Shots Not Taken
Chance at Change
It was a work day. Just like any other. I walked from my apartment in up town Vancouver to the corner of Davie and Denman. The sweet smell of Starbucks fluttered through my nose. I pushed the door open to be greeted by a regular, her name was Charolette. I quickly hung up my jacket and slid my apron over my head.
"Just the usual Charolette, eh?" I asked.
"You know it darling." She smirked.
I quickly made her tall coffee and grabbed a blueberry scone from the case.
"Here you are." I said and she handed over what she owed.
The quiet and petite 50 year old woman made her way to the seat she always sat in.
"So how's your goal tending going Miss. Eila?" She said.
I smiled and remembered that I hadn't played in quite some time.
"I just finished off my summer training and I need to find something to do before I go bankrupt." I joked.
"No! Dear, you are the greated goalie known to Vancouver, hell you're the best goalie known to Canada, there's no way you could go bankrupt." She said with her soft and sweet voice.
"Thanks, now could you tell that to the NHL for me, ey?" I asked chuckling back.
"Ask what to the NHL?" A man with a strong American accent rudely said and he walked through the doors of the small cafe.
"Oh um, nothing." I said and looked down at the table I was cleaning.
"She's Eila Murto, don't you know?" Charolette said.
"I'm afriad I don't, which is surprising because I know everyone." He chuckled, however he was the only one laughing.
Cocky bastard.
"Well she's the best goalie ever!"
"Is that so?" He said and looked back at me.
"So then what's 'the best goalie ever' doing here in a coffee shop then huh?" He said flailing his arms to add emphasis.
"Trying to support myself and pay off college loans." I said, not really wanting to open up to some random guy.
"Hm. What's your major?"
"I just finished studying Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine."
"Oh, that's pretty cool."
I nodded.
"So uh would you like anything?" I asked.
"Yeah can I have a grande Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino please?"
I made the drink and passed it to him.
"That will be $5.23."
As he handed me a 10, his phone began to ring. He pulled out his phone and smirked.
"Ironic." He said to himself and answered.
"Hey Scott." He said and looked over at me.
He pulled his phone away from his face,
"Keep the change." He winked.
"Thanks." I mummbled and watched him walk out of the shop.
I rolled my eyes. By the way he was talking to me it actually sounded like he had an idea or something for me.
My day went on, nothing exciting. My shift ended at 4 and I left to go the gym to work off some stress. The TV was on and they were talking about Tortorella being the new head coach and how it was going to affect the team this year. Personally I didn't want to hear any of it. I didn't like the idea of a Boston native being a coach for us. I hate the Bruins. With a burning passion. I don't think I could make that any more clear. I feel like having him is almost jinxing us. Anyway I must have got home around 10 or 11 I don't even remember and I went right to bed.
The morning came faster than I had wanted. Another shift 8-4. I looked over at my clock, it read 7:46.
"Shit." I muttered to myself and scrambled for my work clothes.
I ran 6 blocks as fast as I could and made it just before 8. Charolette greeted me as always, but I was also greeted by the same cocky man I met yesterday.
"Come to get another frappuccino, ey?" I asked smiling.
"No, I came to see you." He said.
"Well, I have a boyfriend, so I wouldn't try anything." I replied defensively.
He chuckled and rolled his eyes.
"Well uh I was actually here to talk about your goal tending and I know you don't have a boyfriend because I had a nice conversation with your good friend Charolette over here."
I blushed looked down avoiding eye contact.
"Oh."
"Well anyway she says you want a job working with Sports Medicine in the NHL. That true?"
"Yeah. It's always been my dream."
"I talked to a good friend yesterday who needs a trainer for his team. He's a physical therapist. His name is Scott."
My head snapped up at him.
"Are you kidding?" I asked.
"Nope, I told him about you and he asked me to have you give him a call. Here's his number." He slid me a phone number on a napkin.
"What team?" I asked.
"The Bruins."
My heart sunk and I looked at him shaking my head.
"No."
"No?" He smirked, "Got something against the B's?"
"I'm a Canucks fan."
"Ohh, that explains it. Do you still want the job though?"
I sighed and put my head in my hands. I don't think I could.
"Um. I don't know."
"Love bug, you've wanted this your whole life! Let all the superstisions go and take the job." I heard Charolette speak.
"She's right. It's a big offer and it's good pay too." The man said.
"When does he need the call by?" I questioned.
"I'm not sure, but I suggest calling soon because he may give up the spot."
I took a deep breath not knowing what to do.
"Well I've gotta get going, I hope it all works out."
"Thanks for the help." I said as he walked out the door.
"Charolette! What do I do?"
"Just do it! You need the money and it's your dream!"
"I know." I signed.
I looked down at the number and then stuffed it in my pocket.
Through out the rest of my shift the napkin was burning a hole through my pocket. To call. Not to call. It was the only thing I could focus on. It seem like forever until it was four. I ripped off my apron and hurried home, just to pace back and forth in my living room. I looked down at the napkin in my hand and back to my phone as I thought. It must have gone on like this for a half hour.
"Oh fuck it." I finally said and ran to the phone.
I dialed the number and as it rang each time my heart sped up more and more.
"Hello?" a man answered.
I choked.
"Hello?" He repeated.
"Hi, my name is Eila Murto, I'm calling for the trainer spot."
"Oh hi Eila! I've heard a lot about you! My co-worker Jesse told me all about you! You're a goalie right."
"Um yeah." I said.
"That's very cool. And he also said you graduated from UBC. You majored in Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine right?"
"That's right."
It was very obvious that I was nervous.
"Haha, Jesse told me that you're a die hard Vancouver fan."
"Yeah."
"So uh if I were to fly you out here to Boston for an interview would that be alright?" He chuckled.
I sighed and almost regretted ever taking the phone number.
"Yeah, that'd be great. I don't mind. It's a job right?" I fake laughed.
"Alrighty well I'll call you within the next few days and give you your flight information."
"Thank you so much." I said.
He asked for my address and asked email so he could send me any information I needed. We said our goodbyes and I dropped my phone onto the couch.
"What...am I going to do?" I asked myself.
"Just the usual Charolette, eh?" I asked.
"You know it darling." She smirked.
I quickly made her tall coffee and grabbed a blueberry scone from the case.
"Here you are." I said and she handed over what she owed.
The quiet and petite 50 year old woman made her way to the seat she always sat in.
"So how's your goal tending going Miss. Eila?" She said.
I smiled and remembered that I hadn't played in quite some time.
"I just finished off my summer training and I need to find something to do before I go bankrupt." I joked.
"No! Dear, you are the greated goalie known to Vancouver, hell you're the best goalie known to Canada, there's no way you could go bankrupt." She said with her soft and sweet voice.
"Thanks, now could you tell that to the NHL for me, ey?" I asked chuckling back.
"Ask what to the NHL?" A man with a strong American accent rudely said and he walked through the doors of the small cafe.
"Oh um, nothing." I said and looked down at the table I was cleaning.
"She's Eila Murto, don't you know?" Charolette said.
"I'm afriad I don't, which is surprising because I know everyone." He chuckled, however he was the only one laughing.
Cocky bastard.
"Well she's the best goalie ever!"
"Is that so?" He said and looked back at me.
"So then what's 'the best goalie ever' doing here in a coffee shop then huh?" He said flailing his arms to add emphasis.
"Trying to support myself and pay off college loans." I said, not really wanting to open up to some random guy.
"Hm. What's your major?"
"I just finished studying Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine."
"Oh, that's pretty cool."
I nodded.
"So uh would you like anything?" I asked.
"Yeah can I have a grande Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino please?"
I made the drink and passed it to him.
"That will be $5.23."
As he handed me a 10, his phone began to ring. He pulled out his phone and smirked.
"Ironic." He said to himself and answered.
"Hey Scott." He said and looked over at me.
He pulled his phone away from his face,
"Keep the change." He winked.
"Thanks." I mummbled and watched him walk out of the shop.
I rolled my eyes. By the way he was talking to me it actually sounded like he had an idea or something for me.
My day went on, nothing exciting. My shift ended at 4 and I left to go the gym to work off some stress. The TV was on and they were talking about Tortorella being the new head coach and how it was going to affect the team this year. Personally I didn't want to hear any of it. I didn't like the idea of a Boston native being a coach for us. I hate the Bruins. With a burning passion. I don't think I could make that any more clear. I feel like having him is almost jinxing us. Anyway I must have got home around 10 or 11 I don't even remember and I went right to bed.
The morning came faster than I had wanted. Another shift 8-4. I looked over at my clock, it read 7:46.
"Shit." I muttered to myself and scrambled for my work clothes.
I ran 6 blocks as fast as I could and made it just before 8. Charolette greeted me as always, but I was also greeted by the same cocky man I met yesterday.
"Come to get another frappuccino, ey?" I asked smiling.
"No, I came to see you." He said.
"Well, I have a boyfriend, so I wouldn't try anything." I replied defensively.
He chuckled and rolled his eyes.
"Well uh I was actually here to talk about your goal tending and I know you don't have a boyfriend because I had a nice conversation with your good friend Charolette over here."
I blushed looked down avoiding eye contact.
"Oh."
"Well anyway she says you want a job working with Sports Medicine in the NHL. That true?"
"Yeah. It's always been my dream."
"I talked to a good friend yesterday who needs a trainer for his team. He's a physical therapist. His name is Scott."
My head snapped up at him.
"Are you kidding?" I asked.
"Nope, I told him about you and he asked me to have you give him a call. Here's his number." He slid me a phone number on a napkin.
"What team?" I asked.
"The Bruins."
My heart sunk and I looked at him shaking my head.
"No."
"No?" He smirked, "Got something against the B's?"
"I'm a Canucks fan."
"Ohh, that explains it. Do you still want the job though?"
I sighed and put my head in my hands. I don't think I could.
"Um. I don't know."
"Love bug, you've wanted this your whole life! Let all the superstisions go and take the job." I heard Charolette speak.
"She's right. It's a big offer and it's good pay too." The man said.
"When does he need the call by?" I questioned.
"I'm not sure, but I suggest calling soon because he may give up the spot."
I took a deep breath not knowing what to do.
"Well I've gotta get going, I hope it all works out."
"Thanks for the help." I said as he walked out the door.
"Charolette! What do I do?"
"Just do it! You need the money and it's your dream!"
"I know." I signed.
I looked down at the number and then stuffed it in my pocket.
Through out the rest of my shift the napkin was burning a hole through my pocket. To call. Not to call. It was the only thing I could focus on. It seem like forever until it was four. I ripped off my apron and hurried home, just to pace back and forth in my living room. I looked down at the napkin in my hand and back to my phone as I thought. It must have gone on like this for a half hour.
"Oh fuck it." I finally said and ran to the phone.
I dialed the number and as it rang each time my heart sped up more and more.
"Hello?" a man answered.
I choked.
"Hello?" He repeated.
"Hi, my name is Eila Murto, I'm calling for the trainer spot."
"Oh hi Eila! I've heard a lot about you! My co-worker Jesse told me all about you! You're a goalie right."
"Um yeah." I said.
"That's very cool. And he also said you graduated from UBC. You majored in Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine right?"
"That's right."
It was very obvious that I was nervous.
"Haha, Jesse told me that you're a die hard Vancouver fan."
"Yeah."
"So uh if I were to fly you out here to Boston for an interview would that be alright?" He chuckled.
I sighed and almost regretted ever taking the phone number.
"Yeah, that'd be great. I don't mind. It's a job right?" I fake laughed.
"Alrighty well I'll call you within the next few days and give you your flight information."
"Thank you so much." I said.
He asked for my address and asked email so he could send me any information I needed. We said our goodbyes and I dropped my phone onto the couch.
"What...am I going to do?" I asked myself.
Omg it's been so long that I had to read all the other chapters over again! Lol Better late than never though right? Right!
12/26/13