Chapter 2: "Round Up Those Ducks, Charlie!"
"Round up those Ducks, Charlie!"
Coach Bombay told me to, and before I knew it, I did.
First was easily Jesse. He was closest in my neighbourhood. Then we ran to the mall where Averman worked. Lucky we were on our skates, speeding, or we probably would've been kicked out.
We sprinted around, dodging security guards and climbing up the down escalator to the cinema where Averman was. We were kids, so, completely oblivious to his stutters ("but, but, but..!") we hurried off to find Guy, who definetely would be with Connie.
Well, like I said, we were kids. Totally ignorant of the breath-taking scenery, heart-turning music and whatever romantic time Guy was trying to have with Connie, we disregarded it.
"The quack attack is back, Jack!"
Oh Averman. And thus it was that Connie rushed off to join us, abandoning Guy to his solitary stance at the bridge. Just kidding.
"I was this close!"
Locating Goldberg was easy enough. Watching him work was more intersting than it sounds. Especially when he wears his working hat. I suppose it reminds me of the ones they wear in the navy. He looked a little surprised at first when he saw a bunch of rowdy kids hanging on the window glass while he was in the middle of serving olives, but then he grinned and came out to us.
There was definetely one person whom I was extra glad to see again.
He was practising hockey by himself in his front yard.
"... in between his legs, past the goalie, he shoots... he scores!" Adam Banks raised his arms in triumph.
"Hey Cake-eater!" Jesse yelled, using his old nickname, "you wanna play some real hockey?"
He grinned and followed me out of the driveway to the way to the park. There was only one of us left to find.
Reaching the park after whooshing through the water fountain, knocking a guy into a wheelbarrow of cement (by accident, of course!) we skated the park.
On the path we all talked about what we knew about the Goodwill Games and how tough we thought it would be. Banks called out to me. "It's an international competition - it's us against the world!" I grinned back at him but perhaps he didn't notice since Goldberg went flying and rolling down the hill.
Meanwhile, waiting for us unsuspecting Ducks with a string trap were Banksie's old team mates; the Hawks. We would've been sitting Ducks had it not been for our last team member. Fulton wasn't usually violent - only when someone fought with us Ducks.
Fulton had them in their underwear tied to a tree with their own string. When he finished he let out a yell, "That'll teach 'em to mess with the Ducks! Yeah!!"
We all let out a cheer and skated down the park lane in V-formation with a rousing chorus of "Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!"
We were all here; it was time to meet Coach.
To be continued...
hockeypuck. :P