Chapter 476: Tangers XLIV—Find Her a Seat
I woke up a little late into the morning with my phone ringing in my ear. Who would call me before ten in the morning on a day when I obviously would need my sleep? Hmmph, I scrambled for the phone vowing to strike whoever was calling completely and firmly off my close friends list, that is if they were ever there to begin with! They wouldn’t deserve me attention for… “This better be good,” I grumbled into the phone because I’m sleepy and…”
“Oo Alex did I interrupt your sleep?”
For one quick moment I thought it was Mimi, yeah, Mimi on helium, but something about the voice reminded me of her and I squinted with worry, were the kids okay did she need help with them? My anger disappeared at that point and I felt sort of awake but before I could answer, the woman said, “I didn’t know you hockey players sleep in so late, you’re playing game tonight? Should you not be practicing? I you’re your home phone, but I didn’t think I would get anything but you’re machine. Alex I need your cell phone number, please!”
Her high voice and her accent became clearer to me and I sat up losing all remnants of sleep from my brain and I almost dropped the phone, in fact. “Penelope!” I cried. “Wait, I’m not that asleep, actually, I was, but I should be up, you’re right I…” and then I remembered, that I had to be cool with her; I couldn’t sound like desperate lovesick puppy even thought that’s what I totally was!
Penelope spoke again and I could hear the smile in her voice, and I wondered how she looked smiling, her eyes shining, for me! “Oh Alex you’re so silly sometimes, I think I’m talking with a sweet little boy.”
I grimaced. What was I supposed to take from that? “Well I don’t think…”
“Alex I am in the airport!” Penelope said, cutting me off. “I need a ride and somewhere to stay, I am sick to death of hotels and taxis. Will you rescue me?”
I melted. “Of course!” And then my heart jogged back into motion with
a dart of fear. “You’re here right now? In
“In LAX,”
Penelope replied. “You already think I am here, eh? Did you panic because you
had no time to hide your
“Of course!” I said in a voice way too high for me to admit to. “What time do you fly into the city? What flight?” I fumbled around my desk looking for a pen and paper and as she gave me the necessary information I widened my eyes. “And hey I don’t have a girlfriend! I mean besides…” I choked. Should I say it?
“Besides me?” She chirped.
Ah sweet Gods of Love! “Besides you!” I agreed.
“Good!” Penelope said, “I cannot wait to see you, to be with you Alex!”
I gulped, “But I have a game tonight,” I said meekly already mulling in my mind a million different ailments that I could be afflicted with to get out of the game.
“I know that!” Penelope said and I could imagine her flicking her hand flippantly. “I want to be at your game for you yes. Can you get me good seats?”
“Yeah,” I answered, of course that was the easiest thing to do. All of use players had seats at our disposal if we asked for tickets for friends and family. “I’ll get you great seats, right by the glass, the best in the…”
“Glass?” Penelope exclaimed, “Alex oh no, not glass no and nowhere else in the house where I have to sit with people who smell or talk too loudly, eh? Please get me the good seats, the seats that are soft and where we get special attention if I should want it? Can I sit where I can just watch your game and not be bothered? I’m sure you can do this?”
“A suite?” I said quietly.
“Si! Penelope exclaimed. “A suite! Yes somewhere I don’t sit with the poor people, gracias.”
“Sure I can
do that,” I said. And I didn’t own any part of a suite deal with any of the
players but I was pretty sure someone would allow Penelope in their box for
tonight. My chest thumped with excitement. “And I’ll pick you up, its a few
hours before game time so I need to get you and head right to the
“Is fine, sounds fun!” She chirped and she hung up without saying goodbye.
I sighed and pressed my hand over my heart.
Well with the elation of having a famous, wealthy, beautiful celebrity girlfriend coming to stay came the realization of my responsibilities. I needed to welcome her with a gift, and something worthy of her affections, I frowned, certainly not worthy of the “poor people”. Well finally, I found a girl with refined tastes. With that in mind, I whistled happily as I went downtown to search.
I got hungry after a couple hours of searching so I ended up in Cherry Creek mall for a bite to eat. I just hadn’t found anything worthy of her tastes, or her supposed tastes. A little fear began to cross my mind, and I began to wonder, could I even find anything to rival the lavish gifts her former boyfriend had no doubt showered her with? I mean I didn’t even have a multi-million dollar luxury pad in Telluride!
I walked through the mall pondering these things when something else caught my mind and I smiled. Well if I couldn’t find anything immediately for Penelope, at least I could make someone else happy! Well two people actually if it went right. So I walked into the store…
“Hey guys,” I said cheerfully prancing into the team locker room with a package under my arm. And then I saw to my delight something really great. “Hey, Robbie, Footie, Foppa! You’re all here, that’s great, you’ll be playing with us tonight then? Cool!”
They all waved and smiled. Everyone looked happy; I could just feel it, a good day at hand. Do you know how hard it is to get a good day these days, I mean a pure old good day? Well this seemed to be shaping up pretty damn good.
“What are you perky about?” Drury mumbled.
“What are you pouty about?” I replied.
Drury rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, you
do seem like you’re glowing about something,” Good ole
“Hey you’re looking pretty good yourself, Mikey,” I said.
And Mike grinned, a small conspiratorial grin, something that could be shared with only a friend. That could only mean Phil Keating was off my back! And the day was getting better. Yes!
“So what if I’m late,” Joe Sakic said dryly entering the locker room and all of us greeted him. “I’m here aren’t I?”
Uh oh it sounded like a grumpy Joe; I would have to brighten his day. With a smile I presented him with this most precious gift. “Here you go Joe!” I held up the box wrapped in a bag.
“Eh? What’s this?” Joe said and he took the box, peeled off the bag and held up the resulting package. “Do I need one of these?” He squinted at it. “A ‘Squiggling Buddy’s Buddy’. Is this a joke or something, Alex?”
Now I rolled my eyes.
“Awww Joey he gave you a toy.” Robbie grinned.
And then Joe looked to me for an explanation. Really sometimes I felt like the only intelligent person on this Earth I mean honestly! “Joe it’s for Mitchell. It’s one of the new hot items on the market. Every kid who has a Squiggling Buddy is dying for his Buddy!”
For some reason Mike Keane started a laughing fit so hard he began choking. I still don’t understand why. Maybe it was an inside joke or something. Most of the guys in a locker room can’t survive without at least some sort of inside joke.
“Oh I see,” Joe said sounding less than impressed. And then he just impaled me with a steely glare. “You trying to show me up to my kid or something, giving him more gifts?”
“Joe!” I exclaimed, now really hurt. “No I want you to tell Mitchell that it’s from you, I thought it would be nice.”
Joe impaled me with a second steely glare. “You trying to make it look like to my son that I’m giving him second rate gifts? I mean you got him the original toy, so here I am with the sloppy seconds?”
“Oh forget about it!” I sighed throwing my arms up.
“Seriously
Joe, that’s a cool gift,” a freshly recovered Keane said clearing his throat.
Well finally someone helps me out. Joe seemed to take that in as well and he nodded solemnly. “Alright, you did okay, Tiger, thanks.”
Well now that he’d thanked me now seemed as good a time as any. “Joooe can Penelope have a seat in your suite for tonight’s game?”
Now talk about pandemonium. Coach Hartley had just begun to set up the dry erase board to tell us the game plan for today and everyone just dropped everything and piled around me. I can’t say that didn’t amuse me. I cleared my throat as a million questions flew at me all asking about the status of one Penelope Cruz. I grinned, “Well she’s in but I don’t know for how long and she asked if I could get her a good seat, in a suite mind you so I think that’s okay, if it’s okay with Joe? I mean Debbie would make her feel more welcome?”
Joe frowned. “Sure, are you paying?”
“Oh Mon Dieu yes!” I exclaimed. “I’m paying.”
Joe sniffed. “Then it’s fine.” I didn’t have time to thank him when he squinted and then barked. “Peter! Are you playing tonight? I thought you were still injured.”
“I am, Joe,” Peter said a little meekly.
“Playing or injured?”
“Injured.”
Joe frowned. “Then what are you doing here?”
And Peter’s cheeks turned red.
I patted my tummy and sighed, yup this seemed like a really good day!