Strangexbutxtrue- LOL, we all envision kissing Eddie Cahill. (Or maube it's just you and me! LOL) I would be happy to read/review your fic. But puppy dog eyes only work on me from some of the Miracle guys. Wink
Lia06- Thought that was a typo but had to tease ya about it! LOL They just finally kissed and now you want them to get married! LOL
Mae- I couldn't tell from your review, were you excited! LOL JK
Darkdestiney2000- I like that part too. I want to portray Georgia as very close to Doc and Velta.
Anmerie- Yes, I wanted to show that! I loved your review. (When you wrote 'finally', I said 'The Rock has come back…' Sorry, I had to! LOL)
Meadow567- Observant? Glad you liked it, I enjoyed writing it.
BellaLou- Spades? Glad you enjoyed it. Here is more!
Klinoa- Well I am thrilled (jumping up and down) that I have made you like Jimmy. Loved your review. Yeah, that Jimmy was clever wasn't he! How many points? Hehe
Miraclegirl- Glad you're enjoying the story. Herbies are named after Herb. Look forward to more reviews from you.
Emador- Jimmy is always adorable. Loved your review. I was glad you enjoyed some of the lines! (They were cute, in my opinion!)LOL
Shell- Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy this as well.
Mrs. Rizzo- (Breathe) Glad you laughed. I've made another love Jim! (YAY) Think Mrs. Eruzione would be sweet about it and not mind. Personally, I wanna be Mrs. Demsey! Wink.
Late-September, 1979 (Saturday) Minneapolis
(8:00AM)
I was asleep in my room but felt something tickling my forehead. I brushed it away and turned my head. I had just gotten comfortable again when I felt lips against mine. This made me open my eyes, but all I could see was thick dark hair. But the smell let me know it was Jimmy. Nothing smelled quite as good as Jimmy. (Except after the Norway herbies incident!) I kissed Jim back and lifted my arms around his neck.
"Waking me with a kiss." I said when Jim pulled back. He was knelling next to my bed. "Why Prince Charming, did you know that you look like USA goalie, Jim Craig?"
"I've heard that." Jim said and brushed the hair off my forehead. (The tickling I had felt earlier.)
"Oh, from who?"
"This cute little nurse I know." Jim said and smiled. His smile made me melt.
"How did you get in here?" I asked.
"You're mom let me in. Now she is cooking us breakfast." Jim answered and smiled again. I was glad I was lying down because my knees were getting weak.
"And why are you here? Not that I mind, but it's your day off and you're up early." I said.
"I am taking you out today." Jim said.
"Where we going?" I asked.
"You'll see when we get there. Just wear something comfortable and bring sunscreen." Jim said.
"You're so cute." I said and kissed him again. "I'll get dressed."
I climbed out of bed and walked over to my closet and started rummaging for what I wanted to wear. I noticed Jim sitting on my bed.
"Um, Jim. I'm going to be changing clothes in a few minutes." I said.
"I know, please continue." Jim said starting to smirk.
"Do I have to call Mac?" I said with a smile.
"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." Jim said standing up. He kissed my cheek before walking out of my room.
I tried to decide what to wear. I wanted to look great for Jim. He looked yummy in his jeans and button-down shirt. I finally decided on a pair of white shorts and a pink tank top. It had been hot for September in Minnesota, but I grabbed a jacket just in case. I brushed my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail.
I skipped down the stairs to find Jim and my dad watching the news together. 'Oh no, they're bonding!' I thought with laugh.
"Jimmy, where are we going?" I asked as he drove along.
"We're almost there." Jim said. "Can you sit still another few minutes?"
"No, where are we going?" I said and giggled.
"You're so cute sometimes." Jim said.
We drove a few more minutes and then I saw Jimmy take the exit that went to the zoo. I looked over at him and wondered if he knew where he was going.
"Uh, Jim. This exit goes to the Minnesota Zoo." I said.
"Yeah, I know. I hope there are no monkeys trying to hump a football." Jim said with a wink. I laughed remembering Herb's quote.
"You're taking me to the zoo?" I asked. Jim nodded. "Oh my god, you are so great." I said and reached over and hugged him. "How did you know I liked the zoo?"
"Most girls do. And I like the zoo. And I thought that we would really enjoy walking around and looking at the animals." Jim said and turned to kiss me quickly.
I couldn't believe how wonderful he was. Jim pulled the car into the parking lot. I could see the cute signs with animals pointing out directions around the property. We got out of the car and Jim walked around to my side and took my hand. I smiled up at him as we walked towards the entrance.
"Have you ever been to this zoo before?" Jim asked.
"Not in a long time. I think the last time I was here was senior year of high school." I told him grabbing a park map on the way in.
"Where to first?" Jim asked.
I looked at the map. "If we go left it's the Minnesota Trail area of the zoo. That's animals found in the US." I told him.
"Lead the way, we have all day." Jim said.
We walked to the left and entered the Minnesota Trail. The first exhibit was set up like a forest you looked at through glass.
"I came all the way to Minnesota to look at a skunk?" Jim said sarcastically. We looked at the little skunks jumping around inside the glass.
"Look there is a porcupine in there too." I told him. "I think the river animals are up here farther."
Jim and I walked farther up the trail and stopped where there was a stream set up for the water animals to play in. There was an otter on the bank. I smiled and leaned against Jim. I looked farther down the stream and saw that the beavers had made a dam.
"Jim, look a beaver dam. They built one even in captivity." I said.
"Where is OC?" Jim said with a laugh.
"What does OC have to do with anything?" I asked.
Jim looked around to see who was around us. He pulled me to the side and pulled me close to him and leaned down and spoke in a low voice, so no one else could hear.
"Last year we were at a holiday tournament in New Hampshire. You know how we all leave our doors open at hotels and stuff so we can hang out and yell down the halls." Jim said and I nodded. "Anyways, Rizzo and OC were rooming a few doors down from me and Silky. OC and Rizzo get into a shot drinking competition."
"Straight-laced Rizzo doing shots?" I asked.
Jim nodded and continued. "Anyway, OC and Rizzo are both drunk as hell from doing shots. Next thing we know, we hear OC yelling 'Look at those beavers! So many beavers! Beavers! Beavers! Beavers!' Well Silky was convinced that OC had ordered some of that pay-porn that hotels have, and he goes running down the hall to OC's room. He gets in there and it's a nature special on PBS." Jim said and I collapsed laughing.
"You mean, Silky went running to look at a nature special on public television?" I asked but kept laughing.
"Yeah, you have no idea how disappointed he was to see that it was about the great outdoors and had nothing to do with porn." Jim said.
"That is the funniest thing that I have ever heard." I said.
I kept giggling but Jim pulled on my hand and we started walking along the trail again. I never realized that something as simple as walking through the zoo with Jim would be the most amazing thing I had ever felt.
"Next is the Northern Trail." Jim said.
"What exactly is that?" I asked.
Jim looked down at the map. "Arctic animals. Is this a cold exhibit?" Jim asked.
"In some areas, why?" I asked.
"Oh no reason." Jim said. I gave him a look but shrugged. "Hey Georgy look up on those rocks."
I looked and saw a set of Musk Ox lounging on the rocks. They were nice to look at far away. They looked like if you got too close that they would smell bad.
"They have Siberian Tigers in this section that are beautiful." I told him.
We walked along pass the Caribou display. We came upon the Siberian Tigers. I let go of Jim's hands and walked over to the railing. The male tiger was asleep all stretched out and looking graceful. The female seemed to be pacing.
Jim put his arm around my waist. "They are pretty." Jim said.
"You know, the male was rescued from a circus that improperly cared for him. It was a big story all over the news here about five years ago when they brought him in." I said.
"I had you pegged as the kind of girl that liked animals. I was right." Jim said.
I smiled. I couldn't stop smiling. I was glad Mac wasn't there because if he was he would have been making fun of me for being as Mac says "Googily Eyed".
Next we walked to the Tropic Trails. I always liked to walk through that and pretend I was in the rainforest.
"Those tortoises are big enough to ride on." Jim said.
"With my luck it would bite me." I said looking at the large tortoises slowly crawling around their penned in area.
"There is a coral reef tank?" Jim asked looking at the map.
"Yeah, it's farther down the trail. It's really pretty." I said, pulling Jim's hand in that direction.
We walked to the big tank full of beautifully colored coral reefs. I knew that some of them were poisonous to the touch.
"Want to go snorkeling?" Jim asked. "No wait, I forgot you're afraid of deep water."
"But it is pretty isn't it?" I said.
"Prettier than that hissing cockroach we were looking at back there." Jim said. "Who wants to look at a cockroach?"
I laughed and shrugged. Jim put his arm around me as we walked over to an enclosed exhibit. It was a Komodo Dragon.
"Wow, that looks like a left over dinosaur!" I said.
"I wonder if he's done growing." Jim said. "Better yet, I wonder how big he was when they put him in there."
"I dunno, but I bet he is temperamental." I told Jim. In the distance we heard something shrieking really loud.
"What's that?" Jim asked.
"The monkey cages are up ahead." I said. "They're trying to hump a football."
Jim laughed. "Herb probably wouldn't appreciate us stealing his line."
"Herb has lots of stupid sayings." I told Jim. "Like, 'You boys are playing worse and worse every day and right now you're playing like its next month!' I don't know where he comes up with some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth."
We walked to the monkey exhibit. There were no footballs to be seen, but one monkey insisted on shrieking.
"Is that her mating call?" I asked Jim.
"I dunno. It doesn't turn me on though." Jim said and I rolled my eyes.
"I hope not because I don't think I could sound like that if I sat on hot coals!" I said.
"Oh you don't have to do anything." Jim said and pulled me close to him.
"Are you always such a horndog?" I asked him.
"Have you looked in the mirror? Have you seen you?" Jim asked and I felt myself blushing.
"Thanks, I think." I said.
Jim leaned down and kissed me. "Simply the truth. You know what the first thing OC ever said about you was?"
"I am afraid to know." I said as we continued down the trail.
"He thought you were Mac's girlfriend, and he said 'Damn if that McClanahan doesn't have a fine piece of ass over there.'" Jim said and I felt my face actually start to burn. "Of course he made the mistake of saying it in front of Rizzo who then gave OC some big speech about respecting women."
"I never minded locker room talk, until I became the topic." I said.
"Which makes me happy that I am not the extremely jealous kind or I would have strangled a few of the guys before we hooked up." Jim said.
"Which ones?" I asked.
"Never mind which ones!" Jim said with a wink. "What's next in this mock Amazon zone?"
"Sun bears. They are the cutest little cuddly looking things." I said pulling Jim along.
After lunch, Jim and I decided to see the rest of the zoo. I just couldn't believe that I was on a date with Jimmy Craig.
"Where are we off to next? A trail of Africa? The desert?" Jim asked taking my hand as we got up from the bench we ate lunch on.
"How about Discovery Bay? It's animals of the sea." I said.
"I knew we hadn't been in the ocean yet!" Jim said with a smile.
As we approached the bay, I saw a sign that read 'Shark's Reef'. I looked ahead and saw the building. This was a new exhibit built since the last time I had been to the zoo.
"I can't go in." I said stopping in my tracks.
"Why not?" Jim asked.
"You'd laugh at me." I told him.
"Honey, I won't laugh, but why can't you go see the sharks?" he asked.
I sighed, "Have you ever seen JAWS?" I asked him.
"Who hasn't?" Jim said. "…wait you're afraid to go into the shark exhibit because of JAWS?"
"I know it sounds silly. But I am terrified of sharks since seeing that movie. And what if we go in here and the tank breaks. I can't swim and while I am drowning a shark will eat me!" I said.
Jim pulled me into a hug. "Georgy, there are no great white sharks in there- JAWS was a great white. Great Whites are very hard to get to survive in captivity. And do you know how thick the glass in those tanks is? It's not going to break. You won't drown and nothing is going to eat you, except……well oh nevermind the point is you'll be safe."
I looked into his eyes and was lost. I knew that no matter how scared I was, I would go in with him. I nodded my head and Jim gave me a quick kiss.
When we reached the door, I stopped again. Jim squeezed my hand and looked at me trying to reassure me. We walked into the building and walked towards the tanks.
"See Georgy, they're Tiger Sharks, no great whites." Jim said. But I moved closer to him anyway. "You okay?"
"Don't let go of my hand. If one of those tanks breaks, you're going to have to get me out of this alive. I'm an only child- no pressure or anything!" I said with a smile.
"You're the only person I know that makes a trip to the zoo sound like a horror movie." Jim said.
I elbowed him gently in the ribs and he chuckled. Once I actually looked at the exhibits, I calmed down a bit.
"Can we go see the dolphins now?" I asked.
"I dunno, have they made any horror movies about dolphins?" Jim said with a wink. "You know Demonic Flipper or something?"
I laughed and kissed his cheek.
We walked over to the Dolphin Stadium. I loved dolphins. I could sit and watch them jump out of the water for hours.
"Can we sit and watch them for awhile?" I asked Jim.
"Sure, I don't mind." Jim said as we sat on a bench. "But aren't you afraid of that the tanks may break and you'll drown?"
"No, if the tanks break, dolphins are known to carry drowning humans to the surface." I said.
Jim smiled. "You're so cute sometimes, how is it you were single when I met you?"
"I dunno. I never met anyone special before. I mean I dated a few people, but I think my longest relationship was a month." I said. "But when I needed a date for a formal occasion or something, I always had lots of guy friends willing to take me. Mac took me to so many events he didn't even ask what flowers I wanted after awhile. He just showed up with tulips. I went to a few things with Buzzy. I went to winter and spring formals with Janny last year. Rammer took me to a wedding in his family. I even went to a Bar Mitzvah with Harrer."
"He's Jewish?" Jim asked wrapping an arm around me.
"No, his cousin is married to a Jewish girl or something. Anyway, we went. It was fun; he looks funny in a yamica. Tim is an okay guy but he doesn't have much personality." I said. "At one point Buzzy joked around and started calling me 'rent-a-date'."
"You all seem really close." Jim said.
"We are. And trust me if they didn't like you dating me. They would have made it VERY obvious." I said looking at the dolphins in the water.
I leaned my head on Jim's shoulder as we sat comfortably watching the dolphins. It was a very good feeling.
"Jim, today has been really fun. I can't thank you enough. This is could be the best date I have ever had." I said and kissed his cheek.
"I've had a good time too." Jim said and leaned down to kiss me softly.
That evening Jimmy drove me home. It was getting dark as we had spent most of the day at the zoo. I had had a wonderful time. Jim walked me up to the door of my house.
"Thank you so much for today. It was a lot of fun." I told him and kissed his cheek.
"I loved every minute. I am glad we had today off to spend some time together." Jim said and pulled me into his arms.
"Me too. So I guess I'll see you when we go to Thief River Falls?" I said.
"Speaking of away games. I know that we won't be staying overnight at Thief River Falls, but when we do go away to stay overnight, do you want to share a room?" Jim asked.
"Jim, I get my own room and so do you." I said.
"I know, I just meant that we could spend more time together if I stayed with you or you stayed with me." He said.
I looked at him not sure of what to say. A lot of emotions ran through me at once. "Jim, I wouldn't mind hanging out in our rooms but…"
"Georgy, I know I joke a lot but I never want to push you into anything you're not ready for. I am happy just being with you." Jim said.
"Thank you. I like being with you too." I told Jim. "And I think I would love to spend a lot of time with you while on away games. And if I just happen to fall asleep in your room watching 'The Twilight Zone' or 'Hee Haw' then I'll just have to stay in your room."
Jim smiled and me and hugged me tightly. "Well goodnight Georgy." He said and leaned down and kissed me.
"Goodnight, Jimmy." I said and kissed him again.
When I walked into the house, I walked up to my room and lay down on my bed. I stared at the ceiling a thousand thoughts running through my head. Jimmy was the greatest guy to come into my life in a long time and I could quickly feel myself getting attached to him. I didn't know what to expect in the next few months with Jim but was looking forward to them with great anticipation.
