Icing (4 page)

Parties like this were a good social out-let and he was Truman’s wingman.  Kyle was there to provide a distraction when a one-on-one conversation with a girl got too intense. Conversely, he could hook his buddy up if the situation presented itself.  They shared an unspoken code.  Kyle would drink a beer but that was about it.  Coach didn’t include an abstinence of liquor clause in the code of conduct contract but it was implied.

Sundays were spent sleeping in.  There was no official practice and he used the evening to hit the library with Di and Rose.  He needed the time to catch on Calculus and he was wrapping up a paper on the Korean War Battle of the Pusan Perimeter.  His uncle had spent some time serving in Korea so it was at least relevant. Most of his lectures were taken to fill requirements while he locked into his major.  The Athletics department was said to give out lists of jock-friendly courses but it was actually a collection of rumors.  Most were true.

****

Taryn’s Sunday night at the library was set to begin.  She went alone.  She usually did because the whole experience was a soul searching experience. She liked the solitude. Not having to react.  She could concentrate on her Spanish verbs, upcoming psychology quiz or nothing at all.  It was a social place for a lot of students but she sought out the quiet corners less often used.  There were times she would sneak away to the nearby Amherst College library.  Their library was subdued and she was less likely to run into someone she knew.  

She would have to enter the main floor this evening to search the catalog.  The computers were most abundant there.  Art history required she check out some books that were out of print and unlikely to be found online.  Checking out books was not often required but her old-school professor demanded it.  She would peep out of her self- imposed isolation to get it done.

Kyle arrived with the girls after a carbohydrate laden dinner.  Pasta was one of the choices.  They found it tasty and went back in line for seconds.  Coupled with some garlic bread and a trip to the salad bar they were set for the night.  No eating read the sign on the wall.  That was freely prohibited by all with a compliments of sweets picked up in the convenience market.  They had their supply of jaw breakers stuffed in their pockets.

They sat at a long table.  It was some sort of composite plastic made to look like wood.  This made them impossible to graffiti or doodle upon.  In the old days they were really made with wood.  It was easy to scribble your initials inside a heart joined by your love.  Better than a tattoo, but still regretful when your crush faded or worse when your heart was shattered.  Permanent markers posed a threat to the sterile tables despite authoritative solutions.

The hum of quiet chatter made serious studying fruitless.  Kyle punched some numbers into his laptop and a few paragraphs about young guys dying in Korea were written.  The attempt was made – little was done.

****

Taryn sat ticking away at the keyboard.  Her hair was pulled up loosely, secured by a simple elastic.  She appeared rosy and lively having run a couple of miles in place of dinner that evening.  Her sweater was dusky grey – a little over-sized.  She wore khaki shorts which brushed her knees.  It was clean and casual.  Brown tortoise shell glasses were framing her clear blue eyes.  She seemed to be free of affect.  She was confident on her own but appeared like someone you could easily engage in conversation.  She had lovely posture and a gentle curve to her neck.  Her buttocks and breasts where not flaunted but were surely flawless like the rest.

Kyle was stunned.

He was there with his buddies.  It was, for lack of a better word, a school night.  He was not prepared for this feeling - something foreign.  He had seen cheer leaders and magazine photos.  He had seen every hot chick on TV and on the big screen. No, this was all encompassing. Could even the most talented artist create such perfection?

Kyle was in an ordinary pair of jeans and an old high school hockey jersey.  He too showed a healthy glow in light of his almost daily practice drills.  He clearly didn’t know or care that he was more than average looking.  It presented itself as innocence.

Their eyes met briefly and two lives changed.  He didn’t know her name nor she his, but yes – it was the rumored feeling that they always thought….
maybe someday. 

****

“Tru, wake up man.  I just got home from the library. I feel like a girl talking about this but I have to tell someone.  Private.  Between you and me O.K.?”

“Yeah, Kyle.  Now you’re scaring me. Is everything all right?  Spill it man you can trust me.”

Kyle seemed tense.

“I saw this girl in the library.  I was sitting there with Di & Rose.  I was bored and started to just zone out – checking out the scene. Tru, she was the loveliest blond I’ve ever seen.  She was classy too the way she just owned her space. It’s hard to explain man.  I looked at her and she smiled.  Great teeth by the way.”

“What next?” Truman’s curiosity was peaked.  This was going to be a hell of a story.

“Nothing.  I mean we packed our stuff and now I’m back here.”

“You’re not normal Kyle.  You didn’t walk over and say hello.  You’re a good looking guy she would have been flattered.  Did the girls know her? What do you want me to do?”

“I think I fell in love Truman.”

Kyle never called him Truman.  He had just confided in his roommate who now thought he was not of sound mind.  He would try hard to retract some of what he said.  Love – it was too bizarre to explain.  In the library of all places.  It would make sense if he met her at a hockey game.  It would have been his turf and the signal ring true.  He had to forget the blond and focus on what mattered hockey and his future.  He would dream of her that night.

“How was the library Taryn? I’m not asleep so go ahead and turn the lights on.  Just not the overhead light it makes a buzzing sound and it’s too bright. “

“Thanks Kendra.”

I had a fight with Fred tonight.  I’m not sleeping very well so just ignore me and go about your business.”

Taryn and Kendra had learned to co-exist and became friendly, if not the closest of friends.  Taryn understood that she was a freshman.  Kendra had already been there a year and she had established her life before she every arrived from Concord.  She was an eager freshman Concord and proposed a threat.  Change is always a pain in the ass and Kendra was just posturing to protect her home ice.  Taryn liked Fred.  He was always courteous and a math whiz who helped out with her statistics studying.  It was time to open an ear to her roommate.  Extending an olive branch was the right thing to do and she could use someone to bounce a thing or two around with.

“I’ll be quiet Kendra.  I’m ready for sleep myself.  I worry on Sunday nights.  It’s my night for that.  I have regrets that I did not study more over the weekend and I don’t know what the week will hold.  It’s O.K. by the time Monday rolls around and I’m too busy to over think matters. So what is going on with Fred?”

“Oh he was such an ass.  We didn’t see each other all weekend and then he was too beat to do anything tonight. I hate when his friend’s from Framingham come in.  He goes God knows where and when he is here they are playing video games.  He acts like I don’t exist and I can’t stand it.  I lost my temper tonight and I think we broke up.”

“Wait a sec Kendra – you guys love each other.  I’m sorry to laugh but you guys will be fine.  Fred worships you.  You know his schedule.  Surprise him after class with a cupcake or something.  It’s just a guy thing.  You can’t dump sweet Fred now – he’s like a piece of furniture around here. I’ve gotten used to having him around.  I like Fred.  Tell him how you feel and you will both laugh about it.”

Kendra and Taryn burst into laughter and grabbed a bag of chips.  A greasy bag of chips always made things better.  They were salt & vinegar.  All was well in the world.

“Library was the same tonight but I did see a guy I’ve never seen before.”

“Well Taryn, there are over 9,000 kids living on campus.  That’s not exactly front page news.”

“He was just intriguing and different.  I think he played on some hockey team.  I can always spot em.  I’m a big Bruins fan from way back.  They usually have funny noses because they’ve been broken so many times.  This guy had a nice nose but he was wearing a jersey.  We definitely noticed each other.  Who knows why because I was in full study mode and even wearing glasses and my hair was pulled back.  Anyways he just caught my eye.”

Kendra was hooked.  “What next?”

“Well, nothing Ken. I packed up and came back here.” Taryn was matter of fact.

“You saw this great guy and poof – nothing?  You’re a head turner girl.  Guys would love to meet you.  Why didn’t you say hi?  The poor guy is probably dreaming about you.  Not even his name?  You have taken this isolation while at the library too far.”

“I’m just saying…….it was different.”

She dreamed of him that night. 

****

Hockey practice was from 5am-10. Followed by another session 4-6pm.  He had a history lecture at 11:15, calculus followed and geography 101 at 2:15.  It would continue throughout the year until March.  The classes would be different after winter session but the break neck pace was the new normal.  Mid-terms and finals would be tucked in to the schedule.  The only way to handle it was focus.  No daydreams of some blond he saw in the library.  There would be no excuses for Kyle they were undignified.  Focus.

Alarm rang at 4:30.  He grabbed an energy bar, one of the many he had received in a care package from Juliet and Bree.  He smiled at the dusty memory of his sisters back home.  A quick rinse and he was down to the Mullins Centers.  He was surprised by the early morning buzz on campus at the early hour.  He walked briskly past the athletics fields and the lacrosse and soccer players. The cross-country team was starting a run up into the hills and by now some members of women’s field hockey team had gathered.  They were some formidable athletes had seen success on the storied fields.  He was carrying his bag.  Most of his gear was already stowed in his assigned locker.  He still had a lot of equipment to haul otherwise his brisk walk would have been a sprint.  It would save time and feel good to get a warm up.

Kyle walked into the locker room.  The usual suspects were present.  They had shared the joy of dry land workouts together.  They had to remain strong and fast off the ice to be 100% when they hit it.  Sprints, long runs, medicine ball toss, even a little yoga – helps with flexibility I guess.  Coach would try anything to prepare us.  It was so much more than fitness training they were creating a brotherhood.  A diverse set of guys with hockey dreams.

Con was a defenseman from a boarding school or academy as they called it.  An imposing figure.  He was about 6’ 4” and filled a door frame.  His parents sent him there because they had the money to do so.  His size belied his gentle spirit and he hated being sent away as opposed to spending his youth sailing the waters around his family home in Ipswich. He was just a kid and sold to school before he could even drive.  He dreamed of hockey and it got him through.  Kyle liked the gentle giant.  Glad he was playing with him, not against him.

Patrick was a junior college transfer.  He had a handbook of regulations from junior college, UMass and the NCAA.  Kyle never really understood all of the hoops Pat had to jump through.  He was hard working.  He knew he was fortunate to be where he was and wasn’t going to let a chance at the NHL slip away.  He was a forward like Kyle, both left wingers so they would compete for ice time.  He was a worthy opponent and a friend. He was from New Hampshire somewhere, didn’t matter.

Dom was a junior.  He was a goalie or goal tender.  Don’t call him a keeper or minder - this isn’t a soccer field. His parents had him on skates before he could walk and it showed. He was highly suspected to jump to the pros because he was definitely on their radar.  Another year of college was a gift to the team and kept his mom’s hope alive that he would be the first in the family to graduate from college.  He was a Midwestern farm boy grew up watching the Blues.  He would make his money.  Waiting was a risk but he felt comfortable in Amherst. 

Then there were Danny and Rick.  They were twins from Utica NY.  Rick was fast on his skates and his brother was surgeon like with his stick.  They were journey men looking for their home.  They were well travelled kids who gave it a shot trying to get noticed.  They decided on College because they needed a place to grow both athletically and educationally.  Both guys were smart.  They had dreams of med school and pursuits of that nature.  It could be guessed that they were following someone else’s dream until now.

Stewie was the ladies’ man.  He was a center from Florida.  Kyle was confused by this one – a well- manicured boy from a warm climate.  He did not present himself as tough enough for the ice.  With skates on and a stick in hand he disproved his doubters.  His mom was a Russian ice princess who was granted asylum here so she could twirl around the ice.  It could be debated who was more protective of the other, him or her.  It had not been easy to get to Amherst.  Do the math to figure out she was a child herself when Stewie came along. He was loyal to the core.

“Welcome ladies. Glad you could join us.  We get going at five sharp.  We are not here for coffee talk.  Schedule that on your own time.  Laced up and ready to work your asses off.  I can’t allow ½ hour to get prepped and prettied up.  I’m in charge and you will want to be on my good side.  Miss practice time and you encounter decreased ice time when it matters.  Yes, grades matter keep them up or I hear it and it’s out of my hands. Questions? Good.”