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He gave a final wave as he slung his bag over his shoulder, and then he was gone, leaving behind an echoing silence. The kid left behind big skates to fill. There would be others, sure, but Eddie was our first—our pride.
Hoss sidled up next to me, eyeing me warily. "You look like you're about to shed a tear, tough guy."
"I'm fine," I snorted, my eyes a little too hot and my throat a little too tight.
We both knew I was lying. Just a little.
My phone buzzed again. It was a text from Mayor Libby.
"Council agreed to bring your proposal to a vote. Well done."
I showed the text to Hoss. "More good news."
"When it rains, it pours, huh?"
"Yeah," I looked around the emptying locker room with a range of thoughts swirling through my head. "But we've got this. We've made it this far.”
* * *
During a phone call with my sister, Kathy, she gave me a great suggestion to help gather more support for town ownership of the Cougars. I contacted the local radio station, and they agreed to host Hoss and me to discuss the issue. We also brought Waller, our goalie, along for the players’ point of view.
The radio station was smaller than I'd imagined, just a few rooms filled with boards, mics, and scattered potted plants that had seen better days. A staff member led us into the broadcast room, where Cheryl, the host of the weekly showBetween the Pines, greeted us.
"Ah, here they are, the men of the hour.” Her voice was as vibrant in person as she sounded on the air. She had a personality to match, her eyes lighting up as she welcomed us. Hoss, Waller, and I sat in the chairs opposite her.
"Thanks for having us," I said, adjusting the mic in front of me.
"And we're back," Cheryl spoke into her mic after a brief jingle played. "We have some very special guests in the studio today. The men from our very own Cold Pines Cougars, including the head coach, assistant coach, and probably the most important member of the team, the goalie. Fellas, say hi.”
"Hey, Cold Pines," I said, leaning into the mic.
"Hello, everyone," Hoss chimed in, followed by a nod from Waller.
"So, Pete, we're all ears about this rumor that the Cougars might become a town-owned entity. Catch us up on that,” Cheryl suggested.
"Yeah, it's more than a rumor," I said. "We're proposing that the town buy the team through municipal bonds. The Cougars are a cornerstone of this community, and we want to keep it that way."
Cheryl glanced at her screen, where questions started flooding in. "We've got a caller on line one. Go ahead, you're onBetween the Pines.”
The voice that came through was shaky but determined. "Yeah, hi. My name's Grace. Coach Z, why should my tax dollars fund a hockey team? Isn't there something better to invest in? Like our local schools?”
I leaned into the mic. "That's a great question, Grace. Look, owning the Cougars won’t be setting up a charity for athletes. It's an investment in the community. Revenue from ticket sales, merchandise, and even naming rights can funnel back into the town. The Cougars can become a financial asset for Cold Pines and add even more money to the education budget.”
Waller, who'd been quiet, leaned in. "And don't forget the kids who benefit from team outreach. I didn't have a local team to inspire me growing up, and I can tell you, it makes a difference for the kids here.”
"Strong points," Cheryl nodded. "Next caller, you're on the air."
"Hey, this is Tim. I think it's a great idea," the caller began. "But I'm curious, what will change for the team?"
"Well, Tim, structurally, we'd set up a board of directors," I explained. "It's about making the team more accountable to the community, but the essence of what makes the Cougars who they are won’t change at all.”
"And you're sure about that?" Tim asked.
Hoss jumped in. "We're more than sure; we're committed to that point. We want Cold Pines to be proud of your team, and we will work twice as hard to make that happen."
Cheryl glanced at the clock. "Ah, running out of time. Last question—this one's from me. Pete, how confident are you that this will pass the council?”
I grinned. "If I had to bet? I'd say we're skating toward a win."
