Waiter, Some Hockey Please

Samar is a 40 year old man with black hair and green eyes. He is pretty tall. Although he is thin, he’s strong.

He loves sports. His favorite sport is hockey. He used to play well as a child, but his dad thought he should either play hockey professionally and devote more time to it, or play just for fun and spend less time on it. Samar decided to play hockey professionally.

And his career flourished. He played several matches and won several medals, eventually making it to the national team. Leading his team to a world cup victory was the crowning achievement of his sports career. Unfortunately, his spell of good fortune ended there, for in the very next match he played, he severely crushed his right patella, when somebody pushed him. In spite of undergoing a painful knee replacement surgery requiring months of intensive physiotherapy, the doctor informed him, that he could not play hockey professionally any more.

Ever since, he would wistfully look at his trophies everyday. One day, he thought, I can try to teach kids to play hockey and hope that one becomes as good as I used to be. Hey, that way, at least he would get to play a little, right?

A little girl he taught named Clara was doing exceptionally well. He really liked Clara because he knew that long after he left, she would still be practicing. She would often ask him to stay late and practice with her. He enjoyed her company and they used to talk about national and world cup matches. Clara dreamed of being just as famous as Samar was, when she grew up.

Playing with Clara and teaching her, Samar soon began to want a child of his own. After all, he had a big house, large enough to support a family. He wondered what it would be like to have a kid of his own.

Although he undoubtedly enjoyed teaching kids hockey and playing with Clara, his life felt incomplete without a job. As a famous celebrity in him prime, he had endorsed several renowned brands. His income had ballooned, but his lifestyle remained simple. So he ended up saving a lot. On the advice of a friend who was a stock broker, he had wisely invested most of his money, and it brought him steady returns. So he was financially secure. But he often found himself idle.

----

One day while reading the newspaper, he learned that a new sports-themed restaurant that had popped up nearby. They were looking to hire ex-sports-players as staff. Samar thought This job is perfect for me. It’s a good opportunity. I’ll go down to the restaurant today afternoon and check it out.

That afternoon, after hockey class, Samar went down to the restaurant. It was called Sporty Eats. It was a super fancy high-end restaurant, in spite of the name. Samar went to the clerk at the reservation table. He said, “Excuse me, my name is Samar Dater. I am here for a job interview.”

The clerk said, “I know you. You were the captain of our hockey team the first time we won the world cup. A pleasure to meet you. Please, follow me.”

Samar followed her to an office. There was a plump man, probably in his fifties, with a huge moustache and a slightly smaller beard. His hair was gray and the top of his head was bald.

The old man said, “You are Samar Dater, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” Samar replied.

“Mr. Dater, please sit down. I have some questions for you.” The old man gestured to a seat in front of him.

Samar said, “Yes, please begin.”

“So why did you want to work here?” the old gentleman asked.

Samar said “As you know, I am retired, and I teach for one hour a day, so I decided to get a job to occupy my time. That’s when I noticed your advertisement. I loved the idea of spending the day among sports lovers doing something constructive.”

The old man nodded. “Sounds good to me. But the only job currently available here is that of a waiter. Are you comfortable with that?”

Samar said “Yes. I look forward to some hard work and serving sports fans.”

The gentleman scratched his beard “The hours are 10-1 and 4-7 on Sundays, but 10-7 on every other day, are you comfortable with that?

Samar replied “Perfect. It even gives me time to do my afternoon coaching on Sundays.”

The gentleman continued “Our opening night is tomorrow. If you still want the job be there by 11:30 am.”

Samar left the building. He couldn’t wait to begin his new job.

----

One day, at work when Samar left a couple of women at a table with their food order, he overheard a keen voice say, “I know that waiter. He used to be on TV. I think he was the captain of the world cup winning team. We would have never won the world cup without him. He scored more than half the goals in the final match. I wonder why he retired.”

“I heard his knee got crushed or something.” Another voice replied.

“Oh, so that's why he’s here. I am going to ask for his autograph. His knee seems perfectly fine. He doesn't even hobble.”

“He probably got an artificial replacement. Shh.. he’s coming.”

The woman with the keen voice stood up. “Can I have your autograph?” she asked.

Samar gave it to her before noting down their dessert order.

As he left, he again heard voices emanating from that table “Alicia you did it! Cool, let me see.” The girls giggled.

“He’s coming. Alicia be warned.”

Samar arrived at the table when that same girl stood up “Why did you give up hockey for this job?” she demanded.

“My knee was crushed, so I could no longer play. Is this for clearing?”

“Yes.”

After Samar left with the dish, the women resumed their conversation.

“Alicia you’re wicked. I could never have asked such a question to someone I don’t know.”

“Well when I want know something, I ask.”

“Well then why don’t you ask him out.”

“He is a waiter now, he works here 24-7.”

“Oh look Alicia, you’re wrong. He’s going home, you see.” Aaliyah snickered. “Do it! Do it! Do it!” she chanted.

Alicia said “No, no, no. He’ll be back tomorrow, anyway.”

Samar thought Alicia was very bold, and liked her for that, but didn't care to say a word, because for all he knew she would never come back.

Alicia soon left the restaurant. On her way home, Alicia’s mind was full of exciting thoughts, What was a famous hockey player doing waiting tables at a restaurant? Why didn't he play hockey anymore? What had happened? What was his new goal? These questions bugged Alicia all night long. So the next time she was at the restaurant, she decided to ask him what she had been dying to know.

The next day at work, Samar found Alicia and her friend sitting at the same table they had occupied the day before. His heart fluttered. “What would you like to order?” he asked.

“Did you ever teach hockey?” Alicia asked him.

Samar sighed “There is no such dish on the menu.”

“Very funny,” Alicia laughed. “I mean you like hockey, so why don’t you teach it?”

“Who says I don’t teach hockey? So what would you like to order?”

Alicia sighed and nodded. Once, she placed her order, Samar left.

Aaliyah snapped “Hey, come back you dint answer her question. You asked her another. Come back, Come back…”

Alicia said “It’s no use.”

Aaliyah said “He dint answer your question Alicia. So, go get your answer.”

Alicia sighed but went.

As Samar entered the kitchen, he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Hi I’m Alicia Patronam,” Alicia said, biting her lips.

Samar nodded and smiled.

Alicia hesitated. “I’m a hockey fan, though I don’t play it, and I wanted to know if you will teach me. Please, will you?” She blushed.

Samar said, “Okay, I do classes on Sundays 2 pm at Sunnyside park.”

Alicia thought Well he does teach hockey, so what’s he doing waiting tables? Seriously now I’m even more confused.

Alicia went back to her table and told Aaliyah, “He has leave on Sundays which is when he does his hockey classes, but only god knows why he’s here.”

Aaliyah said “Well hockey classes take at most 2 hours a day. This is a nice way to work and advertise himself.”

“I guess. I’ll go on Sunday.” Alicia shrugged.

Sunday, 1:30 pm

“How do I look?” Alicia asked.

“Stunning,” Aaliyah replied.

Alicia said, “Good.” She climbed in the car, and when she arrived at the park, she heard a voice. It sounded like Samar.

“Don’t hold it like that, you will poke someone’s eye out. Here, hold it like this. Super, now gently hit it.”

Alicia skipped over to the park and noticed the ball in the goal. Samar retrieved it and put it in the center. Then he called Alicia to hit it.

She learned how to how to hold the stick, and then she gently hit it and it went inside the goal. Samar also taught her how to stop the ball from going inside the goal.

Alicia was tired when she reached home at 3:30. It had been a long hour and a tiring one too. She had fallen several times but continued.

Aaliyah said “How was it?

Alicia said “I learned a lot. He is a good teacher, I must say.”

Samar thought Alicia is an attentive learner, a lot like Clara.In a few days she can try a match. I expect her to graduate in a year.

Soon, a year passed by. It was the graduation day. Samar called Alicia to the stand.

Alicia said “Samar is an amazing teacher and that’s why we have all graduated so soon.”

This reminded Samar of his graduation speech “The teacher always chooses the destination of his student. If I become a good hockey player my teacher is a good teacher.”

When Alicia went off stage, Aaliyah said “Now Alicia, to finish that speech go ask Samar out. Look he is even smiling.”

Alicia shook her head, but went off to find Samar. When she came back, she was blushing.

“So what did he say”

“Yes, he said yes,” Alicia gushed.

“Yay!”

Aaliyah and Alicia, left the place.

At 5:30 pm, Alicia came out of the changing room, “How do I look?”

She was wearing a black strappy dress, and heels.

“Perfect.” Aaliyah gave her a thumbs up.

When Alicia arrived at the restaurant she saw Samar, reading.

He was wearing a white shirt, black pants and a black blazer. When he saw her, he put down his book, and they talked a lot.

Their parting words were, ‘See you tomorrow same time.’ and ‘Okay.’

Finally, on their third date, they kissed goodbye on the lips. And slowly they got into a serious relationship.

Two months after they were married, Alicia got pregnant.

Samar was thrilled when he found out that he was going to be a father. “I don’t care if it’s a girl or boy. I’m going to teach my baby to play hockey,” he declared.

“You’d better.” Alicia winked. “That’s how we became a couple after all.”

And now their baby is 8 years old. Her name is Mysha. Alicia and Samar are proud of little, Mysha. She always wins first prize in the running race. Mysha excels at sports.

Once again Samar looks at the medals and trophies displayed on the wall cabinet, but he’s not wistful anymore. In fact, he can’t stop smiling when he counts the ones that belong to Mysha. They’ll soon exceed my own accolades, he thinks. Perhaps, one day, she too will lead the national team to a world cup victory, he day dreams.