December 15, 2009.
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. My new home. It was all turning out to be like a dream. I had just graduated college, with my bachelor's degree in athletic therapy. I was moving 5 hours away from my home town Cobourg to the city of Pittsburgh, PA. I love Canada, but I needed to get away from living my old life and everything I went through and just needed a fresh start. I moved into my condo about a week ago, it couldn't have been a better place to live either. It had the view of the three rivers, the Mellon Arena and where the new Consol Energy Center will be and pretty much all of downtown Pittsburgh. It was simply beautiful and right now I couldn't ask for anything better.
I was a die hard hockey fan for the Pittsburgh Penguins (which was another plus of the city) but because my parents strived to push me so hard for my life and career I barely got to watch the regular season games, but I ALWAYS made time for playoff season. I new all about the team, my Dad had me watching hockey since I could remember, too bad my Mom thought it was too dangerous for me to play. Sidney Crosby was my favourite player, which I often got criticized about but that didn't change anything. He was the face of the NHL, he had got his well deserved Stanley Cup and this year he was working towards a gold medal and another cup. Another plus was I had just been hired to work with the Penguins as their new athletic therapist, which was mainly why I was moving to Pittsburgh, but I probably would have anyways.
It was two days until I started my training with the team. They had an off-day today so I decided to drive down to the Arena and check it out. I drove down to the arena, parked my car where the players and staff did, grabbed my stuff and walked inside. It was neat to see the "behind the scenes" of a hockey arena, it was more classy then I had thought it to be. My office was across from the locker room which could turned out to have one advantage... since I had always loved the smell of hockey, I know, weird.. but hey I couldn't help myself!
By the time I was finished organizing my office 2 hours had flown by. I took a step back to look around and make sure everything was in place... for the 3rd time and it was. So I went out into the hallway and made my way to the benches. I stepped up on the platform and took a seat on the home teams bench. I tried to make out a game in my head from the players view, which didn't really work out to well, but I would see it soon because I would be right behind them watching every move of every shift. It was like getting season tickets for free. Behind me I could hear a door open then close. I jumped off the bench and went back down the hallway to come face to face with Sidney Crosby. My hockey idol. He was standing right in front of me, well he ran into me, but same thing right?
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" he said, dropping the bag of pucks.
"No no, my bad! It's OK." I replied not taking my eyes off him.
"I'm Stephanie.."
He looked up and his deep green eyes met mine.
"I'm Sidney." he whispered.
"Nice to meet you, but why are you whispering?" I laughed.
"Oh sorry, I just... how did you get in here?" he slurred.
"I'm the new athletic therapist for the team."
"So we'll be seeing lots of each other?"
"Yes we will." I smiled, I wasn't sure if he meant that in a good or bad way..
"Great!" he smiled.
Obviously he meant it in a good way.
"Let me help you pick those up."
"It's ok, really I can get them."
We both reached down to pick up one puck at a time to put it back in the bag, ironically we both reached for the same one. His hand brushed off mine.
"Sorry." we both said and pulled away.
"Do you want to join me?"
"Join you for what?" I asked.
"Well I was going to just play around on the ice, want to join me for a skate?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I couldn't be more sure!"
"Sounds great, I have my skates in my car. Let me go get them.."
"I'll come with you!"
"But you have your skates on?"
"I can take them off you know" he laughed. "You really ask a lot of questions don't you?"
"Sorry, and if you want you can come with me I guess" I joked.
Sid took of his skates. Something was wrong with me, I didn't know how to react to half the things he said. I never, ever asked questions. It was different. But the feeling was good, it felt like everything was naturally between us, like we had know each other for years.
We walked out to my car, a grey Range Rover. Turned out Sid had the same one.
"That's my car" he called out, laughing.
Seeing as how he had parked two spots away from me, I obviously got the cars mixed up. Thank god he stopped me. I fixed myself to walk over to my car, when he called out again..
"Wait, that's my car too!"
"Very funny Sid!" I laughed.
Turns out he was right. I tried to unlock it multiple times and it wouldn't open. He decided to be mister funny I guess and play some tricks on me. I loved it, he was a character and my guess was not many people got to see this side of him with all the cameras around. I felt lucky.
We walked back inside, tied up our skates and went onto the ice. Sid gave me one of Jordan Staal's unused sticks to use while we played one-on-one and just shot at the empty net. As we were about to get off, he challenged me.
"Let's have a raced, from this end and back."
"Bring it on."
Sid took the lead which was good. I took my time and passed half way to the end of the rink, and took the win.
"Never thought I would see that one coming." he said, out of breath.
"My parents had me in power skating when I was younger." I laughed.
"How are you not out of breath after that."
"Tough girl" I smiled. What he didn't know was that I was probably more out of breath then he could even imagine.
We unlaced our skates on the home team's bench. It smelled like hockey, just the way I liked it. Sid gave me a funny look...
"Sorry about the smell, looks like your going to have to get used to it eh?!"
"Oh it's not big deal, I actually don't mind it. I've grown to like it"
"Your the first girl I've heard say that. I like it."
I jumped off the bench, ready to leave when Sid yelled my name.
"Steph.. umm, I was wondering if you want to go somewhere, for lunch maybe?"
"Sure, I'd like that"
"Sounds great, I'll take a quick shower and then we can head out!" He turned quick, then looked back and smiled. While Sid was in the showers, I walked back out to the arena's seating arena, picked a spot at center ice and just sat there.
"It's hard to imagine this place is like a circus by 7, eh." Sid was standing at bottom of the bench with a towel wrapped around him.
"Uhh" I squealed, then coughed.
Sid smiled, he was doing this on purpose.
"Yeah, it's weird seeing it so calm and empty"
"Why don't you come check out the locker room, while I change?"
I followed Sid into the locker room. It looked like a home away from home for the team. In one room there was vending machines, a frig filled with gatorade, leather coaches and a flat screen tv. There were hallways leading to the staff rooms and the showers. Sid walked around the corner and tapped me on the shoulder.
"Ready to go?" he asked. He was wearing a grey sweater with blue jeans and black shoes.
"Let's go!"
We took his car and drove downtown, this time he didn't play any car tricks on me.
"Where do you want to go?" he looked at me as he asked this, all he did was sparkle.
"I just moved here not long ago, so I don't really know the downtown area yet."
"Well in that case, after lunch I'll show you around?"
"Sure, that sounds great!"
Sidney took me the this little bistro downtown. It was really nice, we carried on a long conversation, mostly about hockey (not a surprise) and just got to know each other a little bit more. After he showed me around town, which was a blast. I picked up some little things for my condo. Before I knew it, it was 5:00pm, Sid dropped me back off at the arena to get my car.
"I had fun today," I smiled.
"Me to, do you think we could do it again?" He asked.
"I'd love that,"
"I guess this is part where I take you number," He blushed. I gave him my number and we each said goodbye. I jumped in my car and headed home. This was a good way to start off my new life.
