offsetting minors | s. crosby

Miracle

As soon as Sidney found out that I'd never seen the movie Miracle, we were on our way to his house where he promised pizza and a relaxing evening in compensation for the sharp aches still coursing through the lower half of my body as a result of more than one fall onto the ice. Because we'd come in his car and I had no alternate way of getting home, I had no choice but to go along with his enthusiastic plans. 

"Now, Canada doesn't win the gold in the movie but the rest of the movie is great if you can look past that part." 

"Sidney," I deadpan. "I'm from Texas. I think I'll get over Team Canada's Olympic loss from 40 years ago."

"You'd be surprised. My dad banned this movie from our house when I was a kid. Couldn't handle so much American patriotism."

"I didn't realize Canadian men had such fragile egos. The two gold medals you won for Canada didn't make up for this devastating loss, Mr. Golden Goal?"

"No, but I think my dad has actually seen the movie now. It's basically a rite of passage for any kid hockey player."

"A damn shame I've gone this long without seeing it, then." 

"I'll say," Sid laughs as he puts in the DVD, which intrigues me because I didn't think people actually owned physical copies of movies anymore. If I couldn't stream a movie online, I usually just wouldn't bother watching it. "I'm going to order the pizza. What do you like on yours?"

"Pineapple," I tell him confidently as I get comfortable on his gigantic couch.

The look of disgust that passes over his face is comical. "That's it. Get out of my house. I thought I could be friends with you, but that's out the window now."

"Hey, I have bruises all over my ass right now because of you." I wince as a mischievous grin crosses his face and I curse myself for setting myself up for whatever sexual joke he is surely thinking. "The least you could do is order a pineapple pizza."

He grumbles about it, still looking pretty put off by the idea, but tells the person on the other end of the phone call to put pineapple on half of the pizza. 

"You know I wouldn't retract my strongest beliefs for just anyone. Consider yourself lucky, Greyson." I roll my eyes as he presses play on the movie and settles into the couch next to me. 

"I really feel like you're trying to brainwash me with all this hockey, Crosby. When's the last time you came home and did something completely unrelated to your job?"

"I watch Game of Thrones pretty regularly. And I fish, too, in the summer. My life isn't just hockey. But you, on the other hand- no friend of mine can get away with not knowing a wrist shot from a snapshot. I'm trying to subliminally train you."

"I don't think it's going too well considering I don't know what either of those things are."

"We'll work up to it. But maybe for now we can work on you actually being able to stand upright on skates."

I glare at his thinly veiled dig at my less than impressive show today on the ice. "Listen, not all of us can be the second coming of Hockey Jesus or whatever it is they call you. I think today proved that I am definitely made to do most of my moving on solid, not frozen, ground."

He looks amused. "That's a new one, can't say I've heard Hockey Jesus before. Maybe it's time they retire Sid the Kid, eh? You should give them the tip."

"You're nearly 30 years old, Crosby. The Kid feels a little outdated, don't you think? I'd be doing you a favor."

"Ouch. Yeah, I could do without the reminder that I'm another year past my prime and closer to retirement. I'm an old man now, I get it."