Sunday Oct 27, 1992
The gang is enroute to tee hole six. With several bags from which to choose Nick is getting into the groove with the recommended borrowed clubs, some coaching, and simply keeping it in play, don’t worry about distance. They only count his decent shots and pretty much just has to put within a yard of the hole (including overruns) to count as a sink.
Fred showed up so they have the full five, making good time but surprisingly sparse course for the gentle gusts and mixed sun. However, experience has taught Vance that during the Bears game it’s usually like this. Ned compromised by keeping an old transistor radio handy, probably Irene’s suggestion.
Sometime during the second hole, a big par five the younger three recalled belting out Christmas carols as they roamed around town during the summer. Sure enough, if no other party is in sight, someone starts in with this or that as the veterans just shake their heads.
But this time Fred pulls Nick back with something on his mind,
“So that deal with Chuck’s shop, did you negotiate that on your own?”
“Yeah the manager asked me if I knew anyone who could give a quote and we decided to give it a try, here we are.”
“And you drew up a contract with the materials, labor…”
“Yeap, found some examples in the campus library and ran it past Hank Deacon.”
“Ahh, there it is, yeah I worked with him and Lew over the years, very good. Well, more and more I get questions about that kind of work Nicky, I take it they were Big Blue?”
“Yeah sounds like Tuttle didn’t want to renew it.”
“There ya go, so…did you do hourly or lump sum?”
“Lump sum with some support hours, then hourly after that.”
“Ned this kid did his homework, alright, you can probably guess what I’m driving at, but next time I get asked, are you in?”
Nick glances over at Ned, who’s giving him the same look.
“Well, why not?”
Vance and Tim are laughing their asses off about something and have to be nudged aside.
“It’s a win-win, son, I even have a bit of work space, hell you can be my guest for Chuck’s gig even.”
Nick pauses and catches his breath, “Well hopefully this still sounds like a good idea when my head’s not spinning.”
This gets a laugh and pat on the back, “Oh it will Nicky. OH are you working part time still?”
“Yeah for Goody, um Al -”
“Oh we know Goody don’t we Ned?”
Ned, “An oldie but a Goody.”
“There ya go, so you get to juggle things around.”
“Yeah pretty much. For now it’s good to stage things at home but would be nice to have space.”
“Alright, we’ll see what we can do. So you’re seeing a gal, did I see you with a blond?”
“Yeah, well, now it’s -”
Ned pipes up, “She handed him off to a different blond, both smart and gorgeous - did we ever have that problem Fred?”
“Not on your life, dogs like us are lucky to get one to go out. So the first blond, did you drive her to the convent?”
And so it goes. They get to slow down a bit since no one is even two holes back, as Fred vows to spring for a golf cart if they ever do this again, doesn’t stretch the ol’ pins enough anymore.
So it proceeds in this fashion with most balls in play and a redone drive or two if it just dribbles, but this is definitely better than Mark Twain described, he must have not played with the right screwballs.
At one point Vance turns to Nick,
“Oh not sure if you heard but I went bowling with April and her folks yesterday, it was nice.”
“Did she beat you at least?”
“Actually by a whole lot, I never got the hang of that game.”
“Well it builds character, kinda like playing pool in a someone’s basement, the one who owns the table is usually better than the guest.”
“Something like that, at least I’m doing better today.”
“What’s the scores anyway?”
“I don’t think anyone’s keeping a card so we all have to buy drinks.”
“Deal.”
Back at the clubhouse the consensus is Nick won but Fred buys a round of drafts, not surprising.
Tim is on a three-day pass so they’ll be over for dinner again tonight and Nick vows to have a date this time and calls her from the clubhouse - and he’s in luck since they’re just scrounging supper like most Sunday nights.
Back at the house Nick finds Deej already gabbing with the gals and pulls her aside for a proper greeting but she’s still wary so they just squeeze. Supper goes pretty much without fanfare save for the part where Nick, during a quiet pause,
“BOMP...BOMP…BOMP”
Then Tim joins, “ANOTHER ONE BITES MY NUTS.”
Right on the next beat, Irene casually asks, “Dena does your family have a big Christmas every year?” She was ready.
But as a consolation prize Nick can see Deej turn ever so slightly red as she kicks the stars out of his right calf.
After things are cleaned up our hero lures her to the stairs at least so he can sit behind her some.
She grabs his hands resting on her shoulders.
“So you have orientation tomorrow?”
“Yeah I get to start actually, shadowing someone, but not till afternoon.”
“Yeah I have stuff in the morning or we could join forces, might stop by tho.”
She squeezes his hands, “If you can.”
“Then back at the other salt mine up there gonna chip away at those stupid network drivers.”
“I might stop by on the way home.”
“Mmmm…for how long?”
She pauses. “You’re good at that.”
“What?”
“What, indeed, anyway, vee shall see, but if I get to stay then I’ll help your mom of course. Tonight was nice, thanks for asking me.”
About then Tim steps over, “Danni do I hear you’re an advanced belt?”
She sets her head. “Who wants to know?”
Tim gets a deer in the headlight look.
Nick makes the whistle from the Good, Bad, and the Ugly as he feels Deej squeeze his hands then loosens her grip, then she jumps to her feet in a stance.
Tim’s eyes get bigger then he pulls a finger gun and makes the PCHEWWWW noise, Deej falls back and the room loses its mind.
The night is still young but Deej leaves when the other two head out. At the car she hints that she might just feel not so contagious tomorrow, as the story goes.