Chasing Stanley

CS 5 Canoodling in Canada.

The interviews for Root Tv took longer than I planned. Harv and Morty should be at the Capital Grille by now so I parked my Range Rover and run down the street to the door of the restaurant. The guys know that if I’m not here just to order a bottle of wine. But I’m not usually this late. The maître d gives me a nod and offers to take my rain sodden coat.

‘Your guests are seated sir and a bottle of 6th Sense Syrah 2010 has been served.” The debonair gentleman hangs my coat in a cupboard behind his desk. ‘If you’ll come this way your table is beside the fire place as you asked.’

We walk through the tables toward the back of the restaurant. I recognize a few people seated at the tables we past. I smile as I spot my two dinner companions relaxing at our table. They are older men. Well, Morty Klein is probably in his eighty’s and Harv Wozniak is maybe ten years younger. They come from very different walks of life but formed a stronger friendship in the spring of 2009 when both of their wives were dying of cancer. They met in a lounge while our run for the cup was on the TV. Their wives did die but their friendship continued. They have season tickets and come to every game. I met them a couple of seasons ago when I delivered their tickets to Harv’s house. I had a great time chatting to them and ever since then we meet about once a month for a steak dinner on me. Oh, they’ve helped me out a few binds. Harv’s been great about doing pick up and drop off to the airport.

‘Hi guys, did you save me glass of the Shiraz?’ The chair I have chosen puts my back to the room. Morty is across the table from me with his back to the blazing fire. Harv is to my right. I push the table center decorations to the empty place setting. This clears a space in front of the three of us. The bottle of wine is between the other two so Harv pours me a glass about ½ full.

‘Hi Sid, is that enough? Morty’s had his quota already so it’s up to you and me kid.’ Harv is a working class guy. I am pretty sure he was a mechanic of some sort before he retired. The guy can fix anything.

‘Hey, who are you the red wine police? I can splurge once and a while.’ Morty was an accountant but is still counting the beans or in this case the drops of wine. He looks a bit grey still but appears to be gaining weight. He has emphysema and was admitted to hospital for most of December. ‘It’s good to see you Sid. How’s our girl?’

‘I don’t know about your girl, Morty? But my girl is just fine. 91 said to say hello. Let me take your picture for her.’ Morty raises his glass and gives me a toothy grin. I snap the picture and send it to 91 with the caption. Drunk again. ‘She’ll be at a HF practice for a while yet.’

‘They practice all winter? Outside?’ Harv looks disbelieving. ‘That seems kinda cruel.’

‘Well it’s Vancouver. They don’t get snow and the temperature rarely goes below freezing. 91 said that they have only had one snow day this winter so far. Unlike here where we’ve been buried in snow for most of the winter.’ I sip my wine. It’s good.

‘You going to be seeing her in a couple of weeks when the team takes a swing out west?’ Harv asks.

‘Yeah.I'll see her then. Sorry, I’m late but filming ran over. Have you guys ordered yet?’ I don’t need a menu. I always get the same thing, the rib eye steak, Caesar salad, vegies and baked potato. ‘Have you been here long?’

‘We got here about 20 minutes ago, Harv is such a fuss budget about where he parks.’ Morty rolls his eyes.

‘I was trying to save you steps, old man. No, we haven’t ordered anything but the wine.’ Harv is wearing his reading glasses. ‘We were waiting for you.’

‘Thanks.’ These guys are probably three times my age but I feel truly at home with them.

‘So is Shero going after Morrow? He’s a winger, right?’ Morty asks.

‘Morrow’s good. He’s got great experience that should help us for the run for the cup.’

‘Well, provided you hold on the eighth spot.’ Harv’s only is stating the obvious.

‘That’s true but we’ve a Dman coming from the Sharks in a couple of days.’ 91 told me this tidbit. ‘He’s a big Dane called Murray.’

‘Terrific. That should help. How’s Geno? That hit he took in the end boards looked nasty.’

‘He’s banged up his shoulder. He could be out for a while. I know that Ray is now busy looking for a solid center man. We’ve called up a couple of the boys from the Wilkes Barre. It will be interesting to see how they work out.’ I see the waiter hovering while we chat. I nod and he approaches the table. We order our meals and with in a few minutes a basket of warm rolls and butter is served. ‘Nealer is still having issues with his groin. 91 says Ray has her looking at a variety of guys to help bolster the team.’

‘Yeah but who do you give up?’ Morty’s an accountant, did I mention that?

‘So far only Lovejoy and a few prospects. Now that could change but I suspect knowing Ray he’s not going to let any of the regulars go. We have a solid group here and some space under the cap.” I keep them informed.

‘Sounds good. So your schedule has been changed for the next couple weeks. We got a call that two of your homes games have been moved.’ Harv breaks off a piece of bread.

‘The winter weather has played havoc with everyone schedule this year. In a normal season we might have one postponed game but this year has been crazy. We were supposed to do two separate road trips that have now been combined in to one longer trip with less time off. This has affected my trip to visit 91. I was supposed to fly in early on Friday morning from Colorado and spend the weekend with her and the team would join us for our game on the Tuesday. But Mother Nature has shot that to hell. We were going to have an early Valentines date. Now…’I pause.

‘Your still going to have a Valentine date, aren’t you?’ Morty sounds worried. ‘You’ll treat our girl to something romantic?’

‘Yeah, I’m working on a plan. But our four days together have been hacked back. I won’ t be able to get to Vancouver until Sunday. We start our trip in now on the Wednesday in Colorado. We have a game in Calgary on Friday, Edmonton on Saturday then Tuesday in Vancouver.’

‘So where are you on Valentine’s Day?’ Morty is tackling his lamb chops. The waiter has brought our meals and it all looks good.

‘Calgary, Alberta.’ I slice off a portion of my steak.

‘Is that far from Vancouver?

I get out my iPhone and look up the flight times. Hmmmm.

……

Legolas: did you go to the spa?

Frodo91: I did. Am buffed and polished. I feel all girly.

Legolas: you’ll thank me later

Frodo91:I don’t know why 87 will be in Calgary. We are having a skype dinner date.

Legolas: Well, dress up pretty it’s Valentines.

Frodo91: Really? Why?

Legolas: trust me guys like girls looking girly.

Frodo91:Oh… Did you call Biz?

Legolas: No, we text a bit. He sends funny pictures of stuff.

Frodo91: funny haha or just weird stuff?

Legolas: both actually. He’s perverted.

Frodo91: yep, ☺ he’s a 4th liner.

Legolas: lolololol

…….

“Your doing what? A Skype romantic dinner.’ I’m shocked.’ How the hell does that work?’

‘We both eat dinner while we skype. I’ll order room service and 91 will have something from her kitchen.’ We are sitting in the locker room after practice. ‘It’ll be just us. It’s a date.’

‘I am so disappointed in you, Sidney Crosby. This is your first Valentines Day. You have to set a precedent.’ I toss my dirty laundry into the waiting hamper. ‘A skype date is all you can come up with? You’ve got her a nice present right?’

‘Well, I have a dozen pucks for her.’ I look at my captain and good friend. He’s looking only a bit embarrassed where he should be ashamed.

‘Oh Sidney that sounds so romantic.’ I mock him. ‘It’s what every girl wants. A dozen pucks.’

‘Hey Sid’s giving Tygyrl a dozen fucks for Valentines Day.’ TK has managed to turn this into a sexual thing. I smack him hard up the backside of his head. ’Hey what was that for Biz’

‘Do I have to remind you of your manners again?’ I stare him down. I have in the past had to physically remind TK to mind his manners. But now we have the attention of the rest of the room. The team is undressing from our practice and soon we’ll be hitting the road for Colorado for the start of our eight day four game road trip. I need some support here so I call across the room. ‘Hey Brooksie, what are you getting your lovely Anne for V-day?’

‘I have arranged to have a nanny babysit the kids and so she can have a full night sleep and a spa day to pamper her self. It will be a long eight days with me gone with our two year old and 4 month old.’ Brooksie doesn’t let me down.

“Flower, what are you doing this year? ‘

‘I like to mix it up a bit. Some years it’s flowers. Some years it’s been chocolates. Sometimes both flowers and chocolates. This is year I have found chocolate flowers to be delivered to her school. Vero loves chocolates.’ Trust Flower for not being too inventive but reliable. ‘Then we get back here, we’ll go out for a romantic dinner.’

‘Cookie?’ I ask know that as a veteran he has face this situation many times.

‘Michelle and I have been married too long for anything to be much of a surprise any more. I have left a card with the kids to give to her. They will make her breakfast in bed for me and have promised to do extras around the house to help make her day. When I get back I have arranged for the kids to stay with friends while we go up state for a romantic weekend.’ Cookie says. ’What would you do if you had a girlfriend, Biznasty?’

‘I have already sent a gift basket.’ I am working on romancing Lauren Kellham aka Legolas who is Tygyrl’s bestie. Lauren is in her last semester at Duke pre Med. She’s resisting my attempts but I’m not giving up. ‘I found a place on line where you could add items from a cart to make the basket more personal.’

‘Really? What’s the name of the site?’ Sutter is looking interested.

‘A Tisket, A Tasket, A Basket.’ I reply. ‘They deliver the basket however you want. You can choose a stock basket or make your own. It was pretty easy. I was able to scan in a note to be printed out to be attached as well.’

‘That sounds great. Tell me that site again.’ Sutter is now playing with his phone. I tell him the site and I look at Sid.

‘A skype dinner and a dozen pucks. I think you can do better.’ I address the room. ‘ He can do sooo much better right? Tygyrl is in Vancouver. We’ll be in Calgary on a day off. That’s what an hour and a ½ flight. You’ve got 2 days, pretty boy so put your thinking cap on.’

…..

‘No, 87 won’t be bringing me flowers. He’s in Calgary.’ Alpha is talking on her phone while getting dressed. I am sitting up in our window watching over the street. ’We are having an Internet date. We are both going to get dressed up in our fancy clothes and have a dinner together. Yeah soon. Hey, I better go Sam. We are supposed to hook up in about 10 minutes. Take care and remember to slay those orks’

The cat from next door is walking along the top of the stone fence between our properties. He’s a big tabby but I can take him. I give him a woof warning that I’m watching his every move. He looks up at me mockingly. A car drives slowly down our street and passes our house. It stops and backs up. Then pulls into the driveway.

‘It’s a car’ I bark at Alpha ‘It’s a car.’

I run down from our attic bedroom to the front door all the time barking out it’s a car. I hope Alpha follows me. It’s not a car I know and I might need back up here. The boys are all out of the house. I look through the living room window and watch as a guy gets out of the driver’s seat and closes the door.

‘Come on Alpha’ I bark at her.’ There’s a stranger at the door. ALLLPPPHHAA’

I growl as deep as I can when he knocks at the front door. Where is Buster when I need back up? GRRRRLLLL. The mail slot opens and I sniff the finger holding the flap up. GRRRRRLLLLLL!!!

‘Hey, little one shush now. Hairy girl, it’s me.’

‘GRRRRRLLLL?oooh?oooh?’he knows my name.

‘Yes, it’s just me. Here give this a sniff.’ A red stuffy is pushed to up to open slot. ‘Hey Hairy, this is your Valentine heart from me.’ I give the satiny cloth a sniff.

‘Cappy?’ I give a little bark. ‘Cappy?’

‘Yes, it’s me Hairy. Go get 91. There’s a good girl.’ The deep voice says from the other side of the door. “ Go get 91’

I can’t think. I race up the 2 flights of stairs calling to her. ‘IT”S CAPPY. IT’S CAPPY! IT’ CAPPY!!!!’

…..

‘Good surprise?’ I can’t believe that 87 is here. I was so disappointed when his schedule was changed and our weekend plans were cut short. Seeing him at the door this evening was a huge shock. Hairy wouldn’t stop barking and jumping around. She is curled up on the other side of him. When we went out to dinner, she cried at the door to come too. 87 felt so bad he ordered a steak with a huge bone in it for her. I am pretty sure Hairy loves him as much as I do.

‘The best ever surprise.’ I snuggle in closer to him and kiss his cheek. Hairy starts snoring. ‘And I love my pucks. Every other girl will have gotten a dozen roses but only I have a dozen signed pucks of the players that I have chicked. Thank you so much. You know me so well.’

‘Your very welcome. Biznasty didn’t think it was so great. But I’m glad your happy. Just a second, let me lift Hairy on to her pillow. She is worn out from all the excitement.’ He moves his arm from under me to gently put my little dog her pillow beside my bed. ‘Now where were we? You were saying something about a the best surprise ever?’

‘It was the bestest surprise. I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest.’ Actually, I still feel like I’m floating in a dream rather than being snug in my bed. 87 arranged to take us out to the fancy restaurant in Queen Elizabeth Park that has a beautiful view of the city. We had a table away from the other patrons so we could have privacy. It was one dinner that no one took his picture or asked for his autograph. It was perfect. We talked about our wedding, the upcoming weekend plans and the team. ‘I feel like I’m living a dream.’

‘Hmmmm, I thought Hairy was going to come through the mail slot and eat me alive. She sounded so fierce.’ He whispers not to wake her up. ‘ I think that the bone has swayed her as to my good side.’

‘She’s just protective of her house. You saw her when she remembered you. She went all goofy in the head.’ Hairy did just like I felt. She barked and jumped on him to get his attention. She danced around on her back feet. She did her best to climb up 87 to kiss him senseless. I just screamed with delight and leapt into his arms. Hairy and I made such a fuss that 87 and I were late for our reservation.

‘Come here we only have a few hours left to …what did that waiter say? Canoodle?’

….

Coming to-Morrow by S K’san.
Saturday 16 February 2013 431pm.

In another bold move, Ray Shero, general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has added another player to his roster. Brendan Morrow, 34, the left wing Captain of the Dallas Stars has waived his no trade clause of his contract. Morrow has been with the Stars since he was drafted in 1997 and has been to the playoffs seven times in his career. He is excited to be joining his former 2010 Olympic teammates Sidney Crosby and Marc Andre Fleury.

Morrow is the type of player who’s built for the playoffs. Penguin’s general manager Ray Shero cited his “competitive spirit” and “physical nature” as something they identified as necessary to add to their roster for the postseason. Morrow is obviously a natural leader having worn the “C” for so long in Dallas and is a gritty warrior who will do whatever it takes and leave everything he has on the ice for his team.

The Penguins in recent weeks have been short superstar Evgeni Malkin (C) and his winger James Neal who are both out with injuries. It is expected that Neal will return to play soon as he has been working out with the strength and conditioning coach. Morrow is expected join the team upon their return from their western Canadian road trip.

Morrow feels the same way about his role off the ice. He was the heart and soul of the Stars franchise and wore a letter on his jersey as a result. But he doesn’t want to mess with the dynamic of the Penguins locker room; he’s looking forward to just coming in, fitting in and doing what he does best.
“I’m going to do what I do,” he said. “Lead, the way I lead. Sid, this is his team. No question there. Not taking anything away from him. He’s the best player in the world. I’m just going to be a piece of the puzzle. I’m not stepping on any toes. I’m going to come in and do what I do. Play how I play. I think there’s a reason they saw a fit with me here.”

“There’s a lot of energy, a lot of youth on this team,” Morrow said. “Great players. I know 4-5 of them from playing with them and others just from competing against them and not enjoying that. It’s a great group.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with one team, got very comfortable there. I’m looking forward to a new challenge. If I get a boost from a new team – which I’m sure I’m going to – with the skill this team has, the talent with two of the best players in the world, it’s going to make it very easy to play. I’m very excited.”