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“Mostly I’m offering because it would be safer for Prince Francis if he’s not at risk of stepping on broken pieces.” So much for dropping my surly.
Miles rubs the back of his neck. “Right. Yeah. That makes sense.”
I grab an empty box and get started on the shelf to the right of the fireplace, full of dusty knickknacks. The awkward silence is making me uneasy, so I fill it with questions. “How was your trip? Did it go well?” I stifle a sneeze.
“Bless you. It was good. Our team won both games. It helps that one of Montreal’s key players is out with an injury, and that our center is self-aware and I had a chance to sit down with him and really go over his weak areas.”
“How did you end up as a data analyst for an NHL team? I didn’t even know that was a thing.” This is good. Maybe I’m better at small talk than I thought.
“Baseball has been doing it for a while, but the NHL is beginning to see the value in it. Sort of. I’m on a trial contract. I worked in the finance department for the Ontario Hockey League, and a perk is free tickets, so I’d go to all the games. I started seeing the patterns in the plays. Well, started isn’t quite accurate. When I played rec hockey, I picked up on the same things, and we’d always sit down after games and talk through how we could improve.” He waves a hand around in the air. “Anyway, long story short, my best friend is Toronto’s general manager’s assistant, and he suggested they bring me on this season to see if I could provide insight, so here I am. I just need to prove to the team that I’m worth keeping.”
I set a smiling otter in the box. “Wow. That’s a lot of pressure.”
He lifts a shoulder and lets it fall. “But if I help the team increase their overall scoring record, we get better ratings. That can sometimes help morale, and I get to keep doing this. I knew I wasn’t ever going to be able to play professionally, since I’m not really built for the sport.” He motions to his long, lean frame. “This way I get to work in the field I love and help the players reach their maximum potential.”
I can appreciate his enthusiasm for his job, because that’s how I feel about mine. And we both work in atypical roles. “What kind of credentials do you need for something like that?”
He sneezes and excuses himself before responding. “I have a degree in sports management and statistics. I geek out pretty hard over numbers. And occasionally I’ll get to travel with the team, like this past weekend, which is also cool. The rookie players are always exciting, because there’s so much room for upward trajectory.” He waves around a hand. “Anyway, I’m blathering on about this, and you’re probably just nodding and smiling to be nice.” He coughs into the crook of his elbow, following it with a double sneeze. “I took an antihistamine before I came here, but I think all the packing is probably disturbing a lot of dust and dander and making my allergies act up.”
“You’re allergic to cats?” That could easily explain his open disdain for the independent four-legged fluffballs.
“Every time I come here, I’m sneezing and coughing and my eyes end up red and watery.” He motions to his face and sniffles once. His eyes are a little red.
“Hmm. Usually sphynx cats are better for people with allergies, but everyone is different.”
“We never had cats growing up. But I have a Great Dane, and I’ve never had a reaction to him.”
“Oh wow. Danes are huge.” I like dogs well enough, but I’m a bit more partial to the smaller ones that can’t knock me over. “We only ever had cats in my house.”
“Wilfred is a big dog, but he’s a total marshmallow and would like to think he’s a lap dog. This taking care of a cat is a first for me.” He motions to Prince Francis, who is happily rolling around on the floor. “Anyway, tell me more about how you ended up as a cat whisperer. How does one realize that’s their calling?”
“It just sort of happened, I guess.” I lift a shoulder and let it fall. This is such a different side of Miles, and I wonder if we just got off on the wrong foot. Well, I know I sure did. “A friend was going away for a couple of weeks, and he asked if I would mind checking on his cat while he was gone. He actually asked me if I would house-sit, and he lived in a nice place downtown, close to a café my friend owns. I thought it would be kind of fun. Like a staycation. While they were gone, I taught their cat, Mario, how to use the toilet instead of the litter box.”
