The Assistant
Welcome To Chicago
The plane ride felt like nothing. Laura had mainly listened to music and day dreamed endless possibilities about how Patrick Kane would fall in love with her. “Ridiculous,” she thought. “A loser like me, with a majestic being like him.” She soon felt herself drifting off. Strangely enough her short slumber was interrupted by the pilot letting them all know they had landed in Chicago. “Oh – boy,” Laura whispered, realizing the chaos she would have to endure in a matter of minutes. The process of collecting her luggage from the compartment over-head was no problem. And even getting off of the plane was smooth. It was when she finally stepped into the airport that there were issues.
The masses of people moving to and fro caught her off guard to begin with. It was loud that she could barely hear herself think. Who-ever was here to retrieve her would need a heck lot of luck to find her in this mess. Tugging her carry on behind her, Laura struggled to find her way to a place not filled with people.
After minutes of dodging the masses, she finally found a small nook to wait at. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. It was 1:45 back in Vancouver, but if she had remembered to change to time zone setting correctly, it was 3:45 here in Chicago. She was on time, but where was the person who was to come get her? All at once terrible thoughts started flooding Laura’s mind as she fiddled with her phone. “What if they forgot I was coming today? Or maybe they’re waiting for me outside? Or maybe somewhere else in the airport? How do I know who to look for?” The feeling of panic and anxiety was settling in her stomach and she knew she was setting herself up for a migraine. Her ever so turbulent thoughts were interrupted when someone behind her spoke.
“I think it might be you who I’m waiting on.” A masculine voice caused Laura to snap her head back. Her startled green eyes were met by a pair of sparkling blue ones. Eyes she knew she could recognize anywhere. She was sure she looked like an idiot but she couldn’t stop staring. The Patrick Kane stood in front of her, smiling. He let out a little laugh, realizing just how star struck she was. When she didn’t reply he added, “I was told to look for someone from Canada. And you’re the only one flashing you’re Canadian pride,” he gestured to her Canadian flag print carry on.
“Oh – um, yeah.” Laura stammered. “Jeez, get a hold of yourself,” she thought, already feeling humiliated.
“Great! You must be....Laura? ” He said smiling, as he looked at a note scribbled on his hand.
“Yep, that’s me,” Laura answered, suddenly remembering to breathe.
“Well Laure, I’m Patrick. But I’m assuming you already knew that right?” He stated, sticking out his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you Patrick, and yeah, you’re right about that.” Laura replied, taking his hand to return the shake. She wasn’t sure if she had imagined it or if it had been her own doing, but that handshake felt as though it had lasted a little longer than necessary.
“Here, I’ll take that,” Patrick smiled as he reached around Laura and took the handle of her carry on right out of her hands.
“Oh – no, you don’t have to do that. I can manage myself,” Laura spoke, taken aback.
“Nah, you’re our guest. Besides, it wouldn’t be very gentlemen like on my part, now would it?” He replied with a slight smirk as he began walking.
Laura felt herself blush and rushed to catch up to him. “When they told me someone would be here to welcome me, I would’ve never thought it would be you.” Laura started, attempting to make conversation.
“Yeah well, the guys and I like to help out with these kinds of things. We’ve got amazing supportive fans, and we like to give back to them in any way we can.”
Laura took that second to get a real good look at him. As amazing as he looked on TV, it was a thousand times better in reality. How was this actually happening? As they reached the exit of the airport, they were hit by a crazy big gust of wing. Suddenly all Laura could see was rainbows and stars.
The next thing she knew, she was back in her seat on the airplane. Laura was shocked. She could’ve sworn she was standing side by side and chatting with Patrick Kane himself. How was she back on the plane?
After a couple seconds of confusion, the realization hit Laura that she’d literally fallen asleep. She’d been dreaming. She didn’t know if she felt relieved or heartbroken. But she didn’t have long to feel sorry for herself. An announcement came on. It was the pilot letting them all know they had landed in Chicago.
Then, just like in her dream, the process began of getting her luggage, getting off the plane, avoiding the masses of people and finding an empty area to stand. She accomplished it all and checked her phone to see the time. Yep, 3:45 sharp. Laura desperately hoped that it would indeed be Mr. Patrick Kane who was awaiting her arrival, but her hopes were soon destroyed as she saw a middle aged man holding a sign with her name on it. “So much for that dream,” Laura thought as she tugged her carry on behind her.
The man saw her coming and broke into a huge grin. He stuck out his hand and introduced himself as Troy Parchman, the equipment manager for the Blackhawks. “I thought since you were going to be my assistant for the day, I might as well be the first to meet you,” he remarked.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr.Parchman.” Laura replied, lacking all perk.
“Hey, I’m not that old! Call me Troy, I insist,” He laughed.
Laura cracked a smile. “Alright Troy, where to?”
“First we’ll stop by at your hotel to drop off your luggage. And then, well, the United Center, for a quick tour before your big day tomorrow.”
The masses of people moving to and fro caught her off guard to begin with. It was loud that she could barely hear herself think. Who-ever was here to retrieve her would need a heck lot of luck to find her in this mess. Tugging her carry on behind her, Laura struggled to find her way to a place not filled with people.
After minutes of dodging the masses, she finally found a small nook to wait at. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. It was 1:45 back in Vancouver, but if she had remembered to change to time zone setting correctly, it was 3:45 here in Chicago. She was on time, but where was the person who was to come get her? All at once terrible thoughts started flooding Laura’s mind as she fiddled with her phone. “What if they forgot I was coming today? Or maybe they’re waiting for me outside? Or maybe somewhere else in the airport? How do I know who to look for?” The feeling of panic and anxiety was settling in her stomach and she knew she was setting herself up for a migraine. Her ever so turbulent thoughts were interrupted when someone behind her spoke.
“I think it might be you who I’m waiting on.” A masculine voice caused Laura to snap her head back. Her startled green eyes were met by a pair of sparkling blue ones. Eyes she knew she could recognize anywhere. She was sure she looked like an idiot but she couldn’t stop staring. The Patrick Kane stood in front of her, smiling. He let out a little laugh, realizing just how star struck she was. When she didn’t reply he added, “I was told to look for someone from Canada. And you’re the only one flashing you’re Canadian pride,” he gestured to her Canadian flag print carry on.
“Oh – um, yeah.” Laura stammered. “Jeez, get a hold of yourself,” she thought, already feeling humiliated.
“Great! You must be....Laura? ” He said smiling, as he looked at a note scribbled on his hand.
“Yep, that’s me,” Laura answered, suddenly remembering to breathe.
“Well Laure, I’m Patrick. But I’m assuming you already knew that right?” He stated, sticking out his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you Patrick, and yeah, you’re right about that.” Laura replied, taking his hand to return the shake. She wasn’t sure if she had imagined it or if it had been her own doing, but that handshake felt as though it had lasted a little longer than necessary.
“Here, I’ll take that,” Patrick smiled as he reached around Laura and took the handle of her carry on right out of her hands.
“Oh – no, you don’t have to do that. I can manage myself,” Laura spoke, taken aback.
“Nah, you’re our guest. Besides, it wouldn’t be very gentlemen like on my part, now would it?” He replied with a slight smirk as he began walking.
Laura felt herself blush and rushed to catch up to him. “When they told me someone would be here to welcome me, I would’ve never thought it would be you.” Laura started, attempting to make conversation.
“Yeah well, the guys and I like to help out with these kinds of things. We’ve got amazing supportive fans, and we like to give back to them in any way we can.”
Laura took that second to get a real good look at him. As amazing as he looked on TV, it was a thousand times better in reality. How was this actually happening? As they reached the exit of the airport, they were hit by a crazy big gust of wing. Suddenly all Laura could see was rainbows and stars.
The next thing she knew, she was back in her seat on the airplane. Laura was shocked. She could’ve sworn she was standing side by side and chatting with Patrick Kane himself. How was she back on the plane?
After a couple seconds of confusion, the realization hit Laura that she’d literally fallen asleep. She’d been dreaming. She didn’t know if she felt relieved or heartbroken. But she didn’t have long to feel sorry for herself. An announcement came on. It was the pilot letting them all know they had landed in Chicago.
Then, just like in her dream, the process began of getting her luggage, getting off the plane, avoiding the masses of people and finding an empty area to stand. She accomplished it all and checked her phone to see the time. Yep, 3:45 sharp. Laura desperately hoped that it would indeed be Mr. Patrick Kane who was awaiting her arrival, but her hopes were soon destroyed as she saw a middle aged man holding a sign with her name on it. “So much for that dream,” Laura thought as she tugged her carry on behind her.
The man saw her coming and broke into a huge grin. He stuck out his hand and introduced himself as Troy Parchman, the equipment manager for the Blackhawks. “I thought since you were going to be my assistant for the day, I might as well be the first to meet you,” he remarked.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr.Parchman.” Laura replied, lacking all perk.
“Hey, I’m not that old! Call me Troy, I insist,” He laughed.
Laura cracked a smile. “Alright Troy, where to?”
“First we’ll stop by at your hotel to drop off your luggage. And then, well, the United Center, for a quick tour before your big day tomorrow.”
9/20/13