by Shawn Keys
His backswing had gone up almost without him noticing, and now his drive came smashing down on the ball with a healthy, crisp ping-thwack!! As soon as he heard it, Rick smiled. Sweet spot, all the way. Nice! That was half the beauty of a good shot. Where it landed mattered, but hearing that perfect contact right in the power center of the club never got old.
He searched the sky and found the ball curving through the air. It was a little left, but then started to fade right as the counter-spin he put on it began to bite the air. The zipping white sphere soared through the break in the woods then slipped out of sight. A rowdy cheer came from up near the green, where another crowd had gathered to watch the results.
Rick clutched the club and clenched his teeth with victory. “Yes! That looked really good!”
One of the staff members was standing off to the side, holding a radio. He listened into his ear-piece, then gave Rick a cheerful smile. “On the green, Mr. Angelo. Hard to tell without measuring the markers, but he says you’re in contention! Well struck, Sir.”
This time, the rowdy cheer was all around him as the crowd began to clap.
Sasha darted up to him and tossed her arms around him, hugging him enthusiastically. “You did it!”
She might be wearing a coat and a golf shirt and probably a bra, but the three layers of fabric didn’t stop Rick from feeling her feminine charms pressed up against his body. She was gifted when it came to breasts, and those twin lush mounds felt heavenly pillowed against his chest. This was the first time he was close enough to catch the inviting scent of blueberries and cream she wore as perfume. He lingered a little with her blonde tresses pressed up against his nose before tactfully drawing away.
Rick cleared his throat, remembering how to speak. This day was still surprising him. He was beginning to wonder if he had a guardian angel looking over his shoulder, making sure he ran into the sexiest women in the city. Humbly, he said, “The SUV isn’t mine yet. Still have to get down and measure.”
Sasha rolled her eyes. “Come on! Even to be in the hunt is a great achievement. Well done!”
Once again reminding himself that it wasn’t illegal to accept a compliment, Rick smiled and replied, “Thanks. Go on, George. Hit away so we can get to the ladies’ tee for Rachel. By the time we get to the green, maybe they’ll have some answers.”
The couple took a few more shots to work their way down the fairway, arriving in 3 and 4 shots respectively. They walked onto the green to the sound of a little more of applause. Rick gestured for George and Rachel to finish out. George unfortunately three-putted, while Rachel drained an impressively long putt to end with a respectable bogie.
Sasha wrapped an arm around him for one last brief hug. “Go on. See how it turned out. Mind if I get Jack to film you?”
Rick chuckled. “Sure. This day has been weird enough. Besides, I owe you for all this.” He strode onto the course and over to where his ball had rolled. He had left himself a fifteen-foot putt to drain. It wasn’t a gimme for sure. His eyes were drawn inevitably to the other pins pushed into the turf where others had dropped shots onto the green. They were a bright orange, easy enough to see against the grass backdrop. There were three in total. One was clearly further away. Another was probably further, but would surely be measured. The last one was on the far side of the hole, and so close to Rick’s own distance that it would be a matter of a few inches that was going to decide it.
The on-site judge met him at his ball. He planted a pin in the ground right behind his ball. “Position marked. Take your shot when ready.”
Rick asked, “Did you measure already?”
The judge smiled. “Sorry, Sir. All reveals will be done at the end of the tournament. If it wasn’t so close, you’d be able to tell. But this time you’re going to have to wait.”
Rick glanced over at the black SUV parked by the side of the green. It was positioned to punch home what was at stake. “Great.”
Sasha drifted up beside him. “Silver linings, Rick. Now you can focus on putting this away. If you sink this, you get an eagle. You’ll finish seventh overall, right behind the pros! If you miss it, if I’m getting how the math in this game works, you’ll be tenth. Maybe. I’m not sure how ties are decided. You could be as low as fourteenth. All in all, not bad for an amateur in a tournament with six pros playing.”
Rick sighed. “And if I miss that one?”
Sasha flashed him a grin. “Don’t.”
He chuckled. “I should have seen that one coming.”
“No need. That’s why you have a caddy. You just focus on this putt. I think it’s going a little right to left. What do you think?”
Rick smiled at her. “I think you’re picking this up awfully quick.”
She shrugged. “Might be fun to try. Now, focus.” She flashed him a saucy grin. “Make the eagle, and I’ll make out with you in the woods for a half-hour.” She pecked him on the cheek with a kiss, winked, then gave him some space.
Rick froze for a long while trying to get his heart-rate back to normal. She was probably trying to help, but he wasn’t sure how effective that had been. Motivation? Absolutely. Inspiration? Yes! But… he needed to calm down! Finally, he exhaled deeply and managed to fixate on the small ball and took aim. The fifteen-foot distance looked like nothing at all.
He stroked through the ball, and it was on its way. It rolled confidently at the cup, and dropped with a soft plunk into hole.
The crowd burst out in cheers, and a few of the club members rushed forward to clap him on the back.
Sasha pushed through them all and once again wrapped her arms around him in a slightly less than platonic hug. “You did it!”
Rick laughed enthusiastically, unable to deny the rush of joy. He had! This was one of the best moments of his life, easily!
Slowly, they peeled off each other and began to walk off the green. Sasha tapped the score card, “I checked again! The judge confirmed it. You’ll be in seventh! This is amazing! You’re only one shot off Sandra Kinning!”
“Thanks. Really, I can’t believe I did this well. I’m only two over par, which for me is the best game I’ve ever shot. I mean, ever!” He gave a happy smile. “Know what’s better? With that score, I’m going to be handing a couple thousand dollars to the Hunter street orphanage.”
They were quite far from the clubhouse, so they started their walk. In all the commotion, Rick had almost forgotten a certain motivational tactic Sasha had tossed his way. In truth, he had thought it might only be a joke.
He remembered all too well when Sasha grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him into the forest.
Somewhere around a half-hour later, they emerged from the forest again. Sasha was tugging her shirt back into order, her smile bright and cheerful, her nipples pressed hard against her bra after having been thoroughly groped and kissed. Rick struggled to walk alongside her; his grin was wide, lips still tingling from their exploration of her flesh. Both perhaps wished they had time for a little more, though neither had been quit daring enough to take things to the next level. As such, he groaned and shifted, hoping his erection would finally fade while Sasha dealt with the heat in her core and her nipples that hadn’t found all the satisfaction they demanded. Despite the discomfort, their smiles just wouldn’t go away.
Laughing with the silliness that came from acting like misbehaving teenagers, the pair drifted into range of the clubhouse. They heard the conversations on the veranda where the awards were going to be announced. Rick and Sasha had been holding hands and touching and dozen other things that come in the wake of intimacy. Now, they forced themselves back to full propriety just in time. As they rounded the bend on the last of the dirt pathways, they caught sight of Jack waiting for them.
The camera-man glanced up from his phone, when his eyes widened and a small smirk touched his face. “There you are. Took you long enough. Everyone’s waiting.”
Rick wasn’t sure where the humor was coming from until he realized where his attention was focused.
Rick’s face.
Sasha snickered, then tugged out a handkerchief and dabbed at his face, wiping away a brush of lipstick from his cheek. “Umm, right. Missed that. Sorry.” She gave a guilty giggle.
Rick chuckled, then shrugged Jack’s way. “Umm, sorry to keep you standing around.”
Jack kept smirking at them. “Yeah, alright. Enough Lalaland. We need to cover this part, Sasha. You up for it?”
Sasha glared back at him. “Give me a minute?”
The camera-man shrugged, as if to suggest that if she needed a moment with her new boy-toy, who was he to stop her? Then, he darted away before she could kill him.
Rick was waiting for her when she turned back. “He seems nice.”
She laughed. “Oh, he’s great. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. He’s one of the reasons I survived long enough in this city so I didn’t get fired in the first month I was here. It’s more like having an older brother than a co-worker.” She paused. “I really did have a great time.”
“And I really do owe you for helping me out.”
“Nonsense. I’ve got a great story. And a far more human perspective than I originally thought. My bosses sold this as a human-interest piece, but I thought I was being given a sports story no-one else wanted. After talking to all the golf professionals that the club owners brought in, I knew I had nothing that was going to make the evening news. After talking with you, George and Rachel all afternoon, it really helped see past all the hype Miriam was pushing.”
Rick smiled. “Well, great. I’d be thrilled if it was the charity elements that were the highlights on the news. No-one else might say it, but thanks, Sasha.”
They paused, caught in the strange moment where odd events had pushed them into a sort of intimacy, but they were emerging back into the real world where they were… in reality… still strangers to each other.
Sasha swayed forward, wrapping him up in one more hug. She pulled back and gripped his shoulders. “Whatever happens, you did wonderfully out there. I know we don’t really know each other, but I’m proud of you.” She shook her head. “Didn’t you say you lost your job today, too? I’d be a wreck. I’m super impressed.”
He shrugged, then chuckled. “Maybe I have a future on the PGA tour.” That drew out a laugh from both of them. “But seriously, in my line of work, there are lots of opportunities. I’ll be fine.”
“Maybe you should keep the SUV this time around. You know, just to help you through?”
Rick shook his head. “I promised myself to give it away. And I have the savings for a bit of flexibility.”
She nodded, understanding. “You have a good heart, Mr. Angelo. It’s rare to see.” She realized something. “You know they don’t have Thanksgiving in New Zealand?”
He nodded, guessing that made sense. He was pretty sure they had the holiday in Canada as well, but thought those were the only two countries.
“Well, there is a lot of talk about the Christmas spirit. But I’d say you have a good handle on the Thanksgiving spirit. There are a lot of little kids who are going to have a happy season and probably a great Christmas because of what you’re done.” She fished around inside her coat. Eventually, she came out with an envelope. “Before we get out there and you see Miriam doing her best to cut down your achievement, let me give you this.”
“You don’t have to, Sasha. I like doing this.”
“I know. But I’m going to be working late tonight piecing together my coverage for this. That means I’m going to miss the opening night for a play my friend is taking part in. She gave me two tickets, and they’re going to get wasted. It’s not much, but will you take them? Take a friend and be a part of the audience. Clap on my behalf. She’s really talented. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Maybe you can email me after? Tell me if you liked it?”
The offer went beyond the tickets alone. It was almost like she was asking him to go as her proxy. That stole away any chance he was going to turn her down. “Of course, I’ll be there.”
Her smile shone. “Wonderful.” A pause. Then, she offered him her card. “You can get a hold of me this week, sometime. We can chat it over.” Her smile seemed to be inviting him to consider doing more than offering his opinion. Like she was goading him into considering asking her for something else. Coffee? A date? She was opening the door if he was brave enough to step through it.
The prospect thrilled Rick to the core. This wasn’t just a phone number! He was sure she wanted to hear from him. No promises, but… well, there was something that could grow here if given the chance. “Sounds great.”
She gave him a final smile, then drifted off toward the assembly on the patio.
Rick was left behind, shaking his head in disbelief. This has to be the best day I’ve ever had. And I lost my job in there somewhere. Not to mention the IAGEE6! Those losses were keeping him sane. If those hadn’t happened, he might be wondering if he had stumbled into the twilight zone or something.
Taking one last deep breath, he walked onto the patio. He ignored the stabbing stares from Miriam and the derisive snort from Farris as the crowd cheered him, ‘the nobody’. Right then, Rick didn’t care. He felt like the champion of the world.
Chapter 5:
The Show Must Go On
Rick pried open the taxi’s rear door and hopped out onto the street. Mike circled around from the other side after paying the driver. He had insisted on paying since Rick was providing the tickets and the food for the evening. The sidewalk was already churning with a steady stream of people filling up the theater district for the evening shows.
There were four different theaters within five blocks of each other; it was one of the reasons to live in this city, according to most age groups. College students loved the jobs and drama acting experience. Avant-garde artists had a place to open new productions that didn’t require breaking onto Broadway in New York while still having the feel of a real theater district. Business owners loved to fill the surrounding gas-light district with supporting cafes, book stores, and restaurants. Elderly retirees enjoyed having a cultured place for a night on the town in fancy clothing.
Rick didn’t get down here enough. He enjoyed live plays, and it wasn’t even that far away from where he lived. The fact that his friends didn’t have the time was one reason. If he was being honest with himself, he tended to get into ruts. That explained his stalled social life. It felt good to remind himself there was a reason to get out and see something new.
Mike looked equally happy, which was a victory. He’d had his kids for the day, and had just finished dropping them off with his ex-wife. That was always hard on him. The unexpected lottery of a nice show and Rick promising to spring for dinner before-hand had turned his day around. “So, what are you celebrating, anyway?”
Rick hadn’t only sprung for dinner; they had eaten at the best seafood restaurant in town. He didn’t even care that he’d lost his job. That almost felt like its own victory, considering he had been trying to stop a crime. But the best part was how the golf tournament trophy ceremony had ended. “I won by three inches, Mike. Three inches, can you believe it? Signed the papers and drove the SUV over to the orphanage an hour before we met up for dinner. You should have seen the smiles on their faces!”
Inside, Rick quashed the admittedly vindictive added benefit of how disgusted Miriam had been when she was forced to announce him as the winner. He had also picked up one of the closest-to-the-pin prizes; that came with a little extra charity money and a $100 prize for him personally which he had used to pay for their dinner.
Mike clapped him on the shoulder. “Hell of a thing, man. Leave it to you to lose your job but stumble out of a day covered in sunshine instead of shit.” He looked at the billboard for the Westboro Theater they were heading into for their show. “What’s this play about again?”
Rick pulled out the tickets. “A play called Bells over Paris. Don’t know a thing about it. Oh, I guess I know one thing. The tickets are free.” He chuckled. �
�Can’t beat that.” He very much hoped he would enjoy it. He had promised Sasha to send her his opinion and that one of her friends was working this play tonight. He had the feeling Sasha would see through any effort to cloak a negative review behind politeness. Telling her that her friend’s play sucked even tactfully might kill the magic between them even before he had the chance to officially ask her for a date!
They walked up to the ticket booth, a little surprised to see the couple in front of them turn and walk away with disappointment on their faces. Rick stepped up and presented his pre-paid vouchers. “Good evening. I had these tickets passed my way. A friend of a friend is in the production tonight.”
The ticket vendor gave him a sad though hopeful smile, “Thanks for coming. Please go in and claim your seats. I’m sorry to say we’re having a few technical difficulties, so we’re not sure if the show will start on time.” She sighed. “Opening night isn’t always smooth. We’re not selling any new tickets, and only admitting those with pre-paid ones. Once we know the show isn’t going forward, we’ll refund everyone’s money. We’ll know within the half-hour.”
Rick couldn’t help but empathize. Putting on a show like this had to be an incredible amount of work. To see it all crash down around you at the last second must be heart-breaking. “Sorry to hear it. We’ll go in and hope for the best.”
Heading inside, the pair took a few seconds to identify how the seating system worked, then found the right doors and headed up the stairs and down onto the first balcony. At first, they weren’t sure how good their seats were going to be. But as it turned out, they were right at the front of the first balcony, giving an ideal view of the stage.
Settling in, Mike glanced around. “Well, they might be turning new ticket buyers away, but they have almost a full house. It’d be a shame to see this flop.”
Rick hummed in agreement, looking over the details of the theater. It was fairly modern, without any of the flourishes of the grand old opera houses. Simple but still elegant construction raised it above what you would expect from a typical movie theater, while not quite reaching the opulent grandeur of Broadway production houses. The stage was front-facing. He had seen a few where theaters embraced a 360-degree, all-around style to immerse the audience right in the action. This was a little more ‘traditional’, but that allowed for a little more back-stage magic to happen with less expense.