Redemption

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?

I'm behind the wheel of a stolen car. The night I escaped my father, I barely made it out the door. After spending hours scrubbing the blood away from the steering wheel, I wondered why he never came looking for it. It's not like I ever did much to keep it hidden. I questioned if he had never called the cops because he couldn't admit that he nearly killed his daughter, and she stole his car to escape the abuse.

Life is so much different than before. I'm staring at my reflection in the mirror, unsure of what to expect out of the next thirty minutes of my life. I'm meeting Brian in a conference room at his hotel. He wants to talk about my future with the company, and I'm not sure why he's so willing to take a chance on me when I've got no experience.

There are cars parked everywhere. License plates from different counties and states. They all came here to watch the football games. They're wearing their gear as they roll suitcases toward minivans and hatchbacks. Smiles exist on their faces, and I realize it's not just sports. It's more than that.

Traveling to football games is more than spending money. It's more than cheering in the stands and wearing your favorite player's jersey. It's time spent with loved ones who have common interests. It's an escape from life. It's a chance to scream amongst thousands of fans and let go of the exhaustion and anger you've felt up until the moment your team scores a touchdown.

It's more than sports. It's the reason why I look forward to tomorrow. In the past, I could never predict the future. Now I'm living it, and I'm realizing that this isn't just an opportunity to report about teams winning or losing. It's a chance to give myself everything I swore I wasn't worthy of.

So, I stepped through the revolving glass doors framed in gold. This is what luxury looks like. Grand staircases and marble floors. There's a gold logo behind the front desk, illuminated by warm lighting. All of it says this is a lifestyle I'm capable of creating for myself, and all of that depends on the man sitting at the desk in front of me.

I watch him sift through his paperwork, and before I push through the glass door, I remind myself – I'm the only person standing in my way. When my life comes to an end, I'm not willing to admit that I'm the reason I never got everything I wanted. When someone asks, I want to say I went for it all, and I never let doubt or indecision stop me.

As I stepped into the room, Brian looked up from his papers. "Sawyer! So glad you could make it. How are you today?"

There's something sincere about his question and the way he's smiling at me. It's as if he's truly excited to meet with me.

"I'm great. Thank you, Brian. I appreciate you for making this happen."

He dropped back down to his leather seat, motioning for me to join him across the table. "Look. I'm jumping right in. Coach Ferentz talks so highly of you that I'm not willing to beat around the bush. Truth is, I'm not interested in offering you an internship. I want more for you. Tell me what you're limits are."

"I don't have limits. I have plans. So, what are your plans?"

The smile on his face didn't leave. "This job is demanding. It requires a lot of travelling. You'll be jumping from location to another. So, this is my game plan. I've created a map, hoping you'd be willing to follow it."

He slid a folder toward me. As I flipped it open, the words New York City looked back at me. My lips parted in question, but before I could say a word, Brian spoke up.

"We don't have any local studios. Which is why I'm meeting you in a conference room at a hotel. We're based out of places like Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Washington and New York."

"You want me to relocate?"

He rested his fingertips on the paper in front of me. "I want you to do what you think is right for you."