Three Months: Chapter 4

 

October 31. 2020

Matt slung his hockey bag and pads over his shoulder and grabber his goalie stick. His lucky parking space had been taken, so the night was already starting off bad. But he still skipped the last three steps of the sidewalk and cut through the grass to entrance to the ice rink. The board had his team, The Capital Benders, in locker room 2. At least that was a good sign. He rested his stick against the concrete wall and used his foot to push the locker room door open. Runt was catching a Bud Light that Bill had tossed. It popped open with a hiss and some beer sprayed out.

“Matty, you're here!” there was a bit of a slur in Bill's yell.

“Bill, you're drunk!” Matt called back. One drunk defense man, gonna be a fun game.

“Only a little, gimme till the second period. And I'll be good.”

“And we'll be down by 4. Solid plan.”

Matt dropped his bag and began digging out his gear. The Ritual. Catcher and Blocker on the bench next to and knocking his water bottle off. “Fuck” Pick up the water bottle with the gray duct tape around the top. Then pants on the other side. Now cup and knee pads, but right one first and over the knee brace. Then left over the knee wrap. Now socks. Those don't matter with legs, but the CCM logo has to face out.

Steff pushed the door open and walked over to her place. The unwritten rule was wear shorts so no one gets offended. Matt lived close enough by that he could wait until he got home to shower. “Hey goon,” Matt tossed out as he pulled out the beaten up goalie skates.

“Hey, sieve.” she shot back.

“Gonna stay out the of the box tonight?”

“Gonna stop a puck?”

The ritual done, Matt returned to lacing the pads to his skate. There were clip on ties that were faster, but the manual dexterity of lacing the long laces through the holes on the skate was relaxing.

“Yo boys!” Tim said and sat between Matt and Steff. “How's everyone doing this fine evening?” He caught the automatic beer toss from Bill.

A chorus of goods and fuck offs came the team. Tim was the last one on their 10 person roster.

Matt pulled on the goalie pants and made sure the internal pads were positioned right. Then he started on the skates and laces. Most of the team had ink that told stories. Tim was the only one that didn't, but that Tim and it was respected.

Toes loose, but pulled tight right at the break of the ankle. The last couple of loops were pulled as tight as Matt could, then wrapped around and pulled tighter again. Then the pad laces around his heal and cinching the skate laces. Same for the left skate. Then the straps for the pads, start at the top and work down.

“What happens if you get the order wrong?” Runt called from across the room.

“He has a melt-down and goes to his quiet place.” Thom replied and everyone laughed.

“Piss off,” Matt growled as he buckled the last strap. “I like my quiet place, none of you assholes are in it.”

“Got any clear tape?” Tim asked as he pulled his socks over his shin pad.

“Bag,” Matt answered, checking the fit and movement on his pads.

Tim leaned over and dug into Matt's bag, finding the tape in a inside pocket. Matt caught the piece of paper that Tim slipped into the pocket in place of the tape.

“Bars are still on lock-down,” Tim said while wrapping the clear tape around his socks. “I have an early morning tomorrow, let's do drinks another time.”

“No worries, bud. I'm going to be tired after all the break aways tonight.”