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17 Days-chap7_pt2
Seventeen Days of Gold
Chapter 7 - Part 2
"So..." I began, uncertainly. "How's life in Seattle?" I am definitely out of practice on this.
"Eh," he shrugged, "it's there. I spend most of my time in Colorado Springs, but I still miss Seattle at times. Especially the coffee." He smiled.
"You can't go anywhere there without bumping into a coffeehouse." I agreed.
"You've been to Seattle?"
"Yes, and I ain't ever going back."
"Why?"
"The one and only time I've ever been shot in my entire life was when I was in Seattle." I explained. "I figured it was an omen."
"You've been shot?" He asked, concerned.
"Just grazed my left thigh, really, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch."
"How did it happen?"
"Oh, it was like 4 years ago. I was just a tag-a-long more or less with the rest of the troop surrounding Henry Hyde. Some high school kid, like 15, trying to get in with a gang."
"Yeah...I think I heard about that."
"I made the news for two whole days. Everyone acting like I saved Hyde or something."
"Didn't you?"
"Let's put it this way...I was 'in the way'." I confessed. "And I think the kid ended up in ju-vee. The dumbass. And people think Chicago is a dangerous town."
I noticed Apolo looked somewhat dejected.
"What's wrong? I don't mean to dis your hometown, if that's what's bothering you."
"No...it's just that I think I knew that kid."
"Oh..." I trailed off. I already was aware of Apolo's former lifestyle. But not only was I uncertain if it was all true, I didn't think it would be this close. "Hey, it's not like you did it." I offered.
 "I know. But at one point, ya know, that could of been me." He said quietly. "I mean, I never shot anyone, but that's just how it was. My dad freaked when he found my gun."
"Took it away from you?" I asked, Apolo nodded. "Probably a good thing."
"If it wasn't for my dad, I'd probably be in ju-vee too." He shook his head. "That was one fucked up scene." I could tell this was hard for him to talk about. He kept pausing and twisting in his seat.
"You don't have to tell me about this if you don't want."
"Just don't say anything to anyone about it, ok?" He pleaded. "I promised my dad I'd never talk about my past."
"Then why are you telling me? Do you think I wouldn't go to the press?"
"It's just that you were involved in that whole thing and I--" Apolo sounded alarmed. I cut him off.
"Don't fret." I smiled. "The information is classified. I'm not a great fan of the media anyhow."
"Thank you." He looked relieved. "It feels good to tell somebody, ya know."
"Are you ever afraid of going back?" I probed. He fell silent and stared at the table. I heard a meek "yes" escape his lips, and it was almost heart-wrenching. I placed my hand over his, stopping him from picking at the tablecloth. "Don't worry, baby, the past can be a scary place."
He looked up and gave a half-smile, turning his hand over so he could hold mine.
"Oh come on." He said. "You were in the military and all. Your life had to be straight compared to mine."
"Oh please!" I snorted. "I didn't grow up in some white bread world, if that's what you're insinuating." I took a sip of my wine and leaned back. "OK, since this is 'confession night' let's see what tale I can conjure up. Hmmm....well, I nearly dropped out of high school, I was a teenage alcoholic and I was in a rock band. How's that for starters?"
"Damn! For real?" He exclaimed.
"Yes, for real. I had my hair dyed blue and all punked out and shit. Talk about freaking out the parents. They didn't know what to do with me."
"I just can't see you like that." Apolo laughed. I laughed with him. It did seem like so long ago. In fact, it didn't even seem like it was my life I was talking about.
"You do a lot of strange things to get attention." I began.
"Especially when you don't feel like you fit in." He finished. I cocked my head to the side and regarded him for a moment.
"I think you know what I'm talking about." I smiled.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Yeah."

We traded stories through dinner. I told him about my high school stint with the band I played drums for, headed up by my guitarist boyfriend. He filled in a little more about gang life. I drank too much, he had his drugs. Neither of us was home much. And we both agreed we never wanted to go to college. I got threatened with boot camp and ended up an art major at Southern Illinois University, figuring art was a no-brainer, but got kicked out after my first semester. Yuki tapped into Apolo's interest in in-line skating and shipped him off to training camp for short track. He spent most of his time skipping practice and hanging out with his friends. Just like my father with me, his father didn't know what to do with him either. We both we labeled "undisciplined" and felt like such disappointments to everybody. Finally, we both seemed to get the kick in the head we needed. Just as Apolo felt he had gotten his act together, he was turned down for the '96 Olympic team, and figured he had might as well quit altogether. Yuki took him out to a cabin on the Washington shore and left him alone to do some serious thinking. He said that is where he made the decision that he was going to straighten his life out and set out to be the best. My kick was much more somber, and I got a little choked retelling how in 1992, I promised to clean the slate, but my straight-laced-married-to-a-yuppie sister delighted in putting down any attempts I made. But then on that Valentine's Day, my parents took a flight out to Ireland. The plane crashed just off the shores. It made me realize that life is just too short to spend the whole time screwing around. I vowed that I would make something of myself and make my parents proud, even after death. I followed my father's footsteps and joined the Airforce.

"...And the rest, as they say, is history." I concluded. "I migrated into this FBI scene after getting commended on my surveillance duties. And then I end up here as a bodyguard for some speedskater." I finished off my wine. Apolo just stared at me wordlessly. "I'm kidding, Apolo. Hello?"
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "about your parents." I looked past him and gestured for the waiter to bring me more pinot noir.
"I miss them a lot. My dad would've been so thrilled about this whole Native American thing they're doing here in Utah."
"So that's what it is!" He exclaimed. "I've been trying to figure out why you look so...exotic."
"Exotic, eh? I like that." I smiled. "My dad was Osawkee, my mom was Irish."
"That explains the red hair, but that's a hell of a combo."
"You're not so normal yourself, babe." I retorted. Apolo laughed. "But that just makes one more thing."
"One more thing what?"
"That we have in common." I explained.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"I haven't decided yet." I gave him a half grin. Nearly ten years and over 2000 miles separates us, yet we've shared a lot of the same experiences. Who would have thought that he and I would be so alike? Well, Chuck saw something there, but still....I think I was still hoping to find ourselves on opposite ends of the spectrum. Everything is easier to deal with when we don't get along so well. But then again, my wine-clouded mind mused, this isn't really so bad, now is it?

"Wonderful Tonight"
by Eric Clapton
Copyright material
TMS2002

 

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