Page 85 of Mann Hunt
“Hey,” a voice yelled out from behind him. Charlie spun around and the momentum of the twenty-five-pound bag sent him spinning into the vending machine.
“Dude, if you’re that hungry, I’ll give you the money. You don’t have to smash the machine.”
Charlie saw a little guy, maybe five-three, at the end of the hall with his arms crossed. “The name’s Todd. I’m Coach Chalmers’ assistant.”
“Am I late? I was told to be here for three.”
“There was a last-minute time change and Coach didn’t know how to reach you. Let me take you to the change room and get you settled.”
Todd dropped Charlie off and showed him his locker. “Come out onto the ice when you’re ready.”
Charlie was annoyed with himself.Great way to make a good first impression.
Once Charlie was in full gear he made his way onto the ice surface. The team was running passing drills. Todd was talking to someone who had to be the coach. The man skated over.
“You must be Charlie. I’m Coach Chalmers.”
“Hey…I’m really sorry—”
“You should’ve given me your number. I couldn’t reach you. We got our time bumped by the arena early this morning. If you’re late again, you’re out.”
“I’ll get you my cell number once we’re done here.”
“Good,” Chalmers said, then yelled out to the others on the ice. “Gimme focus, guys. This is Charlie Watts, who still managed to make it here from Calgary sooner than Dawes and Hedges, wherever the hell they are. Over the next few days, he’ll be trying out for the team. Try not to be your typical dick-assed selves.”
They laughed and skated up in a line, bumping gloved fists with Charlie. The last was Justin Neves, who locked eyes with him and gave him a big smile.
“Okay, Watts. Let’s see what you can do,” Chalmers said.
Whatever awkwardness Charlie had been feeling disappeared once he started to skate. He joined in the passing drills, then a six-station on-ice course of conditioning exercises involving legs, balance, crunches, backwards dips off the net frame tostrengthen the triceps, shuttle sprints and ending with push-ups—never his strong suit.
“Come on, Watts. You do push-ups like a five-year-old,” the coach yelled.
Other than the push-ups, he felt he was keeping up with most of the team. Sure, a couple of the muscle-mutts had smoked him, but he wasn’t worried. Speed and accuracy were his strengths and he used those skills to good advantage.
“Okay, MacGregor, you’re in goal. I want you all to form a line and try to get one past him.”
Charlie took the last position. He knew well enough to respect the seniority of the other players. After five attempts, he’d landed four.
At the end of the practice, Coach Chalmers called out, “Good work, guys. Let’s wrap it up for the day. I’ll see you back here tomorrow morning at eight sharp. Watts, come and see me.”
Charlie skated up to the coach.
“Not bad, Watts. Hunt wasn’t lying. You can really play. See you tomorrow.”
Charlie headed for the dressing room. Most of the players had ditched their gear and were sitting around in their compression jocks and socks, cooling down and laughing about something.
“Hey, Watts, nice work out there,” one of the muscle-mutts called out.
“Thanks. It was great to practice with you guys.” Charlie made a decision that it was time to put his first theory to the test. “Just in case I make the team, I think you should know that I’m…gay. If that makes you uncomfortable, I can find another place to change.”
He stood there waiting for a response. Several of the players looked at the ground.
The team’s captain, the largest of the muscle-mutts, got up, then swaggered towards Charlie and stood in front of him. “Then I guess you won’t be changing here. I doubt you’ll make the team anyway. The visitors’ change room is across the hall.”
Charlie looked towards Justin to check out his response, but he was focused on packing up his gear.
Charlie took his stuff across the hall and changed back into his street clothes, then bagged up his gear. He decided to text Declan with a report on how things had gone as soon as he got back to the hotel.
