“I like the way you think.” We ordered a white wine, and a guava ginger punch. “I have a confession to make.”
“What?”
“I’m nervous as hell.”
“It’s just me.”
“Yeah, and you’re kind of a big deal. I could be sitting here with anyone else. My coach, Ms. Thornton, the Ramblers owner, shit even my dad and I wouldn’t have butterflies performing laps in my stomach right now.”
“Take a deep breath.” Without hesitation I complied, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth. “I was nervous too on the drive over, but then I saw you and it all just melted away.” The waiter returned with our drinks and took our order. When he left, we each savored our first sips. “Is it good?”
“Yeah, it’s delicious. Try it.”
Her fingers brushed against mine as we exchanged the drink. Danessa took a timid taste. “Oh, wow it is really good.” She slid the drink across the table placing it in front of me. “Why’d you stop drinking? Is it because your body is a temple?”
A first date wasn’t the right moment to delve into my addiction and recovery. Even though alcohol was never really my struggle, I’d decided to give it up because drinking in excess could lead me to make poor choices and my sobriety wasn’t something I was willing to gamble on. “Umm something like that.”
“I think it’s great. So much of our socializing as a society revolves around alcohol and the whole party culture.”
“Exactly if you can’t have a good time sober, I think that’s a problem. But I’m never going to be the liquor lieutenant. Fuck all that, people can do what they want.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing is working because the Ramblers are on a winning streak. My social media feed is filled with highlights from the games, and the comments are all positive. Of course you have your occasional hater, but for the most part people are loving the new direction and you.”
“It’s been going better than I expected. But I can’t help but feel like the press is building us up to knock us down.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because that’s what they do. Feel good stories don’t get engagement. People live for the drama. If I see one more article about the rivalry between Colin and me I’m going to lose it.”
“But you two hate each other.”
“Hate is putting a little too much on it. We don’t fuck with one another but we’re also professionals and know when it’s game time, all that shit falls to the wayside. I’m going to set him up for easy lay ups and he’s going to screen the offense so I can drive to the basket.”
“I’m glad to hear you’re learning to compromise.”
“Don’t get me wrong I still want to punch him in the face until his teeth fall out of his mouth like Chicklets, but I have restraint.”
“That sounds like hate.”
“Maybe more of a strong dislike. Enough about work. Classes start in a few weeks. Are you excited?”
“No, I feel like I’m in over my head. I registered for my classes and this first semester I’m going to try to continue to work while I’m in school. I don’t want to blow through my savings too soon. If I’d just stayed in school, I’d be a lawyer already. Really wish I had a time machine so I could go back and slap the old me.”
“Shit, if I had a time machine I would go back and slap so many people. My fifth-grade teacher who told me I wasn’t ever going to be shit. Slap. My junior high bully, who made fun of me because I wore off-brand shoes. Slap. Funny enough during the summer before eighth grade, I shot up like a weed and never got bullied again. Anyway, life is filled with shoulda, woulda, coulda’s, at least you’re doing it now.”
“I know you’re right. And I’m very excited to start this new journey. Are you planning to make it home for Christmas?”
“No, I have an away game Christmas Day.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah but the team is going to host something, so I’ll get my turkey and stuffing fix. What about you?”
“You know my mother puts it down in the kitchen. So I will be wearing sweatpants and going back for seconds.”
“That’s what’s up.” I took a bite of the lobster and shiitake salad. “Hey, do you know any good realtors in Philly?”
“Why, are you looking to buy a place out there too?”
