Page 116 of Writing Mr. Wrong

“Where to?” Denny said.

Mason waved toward the door, and Denny followed him. By now, the stands were empty, the Zamboni on the ice. Mason led Denny to the boards and stood there, watching the hypnotic slow progress of the ice cleaner.

Denny leaned on the boards and looked over. “Thanks for the assist.”

Mason shrugged. Then he said, “I fucked up.”

Denny frowned. “With the assist? It was perfect.”

“No, last month. I should have been there to make sure you didn’t get hurt.”

Denny waved a gloved hand. “I need to learn to take care of myself.”

“No,” Mason said firmly. “Your job is getting goals. Mine is to make sure you’re allowed to get them.”

“Was it the animation?” Denny asked.

“What?”

“The animation on the scoreboard. They didn’t warn you, did they?”

“No, but that’s…” Mason made a face. “It’s just an animation. For the crowds. No big deal.”

“Uh, yes it was. Only you have one, and then they gave me one without warning either of us. That wasn’t right. If I were you, I’d have been pissed.” Denny glanced toward the rink. “And I wouldn’t be too quick to jump in and save me from a fight.”

“That wasn’t it.” Mason caught Denny’s gaze again. “Yeah, the animation caught me off guard. Yeah, it didn’t feel great. But I’d never have taken that out on you. I just… I had a lot going on, and I got distracted.”

“The retirement-plans interview? I heard something about that. I’ve seen reporters do that before. Always asking older players what their plans are. It’s shitty. Like the animation.”

Mason shrugged. “It’s not fun. But yeah, there was that, plus a personal issue, and then the animation. My head wasn’t on straight, and that’s no excuse. I fucked up. But it wasn’t intentional, and it won’t happen again. I was late seeing him go after you, and I turned to get over there and…”

Mason took a deep breath.Just do this.“My knee twinged. It’s been giving me trouble. Not much, just normal shit for a guy my age. I haven’t said anything because it doesn’t slow me down.”

Denny grinned. “I saw you skate tonight. I can’t do that, and I don’t have any knee problems.”

“It didn’t physically stop me from going after you, but up here?” Mason tapped his forehead. “There was a lot going on up here.Retirement questions. The animation. My knee. It all reminded me that…” He took another deep breath. “I’m getting too old for this shit, and the kicker is that I don’tfeelold. At all. I’ve been careful, and I’ve been lucky, but the end is coming, and I need to deal with that. That night, it all came together and I… I froze up.”

Denny opened his mouth, but Mason kept going.

“Did I deliberately let you get hurt?” Mason said. “No. I’m an asshole, but I’m notthatkind of asshole. You don’t deserve it, and the team doesn’t deserve it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t look at you and see…”

Mason leaned against the boards. “You’re my replacement. Not as right wing or an enforcer. They can find someone for those easily enough. What’s not so easy is finding another star. The fans love you. The press loves you. That animation they chose was dead-on. You’re a shooting star… and I’m a falling one, and that has nothing to do with you personally. I need to deal with it.”

Denny looked like he was going to argue, but then he nodded and leaned on the boards beside Mason.

“You’re dealing with it better than I will,” Denny said softly. “I think about that a lot. We spend our life getting here. We give up…” Denny’s voice caught. “We give up so much to get here, and then it’s over in fifteen years.”

Denny glanced over. “Did anyone ever tell you that high school would be over in a flash? Enjoy it while it lasts, because it won’t last long?”

“Yeah. In my case, they werereassuringme it wouldn’t last long.”

Denny gave a hollow laugh. “That, too. But a hockey career feels just as short. Fifteen years if I’mlucky. And then what?”

Mason shrugged. “And then you lead the part of your life youdidn’t get before. Make up for what you missed out on. Look at Jesse. He’s doing amazing things. Me? I’ll probably be the guy playing in three old-timer leagues.”

Denny smiled. “Same.”

“Hockey is what I do. I want the rest. A wife, kids, time to be a partner and a father, but whatever I do for a living, it’ll still be about hockey. It’s what I know, but it’s also what I love.”

---