Page 11 of Swinging for the Deep End

Tony sighs.

I know he’s not one to just back off that easily.

So I hang up on him.

I turn left at the bridge.

That’s what the sign at the previous block told me to do. So did my GPS.

This town is such a small town they uses directions like turn at the old bridge where the train tracks are instead of street names.

I drive down a long road, trees on each side of the road.

The view in front of me is a large hill. Almost a mountain-sized hill.

The road curves a little to the right and there’s an ugly looking building.

A definite far cry from the athletic facilities of a professional sports team.

There we have fresh, filtered water, the cleanest air possible, the fanciest equipment possible. Trainers. Computers to hook up to our bodies. All kinds of crazy stuff to keep us in top shape.

Yet ironic enough, at the end of the day, we’re all just human. One dirty play in a game and here I am, parked in this small town ready to go swim at this gym.

I turn the SUV off and take a breath.

There’s a sudden knock at the window and I jump in my seat.

I turn and am ready to throw a punch only to find some guy with big eyes staring at me through glasses, with a bigger smile, and waving like crazy.

Someone recognized me already?

I roll the window down. “Hey, listen-”

“Cutter, it’s nice to meet you. I just spoke with Tony. It’s just you and me today, buddy.”

Buddy?

I curl my lip. “Who the hell are you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I feel like I know you personally by now after reviewing your file! I’m Nicholas. Plantaine. You can call me Nick. I’m going to be-”

I put the window back up.

Nicholas Plantaine keeps talking.

I find myself gritting my teeth once again and I open the door to climb out of the SUV.

Nicholas jumps back.

He’s wearing blue scrubs and has his name tag attached to a pocket near the bottom of his shirt. He’s got a large bag tossed over his right shoulder.

“Ready to swim?” Nicholas asks.

“You can leave now.”

Nicholas’s face dropped. “What?”

“Things got mixed up. Tony should have talked to you sooner.”

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