Henry's Fight

It was beginning to look like Henry was going to accomplish a goal he had been working towards for 30 years. And he was pissed about it. He was standing in the Crimson Dragon Pub at the center shuffleboard table during the championship round. But all he could think was that this was not how it was supposed to happen.

One night 30 years ago Henry had started playing at the lone beat up old shuffleboard table at the Crimson with his old army pal Dave. Dave was about the only person that could stand any time around Henry, and even he only did that once or twice a week. They, mostly Henry, had been riled up about something or other, a change in the menu maybe. But they, well Henry, were too angry to sit and drink at their normal table so they started playing just to give them something to do. It had turned Henry’s mood around so effectively that they started playing just about every night Dave came to see Henry.

They began improving and started challenging some of the other regulars. They won every time but eventually Friday Night Shuffleboard became the norm at the Crimson. At the start of the next year it became an official league. Despite Dave and Henry starting and never losing to anyone before the league became official, they never won the league during the next 30 years.

Henry had a lot to complain about, more than he could remember at any given time in fact. But, surprising everyone, not winning had not been one of his complaints. The reason for that was who they had been losing to. Ryan’s team had won every single year until last year. And Ryan had moved down from Canada where he had been a contender for the Canadian Olympic Curling Team. He had just missed the team but it made Henry feel good that he got second place to someone with such a distinguished pedigree.

So second place had not been a problem for 29 years. But then Ryan had passed away. While Henry was certainly sad at his passing, Ryan was a jovial fellow who was always respectful of his elders, Henry was certain that now it was his time to win the league he had helped create. When Dave wasn’t around Henry took full ownership for founding the league, given how Dave only played because Henry was less unbearable when they were playing. Anyway, Ryan had eaten too many onion rings which had allowed Henry to outlast Ryan even being 20 years his senior. 

Unfortunately, with the loss of Ryan the Crimson had felt the need to reinvent itself. They had remodeled and began targeting a younger audience. The local regulars were still coming but they were beginning to bump elbows with today’s youth. While the old regulars grumbled about the changes, it was Henry who grumbled the loudest. And in an effort to make amends, and to get Henry to leave them the heck alone, the Crimson had replaced the old and added new shuffleboard tables.

This all led to the Shuffleboard League having some new blood and The Stallions had come in on their first year and won the whole rotten thing. They were a couple of hotheaded young men who thought too much of themselves and didn’t own a t-shirt that still had sleeves as far as Henry could tell. And they were drunk and hollering the whole time on top of it all. 

Meanwhile Henry and Dave, for the first time since Henry had wrist surgery and barely managed to get in the top five 12 years ago, hadn’t even managed to get second. They had lost to The Stallions, who the older regulars had started to calling The Calves, in the semifinals. A spunky duo of young ladies had put up a real fight in the championship round and if one or two of their slides had been a tinge better, they would have taken it all.

So it was an unlikely alliance when Henry and Isabella had become a team for this Shuffleboard season. Dave’s health was on the fritz so he couldn’t get out of bed most days, let alone make it to the Crimson. Or the Dragon as the youth were calling it ever since the remodel. Isabella’s partner had graduated and moved away. Everyone laughed when they heard about the new team. And, much to Henry’s annoyance, generally wondered aloud what in tarnation had led Isabella to team up with such a grumpy old goat. 

Henry had never said anything cause he doubted anyone would believe him, but it had been Isabella’s idea. He had seen her playing by herself and asked to join in his own way. He had actually said “Are you daft or is this how girls flirt with the boys nowadays?” When she had looked at him trying to figure out how to respond, he had followed up with “This isn’t a single player sport. Now move over.” She had just laughed and made room for him to take over a color. Henry had tried to leave when some college boys came over and tried to flirt with Isabella but she had simply told them that they were interrupting their game. Henry chuckled at their confusion.

A short while later she had asked if they should make it official. Henry of course responded with “What the Hell are you talking on about?” She had laughed and said “You clearly have nobody else interested in joining your team. And everyone in the league knows you will die before you stop playing. So I will be your partner. But I get to pick the team name.”

Henry had mostly agreed to join up with Isabella because he respected her ability to put up with him. And dish it back out at him. Besides, they had a common enemy in The Calves since they had both been beaten by them in last year's tournament. 

And that was how Henry had found himself as a member of The Sassy Sliders. Surprisingly to many, they were a great team. From the first match of the season The Sassy Sliders had been a force in the Crimson Shuffleboard League. They had been near unstoppable this season with The Calves being their only serious competition. 

He could clearly remember Isabella coming into the Crimson after their loss in regular season play to their rivals. Henry had been sitting at the bar idly watching whatever sport was on tv and acted like he didn’t see her walk in. She wouldn’t want to hang out with a geezer like him when they weren’t competing. They hadn’t played together outside of competition since the birth of their team. But she had sat right next to him, ordered two beers, and turned in her seat to face him.

“So how are we gonna make sure we never lose to The Stallions again?” She said the team’s name in such a mocking tone, it reminded him of how he used to talk about his wife when she was transitioning to his ex wife. 

“Well, if you learned how to protect your pucks maybe Damian wouldn’t keep bumping yours off the board.”

Isabella must have been used to his ornery nature by then because she had no visible reaction and immediately responded in kind “Oh and when is your eye check-up? Cause you seem to be throwing them off the end of the table.” When he had chuckled, she kept going, saying “We all know it's not an overabundance of strength that’s the problem so I figured it had to be your old eyes.”

As he took the beer she offered and started getting out of his barstool to move towards the shuffleboard tables, Henry replied. “Come watch with your youthful eyes as I show you I don’t need glasses to play. I can feel it in my bones.”

“That’s your arthritis Henry. You need to see a doctor too.”

Since then, Isabella had started coming in fairly regularly on non-competing days. They would gravitate to a shuffleboard table with their drinks when she showed up and practice. Though if Henry thought about it, they talked less and less about shuffleboard when they played. Isabella seemed to like having someone to talk to and she evidently felt comfortable around him. Which was odd. He had never been a grandfatherly figure to anyone, even his own grandkids. 

As the season progressed, their practices became consistent. Henry had even started regularly checking his phone ever since Isabella’s text had gone unread for several days. It was becoming a problem, he felt like the kids he saw on the streets. Habitually checking his phone several times a day. But he didn’t want to hurt her feelings again. So he checked when he woke up and then every three hours throughout the day. 

She always made fun of him for his sporadic replies but it didn’t keep her from messaging. Sometimes she was checking on him, but increasingly she was asking him if they could play shuffleboard. Which had become code for talk through something cause she knew damn well that he was at the Crimson every night. But he would make sure he had freed up a table for when she got there.

Although it had originally started out as just extra practice to be sure they could beat The Calves in the championship, it had changed over the last several months. Henry honestly wanted to know what was happening in her life. There wasn’t much he could do to change her shitty family, but he could listen and let her talk through her problems. He couldn’t help with her classes or her volleyball team, but he found that he wished he could.

So their season had continued, easily making it into the playoffs. They did not lose a game in the best of three matches all the way through the semifinals.

And they won the first game against the Calves in the finals. The loss in the second round Henry attributed to his mind wandering over how he had found himself here, proud to be a member of The Sassy Sliders. 

When they were taking a break and resetting for the final round of the Finals to determine the winner, Isabella met him and took the beer he offered. “What was happening out there Henry? Where is your Arthritis superpower at, your getting beat down on your end?”

Despite the scathing remarks, she had a smile on her face and her eyes were near twinkling with excitement. “Well I was trying to give you a chance to carry the team, my back has been tired from carrying your weight this season.”

She laughed accusingly, “Oh that’s rich! And what are you implying about my figure Henry?”

“Don’t change the subject,focus on the game Isa or your going to lose in the finals again.”

Isabella smiled but as she turned towards the shuffleboard table her body stiffened. Henry could tell something was coming, something she was nervous to say.

Finally she spoke, idly smoothing the shuffleboard sand. “No matter what happens, even if I… we,” she smiled wanly at Henry “lose again this year. I have enjoyed playing with you and I was wondering.” She paused, still moving around the already smooth sand.

“Oh just come out and say it already” Henry grumbled.

“Fine you old bat, I need you to come to my Senior Night in a couple months.” Her voice softened and she looked back towards the table. “I want you to come.”

“You want me to stand up there with your awful family? Not my idea of a good night.”

“They won’t be there. I told them not to come.” Isabella turned towards him and said “You will be up there with me or I will be up there by myself. It’s up to you, Gramps.”

“Unfortunately the bartender always has beer poured for me here. Someone has to drink them.” As he saw her face start to drop, he continued “But I’m sure I could find someone to drink them.” He kept going as she lifted her head and smiled at him with such appreciation it made his heart hurt, “I suppose I could also double up the next day if I have to. Don’t worry, I’ll figure something  out.” He returned her smile.

“Wow, extra beer to drink. That’s the worst thing that’s happened to you in a long time, you poor old geezer.”

Smiling, he started walking towards the far side of the table and said “Let’s wipe the floor with them.”

As he stood preparing for the final round, he was pissed at how he got here. All of the drinking and poor habits. The angriness and the loneliness. Everything and anything that had led to this.  Two weeks to live, bah. The doctor didn’t know how stubborn Henry was. And for the first time in years, Henry had something to live for.