The Hunter's Burden Read online

  SCENE 4

  The lights come up on Jack Norton’s office.

  Charlie walks into the office, closing the door behind him. He walks over and sits down in the chair beside Jack’s desk. Jack looks sad. He looks at Charlie and smirks exasperatedly. Both of the men know what is happening.

  Charlie looks up at the dusty championship trophy sitting on a shelf near his head and removes it. He dusts off the name plate and smiles.

  CHARLIE

  Do you remember the night we won this?

  Jack smiles and nods.

  JACK

  Ya. What an incredible night.

  CHARLIE

  That was my best moment, sitting in my gear after that game, bleeding and sweating, so tired that I could barely untie my skates. The beer never tasted so good. We were kings, if only for a small moment in time. And boy did we celebrate that night. Man did we get hammered.

  JACK

  Remember Sticksy at that bar we went to in Virginia Beach?

  CHARLIE

  Ya, what was the name of that place?

  JACK

  Gerry McGraw’s.

  CHARLIE

  Ya. That was the place. We paid that swimsuit model to hit on Sticksy and tell him he reminded her of her uncle.

  JACK

  Jesus, is that what you told her to say? You guys really are all going to hell.

  CHARLIE

  Ya, maybe that one was a wee bit offside. Moose got so drunk he passed out on top of the jukebox and Ricky got arrested for streaking the boardwalk with the trophy.

  JACK

  When we bailed him out, they tried to keep the trophy as collateral, the bastards!

  CHARLIE

  They were still pissed off about the goal that got called back in game six. Those were the best days of my life.

  JACK

  Ya, those were some good times.

  CHARLIE

  It was 7 years ago and it feels like yesterday. If only I knew then what I know now, things might have been different. Back then, I thought we would win one of these every year. I guess it’s easier to look ahead in life than look back.

  Charlie dusts the trophy off with his forearm and blows on the nameplate. He then puts the trophy back on the shelf and sits down in the chair beside Jack’s desk.

  JACK

  I can call George Grant over in Shreveport. See if they’d be interested. They’re in the hunt. There might be a chance to win there.

  CHARLIE

  I don’t know anyone who would want a banged up has-been at this point in the season. What are you going to do?

  JACK

  I don’t know. Maybe it’s time to move on. Eventually, this game passes us all by.

  Charlie gets up and walks over to Jack and extends his hand. Jack grabs Charlie’s hand and they smile.

  CHARLIE

  Well Jack. It’s been quite a ride, hasn’t it?

  JACK

  It sure has been, kid.

  Charlie walks over to the door. Just before he turns the handle, he looks back at Jack.

  CHARLIE

  Take care Jack. I’ll see you around, I’m sure.

  JACK

  I’m sure you will.

  Charlie opens the door to Jack’s office and walks back into the dressing room.

  There is a long, silent moment where Jack sits alone in his office, staring up at the dusty trophy.

  The lights fade down on Jack’s office.

  SCENE 5

  The lights rise on the dressing room.

  The dressing room is empty except for Drake Carmody and Charlie Magill. Drake is finishing up mopping the floor and picking up wayward tape balls. Charlie is at his stall. Drake finishes mopping and puts the mob in the corner of the room and goes to his stall to retrieve his jacket.

  CHARLIE

  Hey kid.

  DRAKE

  Ya?

  CHARLIE

  Whatever you do from now on, remember one thing. However good or bad it gets, savour every moment and make every chance count.

  DRAKE

  OK. I’ll definitely do that.

  Drake puts on his jacket and makes a confused face. Charlie turns back to his stall.

  DRAKE (CON’T)

  I’ll see you tomorrow.

  Charlie turns and smiles as Drake exits stage left.

  Charlie pulls a bag out from under his stall and starts packing up his gear. As he’s packing the gear, he starts into a final monologue.

  CHARLIE

  It’s funny, you know. I should have seen this coming. It’s not like I’m a spring chicken anymore. My knees are shot. So is the back and shoulder. I’m not as fast as I once was. Numbers are down. But, until they take the jersey off your back, the dream is still alive. And the day they do, well, it’s like having your heart ripped out of your chest. The worst part is the unknown that lies ahead. It’s not that exciting kind of uncertainty, like when you are a free agent or when you’re waiting to get drafted. It’s like being lost on a dark, deserted highway with no gas station or hotel in sight. When you’ve played hockey your whole life, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. I guess this is the point in life when the switch flips from “I can’t wait” to “What if.” Once this bag is packed and I walk through that door, I’ll be carrying 25 years of memories with me, both good and bad. No matter what you accomplish, it’s always the ghosts of failure that haunt you during the quiet times. The stuff I’m going to miss the most is the camaraderie. The boys, the laughs, the beers. Those are what make this game great. It’s the lifelong bond between brothers. There will always be reunions and charity golf tournaments, but it won’t be the same. There’s nothing quite like going to battle together, night in and night out. Those are the times that you can’t relive. The memories just don’t justify the moments.

  As Charlie puts the last of his gear into the raggedy old bag, he zips it up and tosses it over his shoulder. Just before he reaches the door, he turns and takes a deep breath.

  CHARLIE (CON’T)

  That smell still gives me goose bumps.

  Charlie taps the dented sign that says “Heart and Desire” one more time before he exits through the door stage left.

  After Charlie leaves, the lights fade down on the entire set.

 

  THE END

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  JAMIE MCKINVEN, author of So You Want Your Kid to Play Pro Hockey? and Tales from the Bus Leagues. This is the first play written by the former minor league hockey player who works as a Senior Project Coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

  Follow me on Twitter: @McKinvenJ44

  https://twitter.com/McKinvenJ44

  OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

  “So You Want Your Kid to Play Pro Hockey”

  An uncensored peek behind the scenes of hockey’s unique culture. Find out how politics unfold at the various levels of hockey. Discover the real issues that are plaguing the game, and what needs to be done now to protect the next generation of up-and-coming hockey hopefuls. Discover what happens on the road, as a team bonds together, and what hockey is like in the Southern U.S. and Eastern Europe. Hockey has its own set of rules, defined within a unique culture. Experience the game of hockey from a new perspective. Strap on the gear and get beneath the helmet.

  “Tales from the Bus Leagues”

  A collection of short stories from a former minor leaguer about life running the roads and playing for peanuts, with the small glimmer of hope of someday suiting up in the NHL. From shaking hands with Gary Player on the first tee at the Masters, to off-seasons living in his grandmother’s basement, Jamie McKinven – author of So You Want Your Kid to Play Pro Hockey – talks freely about life as a struggling pro. Learn about how to kill deadly spiders in Louisiana with a 7-iron, the day he was a jerk to Novak Djokovic and why goalies really are the weirdest bunch of dudes on the planet. The not-so glamorous lifestyle of a minor league hockey player is unveiled in this
light-hearted exposé.

  Available in paperback and e-book via www.glassandout.com or through most online bookstores

  AUTHOR’S BLOG

  “When in Doubt, Glass and Out”

  “Hockey and Everything in Between”

  Jamie McKinven maintains a blog site for hockey fans, parents, players, and critics to get information on everything from tips on mental preparation to hilarious stories about what goes on behind the scenes in the hockey world. If you want to read an interesting article about hockey’s unique culture or debate about the newest rule change, chime in and let yourself be heard.

  Learn more at:

  www.glassandout.com