Takes Me Back
Comparing Them All.
The picture frame still wasn’t filled yet. In fact, I hadn’t added another picture since my first hat trick. Eventually, I had to put the frame under my bed because it hurt too much to even see it in passing.
I watched Leah from my spot across the room. I knew she hadn’t seen me as she was off in her own little world of drinks, business men, and books. You could tell she didn’t like to be paraded around, but that she was only putting up with it for her writing’s sake.
I loved that about her. Growing up, she would enter writing contests through magazines and scholarship groups. Leah wouldn’t submit her entry until she thought it was near perfect. She did a lot for what she loved, just like me. It was one of her many endearing quirks.
I loved how she would only wear her glasses when she was at home, even though I told her they looked good. Her loud laugh was contagious, as was her smile. Her eyes could keep me busy for hours. I loved her sassy attitude and snarky comebacks and sarcastic humor. I loved that she could put up with my brothers, which means she could put up with my teammates.
And now, I finally saw it. I figured out why none of the girls I had been with since arriving in Pittsburgh were good enough. I was unknowingly comparing them all to Leah.
*****
Just twenty minutes later, the majority of my teammates were filing out of the club.
“You coming, Gronk?” Sidney asked.
I shook my head. There was something I had to do.
“I’ll catch up with you guys at practice tomorrow morning.”
Taking a deep breath, I approached the bar. After watching her all night and knowing her all my life, I knew what she had to be drinking since she was still underage in America. Ordering her a glass of ice water with orange and mint, I saw Leah sitting in the corner clicking around on her BlackBerry. This was it.
*****
I made sure to put my hockey player swag into my step as I approached her table. Leah wasn’t watching, but I knew she would hear the heels of my dress shoes click across the wooden floor.
Before I could even open my mouth to say anything, Leah was talking.
“I wondered how long it would take you to grow a pair and come over here and talk to me,” she put her BlackBerry down after she spoke and looked up at me. Smiling, she continued. “It’s good to see you, Jordy.”
That smile got me every time.
I watched Leah from my spot across the room. I knew she hadn’t seen me as she was off in her own little world of drinks, business men, and books. You could tell she didn’t like to be paraded around, but that she was only putting up with it for her writing’s sake.
I loved that about her. Growing up, she would enter writing contests through magazines and scholarship groups. Leah wouldn’t submit her entry until she thought it was near perfect. She did a lot for what she loved, just like me. It was one of her many endearing quirks.
I loved how she would only wear her glasses when she was at home, even though I told her they looked good. Her loud laugh was contagious, as was her smile. Her eyes could keep me busy for hours. I loved her sassy attitude and snarky comebacks and sarcastic humor. I loved that she could put up with my brothers, which means she could put up with my teammates.
And now, I finally saw it. I figured out why none of the girls I had been with since arriving in Pittsburgh were good enough. I was unknowingly comparing them all to Leah.
*****
Just twenty minutes later, the majority of my teammates were filing out of the club.
“You coming, Gronk?” Sidney asked.
I shook my head. There was something I had to do.
“I’ll catch up with you guys at practice tomorrow morning.”
Taking a deep breath, I approached the bar. After watching her all night and knowing her all my life, I knew what she had to be drinking since she was still underage in America. Ordering her a glass of ice water with orange and mint, I saw Leah sitting in the corner clicking around on her BlackBerry. This was it.
*****
I made sure to put my hockey player swag into my step as I approached her table. Leah wasn’t watching, but I knew she would hear the heels of my dress shoes click across the wooden floor.
Before I could even open my mouth to say anything, Leah was talking.
“I wondered how long it would take you to grow a pair and come over here and talk to me,” she put her BlackBerry down after she spoke and looked up at me. Smiling, she continued. “It’s good to see you, Jordy.”
That smile got me every time.
3/22/13