(no subject)
Hit or miss CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Elise
buffalo Sabres/Boston Bruins
Jason Pominville/Zdeno Chara
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
He was being tested as a coach, but Lindy felt like he was being tested as a father, a friend and a person as well. Running over scenarios in his head, Lindy thought of all the things he could say to Jason once he arrived at his house. The forward and captain knew that he wouldn't be able to return. He could still skate, and play some shinny pick up games, but Jason could never play at the NHL level ever again.
Cracking his knuckles, Lindy looked at the passenger seat, an envelope sitting there. Lindy felt weak that day, watching Jason fall, screaming. Tough as he was, hard on them as he were, Lindy wished nothing but to take back those few seconds. Perhaps if he had taught Jason better, he would've kept his head up, he would've seen the impending danger. Perhaps if the kid who hit him had more experience, he would have read Jason better, he would've known his own strength. No one expected any lashings from the NHL, but Lindy knew that the young rookie would be a target for a long time.
After parking, Lindy walked up the driveway. There was a broken hockey stick, shattered in anger. No one was there to pick them up. He paused infront of the door. In his lifetime, Lindy had faced mighty challenges, the greatest players of the game, and battles of strength and will. He was frightened in this moment. Knocking, Lindy took a deep breath and stood straighter. It was the time to be strong, and to lead.
Jason opened the door, frozen. His face was stone still, betraying no emotions. "It's real, isn't it coach?"
Lindy nodded and said, "Can I come in?"
Nodding, Jason held the door, leading Lindy towards a table and a seat. "Need something to drink, Coach?" Jason asked.
Offhandedly thinking that Jason would have to stop calling his coach, Lindy shook his head. "Have a seat, Jason."
Jason sat down, wincing slightly, but covering it, as he turned to sit. His shoulder was bound, arm in a sling. Jason's surgery went as successfully as it could, but unfortunately, it would never be good enough. He had another surgery scheduled later that week. Taking a deep breath, Lindy said, "I think you should be proud."
Jason immediately turned his head, looking almost like a petulant child. Lindy continued, "It's over, Jason, as a player. It's not over with hockey."
"Those who can do it, do it, those who can't, teach?" Jason spit bitterly, "There's got to be some experimental surgery... or replacement..."
"There is none, Jason, I'm sorry." Lindy said softly, "I can't tell you how sorry I am."
Jason struggled, "I'm a hockey player."
"Yes," Lindy said, his voice strong, seriousness thick in the air, "Yes, you are. You always will be. You still are. You've got a world of opportunity."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jason said, "I'm broken."
Lindy smiled sadly, shaking his head, "You really think that?"
Lindy watched Jason's features like a hawk for his reaction. The younger man was red in the face, fighting back emotion. His eyes were angry, desperate, but broken, he was not. Lindy reached over and placed a hand on Jason's uninjured shoulder. Looking up, into his coach's face, Jason's eyes had a special variety of hope: survival. Lindy smiled, "You have a world of opportunities, son, a whole world to live in."
"How?" Croaked Jason, "How do I go on if the greatest thing in my life is gone."
"It's not gone, its different." Lindy said, "You will always be my player, but you're a strong man. You'll figure it out."
Jason nodded, taking in a shaky breath. He nodded. "I don't know what to do. I'm sortof numb."
Lindy took the envelope from his pocket, placing it on the table. "Read that, sooner than later, but when one door closes, another opens."
Jason leaned back, eyes focusing on the envelope. He breathed deeply and said, "What of the team?"
"Ah, Captain, the team needs you, but we'll survive." Lindy nodded, "I'd like you to come to practice, gain some closure. You will be surrounded by your family, son."
"Locker clean out..." Jason said, "My very last locker clean out."
"I'll see you first thing in the morning, Pominville." Lindy said, standing up to leave, "I think you should be proud."
Jason had never wanted to see the awkward look in his friend's and team's eyes, as the look he was receiving. Everyone was their usual humorous, goofy selves, as were most practices. The problem was, that this was not a normal practice. Jason stood off to the side, alone, separate. He was isolated, no longer like the men in the room. Ryan walked over, grin on his face, "Pommers... you're making an ugly face, more so than usual."
"Fuck you, Miller." Jason said sourly.
Laughing, Ryan said, "Right now? Here? In the locker room? Kindof been a fantasy of mine for a while..."
Jason grinned, ducking his head, in an attempt to hide it. Ryan leaned over, whispering, "Stand tall, Jason."
Looking up through his eyelashes, Jason took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I think I will."
Before Ryan could express his joy over the statement, Lindy walked in, with James Patrick, the assistant coach. Immediately, the room quieted, and Jason wanted to be as respected one day, as Lindy was. Lindy nodded at Jason and said, "It's time to find ourselves a captain."
Jason's face dropped and he unconsciously took a step back, like he was anticipating a blow. Ryan took a step closer to Jason, so their feet touched. Jason looked to his left, and saw Ryan looking forward, but standing, confident and supportive. It was a family, and Jason wasn't being replaced. It was just different. Lindy continued, "I know this is difficult, but we are one, we are a team. We need to be led. I would like us all, together, to decide."
The group looked nervous, some slightly sick. Jason smiled, noticing that no one had stepped up, walking to Lindy's side. The older man watched him, unsure of Jason's reaction, but proud to let him lead for the last time. "I've got a recommendation, Coach."
Lindy nodded in approval as Jason continued, "To be a captain, you have to lead. What isn't said is that you also need to be strong, no matter what, in the face of anything that comes at you."
Derek watched, chest full, emotion present on his face. He made eye contact with Jason, and he smiled in support. Jason was unknowingly talking about himself. Jason smiled back and said, "Derek Roy. He exemplifies everything that a captain is, and I have my complete faith in him. He will be the man to bring the cup home, to Buffalo. He will be the man who will care for you, protect you, and lead you."
Derek was shocked. He'd looked at himself as weaker than Jason, weaker than the men around him. Jason stopped speaking, and the silence was thick. Ryan spoke, "I second."
"I third." Thomas Vanek said.
Soon, there were choruses of praises and agreements. Derek stood, silent. Lindy grinned, "Everyone welcome Captain Derek Roy."
Jason cheered the loudest.
Elise
buffalo Sabres/Boston Bruins
Jason Pominville/Zdeno Chara
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
He was being tested as a coach, but Lindy felt like he was being tested as a father, a friend and a person as well. Running over scenarios in his head, Lindy thought of all the things he could say to Jason once he arrived at his house. The forward and captain knew that he wouldn't be able to return. He could still skate, and play some shinny pick up games, but Jason could never play at the NHL level ever again.
Cracking his knuckles, Lindy looked at the passenger seat, an envelope sitting there. Lindy felt weak that day, watching Jason fall, screaming. Tough as he was, hard on them as he were, Lindy wished nothing but to take back those few seconds. Perhaps if he had taught Jason better, he would've kept his head up, he would've seen the impending danger. Perhaps if the kid who hit him had more experience, he would have read Jason better, he would've known his own strength. No one expected any lashings from the NHL, but Lindy knew that the young rookie would be a target for a long time.
After parking, Lindy walked up the driveway. There was a broken hockey stick, shattered in anger. No one was there to pick them up. He paused infront of the door. In his lifetime, Lindy had faced mighty challenges, the greatest players of the game, and battles of strength and will. He was frightened in this moment. Knocking, Lindy took a deep breath and stood straighter. It was the time to be strong, and to lead.
Jason opened the door, frozen. His face was stone still, betraying no emotions. "It's real, isn't it coach?"
Lindy nodded and said, "Can I come in?"
Nodding, Jason held the door, leading Lindy towards a table and a seat. "Need something to drink, Coach?" Jason asked.
Offhandedly thinking that Jason would have to stop calling his coach, Lindy shook his head. "Have a seat, Jason."
Jason sat down, wincing slightly, but covering it, as he turned to sit. His shoulder was bound, arm in a sling. Jason's surgery went as successfully as it could, but unfortunately, it would never be good enough. He had another surgery scheduled later that week. Taking a deep breath, Lindy said, "I think you should be proud."
Jason immediately turned his head, looking almost like a petulant child. Lindy continued, "It's over, Jason, as a player. It's not over with hockey."
"Those who can do it, do it, those who can't, teach?" Jason spit bitterly, "There's got to be some experimental surgery... or replacement..."
"There is none, Jason, I'm sorry." Lindy said softly, "I can't tell you how sorry I am."
Jason struggled, "I'm a hockey player."
"Yes," Lindy said, his voice strong, seriousness thick in the air, "Yes, you are. You always will be. You still are. You've got a world of opportunity."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jason said, "I'm broken."
Lindy smiled sadly, shaking his head, "You really think that?"
Lindy watched Jason's features like a hawk for his reaction. The younger man was red in the face, fighting back emotion. His eyes were angry, desperate, but broken, he was not. Lindy reached over and placed a hand on Jason's uninjured shoulder. Looking up, into his coach's face, Jason's eyes had a special variety of hope: survival. Lindy smiled, "You have a world of opportunities, son, a whole world to live in."
"How?" Croaked Jason, "How do I go on if the greatest thing in my life is gone."
"It's not gone, its different." Lindy said, "You will always be my player, but you're a strong man. You'll figure it out."
Jason nodded, taking in a shaky breath. He nodded. "I don't know what to do. I'm sortof numb."
Lindy took the envelope from his pocket, placing it on the table. "Read that, sooner than later, but when one door closes, another opens."
Jason leaned back, eyes focusing on the envelope. He breathed deeply and said, "What of the team?"
"Ah, Captain, the team needs you, but we'll survive." Lindy nodded, "I'd like you to come to practice, gain some closure. You will be surrounded by your family, son."
"Locker clean out..." Jason said, "My very last locker clean out."
"I'll see you first thing in the morning, Pominville." Lindy said, standing up to leave, "I think you should be proud."
Jason had never wanted to see the awkward look in his friend's and team's eyes, as the look he was receiving. Everyone was their usual humorous, goofy selves, as were most practices. The problem was, that this was not a normal practice. Jason stood off to the side, alone, separate. He was isolated, no longer like the men in the room. Ryan walked over, grin on his face, "Pommers... you're making an ugly face, more so than usual."
"Fuck you, Miller." Jason said sourly.
Laughing, Ryan said, "Right now? Here? In the locker room? Kindof been a fantasy of mine for a while..."
Jason grinned, ducking his head, in an attempt to hide it. Ryan leaned over, whispering, "Stand tall, Jason."
Looking up through his eyelashes, Jason took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I think I will."
Before Ryan could express his joy over the statement, Lindy walked in, with James Patrick, the assistant coach. Immediately, the room quieted, and Jason wanted to be as respected one day, as Lindy was. Lindy nodded at Jason and said, "It's time to find ourselves a captain."
Jason's face dropped and he unconsciously took a step back, like he was anticipating a blow. Ryan took a step closer to Jason, so their feet touched. Jason looked to his left, and saw Ryan looking forward, but standing, confident and supportive. It was a family, and Jason wasn't being replaced. It was just different. Lindy continued, "I know this is difficult, but we are one, we are a team. We need to be led. I would like us all, together, to decide."
The group looked nervous, some slightly sick. Jason smiled, noticing that no one had stepped up, walking to Lindy's side. The older man watched him, unsure of Jason's reaction, but proud to let him lead for the last time. "I've got a recommendation, Coach."
Lindy nodded in approval as Jason continued, "To be a captain, you have to lead. What isn't said is that you also need to be strong, no matter what, in the face of anything that comes at you."
Derek watched, chest full, emotion present on his face. He made eye contact with Jason, and he smiled in support. Jason was unknowingly talking about himself. Jason smiled back and said, "Derek Roy. He exemplifies everything that a captain is, and I have my complete faith in him. He will be the man to bring the cup home, to Buffalo. He will be the man who will care for you, protect you, and lead you."
Derek was shocked. He'd looked at himself as weaker than Jason, weaker than the men around him. Jason stopped speaking, and the silence was thick. Ryan spoke, "I second."
"I third." Thomas Vanek said.
Soon, there were choruses of praises and agreements. Derek stood, silent. Lindy grinned, "Everyone welcome Captain Derek Roy."
Jason cheered the loudest.