coach as Gandalf. And what has started out in good fun has stuck for over 6 years now. I rarely think of Tylyn as anything but Frodo my right hand hobbit. But I think that’s going to be changing.

‘I hear from Lego that other things are cooking as well.’ I watch as she moves to spot the ring on her left hand. ‘I hear you went on a quest for a ring without me Frodo Baggins.’

‘Oh Sam, not really. You were there in my heart. I do love him. I really can’t imagine a life without him. But…‘ she pauses.

‘But what? Honey, do you love him?’ Frodo nods.’ Then what’s the problem? I say find a way to make it happen.’ But Frodo isn’t looking happy.

’87 wants to get married in early April. When do you get back from Scotland?’

‘Over the Easter weekend. Is that the weekend you are getting married?’ I watch as she shakes her head no so I continue. ‘I am not supposed to be back until May but I’ve told the university that I have to leave early because I’m starting the physiotherapy program at McMasterUniversity. The Maraudrers want me to help work with some field hockey development clinics.’

‘We are trying to arrange it for the 6th of April which the weekend after Easter . Mama thinks that’s too soon to plan a proper wedding but I don’t want anything big and smarmy. I just want us to get married at the farm in the orchard with all the cherry trees in blossom like big popcorn trees. I want our families and good friends around us. 87 wants to have a dance in the barn just like at my birthday. It should be simple. No tuxes or fancy clothes. 87 will wear his favorite suit and I’m going to ask Kurt to make me one more dress. I was hoping that you and Lego would stand up with me.’ I see tears in her eyes as Frodo talks.

‘It sounds beautiful to me. I’ll make sure I’m on the island for those days. Why the tears?’ I ask even though I’m pretty sure of the answer.

‘My life is changing. I won’t be here anymore. I’ll miss playing on the team. I’ll miss my Sam.’ More tears.

‘All our lives are changing Frodo. Hey, have you got in contact with the field hockey association? No? They have been calling all of us from the team that were cut last fall during the past few days. I suspect you’ll hear from them soon. They will be running tryouts in July for next year. And surprise, surprise, they will be having a new head coach. Guess who, they are offering the job to? Guess?’

‘Wanda the wingnut?’ Frodo sniffs.

‘No, Boromir. She’s been taking coaching seminars over the years. She blew out her knee again in Texas in the fall. It sounds like she can’t compete anymore so they’ve offered her the job. Of course, Gandalf will mentor her along.’ Frodo screaming with delight cuts me off.

‘There is a god. Yahoo.’ The noise starts Hairy barking. I join in the whoops of delight until the three of us interrupted by a very grumpy looking Jory standing in the doorway in just his flannel pj bottoms.

‘Shut the freak up. I’m doing night shifts. I need my sleep. Take this hen party to the attic if you want to make a racket.’ He yells at us.

Frodo isn’t put off by his anger. She hugs him tightly and gives him a kiss. Hairy is hiding under a table at the thunderous noise. I try to not look at his abs. Jeez the Hylkema brothers are a good-looking group of guys. Jory’s long blonde hair is tousled around his shoulders and he has a couple days grow of a beard. GQ would kill to have him on their cover. I’m sure that my heart rate has gone up just looking at him and I’ve known Frodo’s brothers for years.

‘I’ve made some muffins. They’re warm out of the oven. Why don’t you have a snack before you head back down to bed? Sam and I’ll go to the attic and be very quiet. I promise.’ She tells him.

‘Sorry, Jory. We’ll be quiet.’ He just looks at me, nods and stuffs a muffin whole into his mouth.
……

Upstairs Sam and I’ve nestled into the two chairs in the den half of my attic. Hairy is pulling toys out of corners and bringing them to play with as we talk. First, it was a pair of my old field hockey sox knotted together, then the pink tennis ball, an old bone, a well-chewed puck, a small brown teddy bear and new stuffed penguin. With each toy she tosses it around or pushes it with her nose. The last thing she brings out is 87’s smelly jockeys.

‘OMG what is that smell? Hairy do you need to go outside?’ Sam has wrinkled her nose up.

‘Oh it her new pair of jockey’s from 87. They are gross. I think he wore them for three games with out being washed. ‘ I think they are going to be an outside toy.

‘Hairy, that’s gross. I love the smell of a sweaty guy but Hairy girl you’ve taken this to a new level.’ Sam has pinched her nose.

‘Hairy take those things back to your crate or I’ll wash them. Yes, I used the four-letter word. W-A-S-H. You won’t like it.’ Hairy looks at me as I talk.’ W-A-S-H,’

I watch, as Hairy seems to think about this for a few seconds. Then she carries the offending black material back toward her crate. Fortunately for everyone her crate lives in the airing cupboard up here so any smells dissipate quickly. It takes a few minutes for her to come back to sit at our feet.

‘So Boromir is going to take over. That is great news.’ I go back to our previous conversation.

‘Yes, and from what I gather practices will be very structured so we can plan for them. There are going to be some international tourney’s organized for the beginning of 2014 to lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in that summer. Then the push will be for the Pan Am Games in 2015. This was a nothing year after the Olympics.’ Sam seems to have a lot of info.

‘That’s good you’ve been called’ But I wonder if the board of director’s will invite me to tryout after they took away my spot last fall.

‘You’re not worried that you won’t get invited are you?’ Sam is incredulous.

‘I don’t know after the fiasco last fall? I just don’t know.’

‘Don’t know what? You love to play. I know you love to represent Canada. What’s the problem? Not wonder butt?’ Sam questions me.

‘Oh I sure 87 will want me to play. It’s just that I’ll be in PIT not out here.’ I pause to think what is my problem. ‘Maybe they won’t want me.’

‘Oh I don’t think that’s likely. Just you wait and see.’ Sam has Hairy’s tennis ball and is rolling it down the center of the room towards my bed. I laugh at Hairy cocking her head as she watches the ball roll away from us. She looks like she’s thinking now how did that happen?

‘They haven’t called me.’ I state the fact.

‘And you’ve just got back. When your next practice with the men’s team you are helping out?’

‘Tuesday evening.’

‘Then I bet you get a call as soon as they know you’re back in town. Give them your PIT number and they’ll phone long distance.’ say Sam as she watches Hairy get up to go bring back the ball.

‘Maybe.’

‘Not maybe, but definitely. Just you wait and see.’ Hairy has brought Sam back the ball and wags her tail. So Sam rolls it again and this time Hairy chases it with enthusiasm. ‘Hey if I’m in London, Ontario how far away is Pittsburgh? Could you come to visit me?’

…….

‘Nothing fancy Kurt. I just want a simple dress with maybe some lace flowers. Not long because that will make me look really dumpy.’ I tell him and point to my knee. I’m a petite with a huge hockey butt. ‘Kinda like the dresses that you made in the fall. They are perfect but something for a spring wedding.’

‘Let me do some drawings and then we’ll go fabric shopping. If you want it in a couple months I’ll have to get busy. My course is having a spring fashion show and I’m pretty busy with that.’ Kurt is making some notes.

Kurt has a pad of paper out of his sports bag to write a few ideas down. It’s the first practice of the New Year. It’s dark and cold outside under the lit field. A breeze blows a few stray pages of Kurt’s book. I am glad that I put on a pair of warm up pants under my dress. I know that once I get moving I’ll warm up. The rest of the team is warming up on the pitch with stretches and ball work. Murray, our coach, is on the far sidelines talking to some one. I knock a few balls out on to the pitch and start working them. I’ve already done a few laps to warm up. I work the three balls I’m playing with through some of the forwards. These are big guys compared to me but I love the challenge. Raj tries to steal my purple ball but I’m able to keep him off it. With two hard whacks, I send the purple and pink balls to the far corner. I dribble the green one with me using the players on the pitch as obstacles. I hear my name called as I start getting closer to my target.

‘Tylyn? Tylyn?’ Murray is waving at me. ‘Come over here for a minute.’

I pick up the green ball with the crook of my stick and take it with me. It’s just a habit that I’ve had for years. Whenever I’m in need of a distraction, I play with my stick and balls.

‘Happy New Year Murray.’ I greet my coach. I do recognize the other man standing on the outside of the fence. It is Mr Robson is the GM of the National Field Hockey Teams. I say Happy New Year to him too.

‘Happy New Year, Tylyn. I see that you haven’t lost any of your skill. Nice move protecting three balls and getting by Raj. This just makes what I have to ask you all the easier.’ Mr Robson has been the GM for 4 maybe 5 years now. I have met with him several times. The last time was when they took away my uniform and position on the national women’s team. ‘I hope you had a good vacation out East? Murray said that you spent most of your time in Pittsburgh.’

‘Yes, with my boyfriend. He works there.’ I don’t know how much of my personal life this guy knows. Do I just say something like yeah my fiancé is Sidney Crosby captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins the NHL superstar? So I add instead. ‘I had a very nice time.’

‘That little ring on your left hand suggests that you might have had a very nice time.’ Murray teases me as he walks away and starts practice.

‘Yes.’ I can feel myself blushing. This is so lame.’ We got engaged.’

‘Congratulations Tylyn. I hope Sidney knows that he’s a lucky guy.’ Mr Robson smiles at me as he talks. ‘ We do hope that you will be joining for the Women’s National team this July. I’m pretty sure by now you will have heard that there is a coaching change in the works.’ He continues when I nod. ‘Field Hockey Canada is hoping to put all the unfortunate events of the autumn behind us as we move toward building for another Olympic and World Cup runs. We are hoping that you’ll be anchoring our team in the midfield, Tylyn.’

It’s like the wait of the world is lifted off my shoulders. My heart beats with excitement and I can’t wait to tell 87.

‘Of course, I’ll come to tryouts. Sid and I’ve already talked a bit about the plan for the summer. He usually is in LA training at that point so he said we’d come to Vancouver instead.’ I told 87 about the changes on when we talked after Sam left. He really wanted me to go to the tryouts.

‘Oh you’ve earned your spot on the team Tylyn. We’re going to be making practices over holidays so ladies who are out of province can make it back here. You’ll be given a calendar for the whole year so you can make plans. I can’t say it enough Tylyn but I’ve been very impressed with your professionalism this year. You’ve really helped out both teams.’

‘But I didn’t get to play with the women’s team.’ It still breaks my heart to say the words out loud.

‘No, but you sure showed them your value by raising the men’s play. Hey I even heard from your Ice Hockey coach that we were missing out on a great team leader. She was right Tylyn. You lead in your quiet way. And it was missed this autumn by the younger players.’

‘Thank you. I love playing. ‘ I look over my shoulder as the men’s team I’ve been playing with since October has begun the practice.

‘ We’ll be in touch through emails, Tylyn. I just wanted to come here and talk to you in person. I still feel bad about what happened last fall. The wrong person was let go. I just hoped that you weren’t holding any grudges.’ He holds out his hand to shake mine.

‘Thanks again, Mr Robson. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.’ I tell him happily but I still feel a bit of a grudge underneath my smile.