The Chikamori Selfacy (A Reboot)
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Chapter 12-"University Life" (Part 1)
It was a heady feeling to be out in the big world in terms of adulting. Haruo, River, Bebe and Torao were pumped to be away from the parents and doing what they needed to do to get ahead in life.
University was a step in the direction in which they wanted to send their life. The classes and studying they had to put in would prepare them for the rest of their life; their experiences governing the direction of their subsequent failures or successes. It would behoove them to work hard and not be too inclined to party the nights away.
https://i.imgur.com/ucwYYjC.jpg
There had been a long conversation over lunch and they’d come to the mutual decision to enroll immediately. This would get their education on track quickly and get them their university degrees. So after lunch, they decided to walk down to the university administration building.
“I think athletics is worth taking.” Haruo informed the rest. “It’s something I like doing and frankly, if it comes down to it, I can teach Phys-Ed in Sunset Valley Secondary.” He looked over at the spires up above and marveled that the school had been established in 1908, eighty plus years ago. Man, this building is oool. Haruo thought to himself.
https://i.imgur.com/tJbsi1T.jpg
“So when is hockey practice for you?” River inquired.
“Practice is at five in the morning; five days a week, goes for two hours, get a shower and then head to class. I think the T-Birds have power-play drills tomorrow morning, at least as far as Coach Kelley says. “I gotta re-tape my stick, the tape’s going on it; getting worn from practicing slap-shots and get some tape wax.” River smiled at Haruo as he went through some of the stuff he had to do before he got on the ice.
“When’s the first game, Honey?” River looked at the T-Bird’s schedule that she purloined from Haruo’s hand.
https://i.imgur.com/bMmCLa5.jpg
“Four days from now. babe. Exhibition against U of A Golden Bears. (University of Alberta), Coach had a sit down intro to performance expectations on the ice. You get cut if your mark goes below a B average.”
“Ouch!” Torao said. “That’s a rough guideline to hold up to.”
“Naw 3.5 in academics shouldn’t be hard to maintain if I crack the books. The worry’s if I get injured during the season. Rehab will cut into my study time. It would matter if I wanted to make the A or get signed on to an NHL team, but I’m just doing this for the varsity letter and the connections that it’ll give me in the future.”
https://i.imgur.com/uE6zktY.jpg
“So…you’re just milkin’ it for the benefits, huh?” Bebe teased him. Haruo pantomimed shock and let out a small “oh…” and all of them laughed.
“Hey, an CICHL (Canadian Inter-Collegiate Hockey League) Championship is nothing to sneeze at.” Haruo pretended to be offended. That caused another outburst of laughter.
https://i.imgur.com/798oqhF.jpg
Registration at the Admin building was quick. Haruo had a few changes to his schedule now that Coach had drafted his schedule of practices. One of his Athletics department courses would have conflicted. But now he had a schedule that worked for what he needed.
And early morning practices were going to be hell to get up for but he’d signed on the dotted line. He was a second pairing defenseman and could look at about seven to ten minutes of ice time a shift depending on the line-matchups with the other team. He was paired with a six-two bruiser of a d-man and they both checked hard so Coach Kelley was going to put them out against the top-line of opposition teams to forecheck and blunt their attack into the blue-line. Campbell’s role was to stand in front of the goalie and knock opposition forwards who tried to screen the crease.
At least that was the plan.
Bebe’s stomach chose that moment to complain. “Oh jeez, that was embarrassing.” She flushed pink.
https://i.imgur.com/OHPXHXg.jpg
“Guess we’re all hungry.” Torao grinned at her. “Where to?”
“I thought I saw a burger joint around here somewhere.” Haruo stated. “…y’know…when we were driving in.
“Yeah down by the first corner. Right across from the theatre.” Bebe said. “I saw it. Haruo was too busy with the rental truck.”
“There really isn’t much other than that; other than a cafeteria that sells snacks. There really isn’t much of a grocery store, except on the other end of town.” River added.
They all finally agreed to get burgers over at the fast food joint. They felt that it was a good idea to make sure they ate well considering that they would be making their new accommodations livable. Unpacking would take them the rest of the day.
https://i.imgur.com/pXcwZgl.jpg
As Haruo approached the restaurant, a blonde middle-aged woman was eying him like this morning’s prime Grade A beef sirloin steak. As River was following right behind him, she caught the woman’s interested gaze at her fiancé and barely restrained herself from saying “Hey witch, keep your cougar eyeballs to yourself. Get yourself your own man. You cradle-snatching tramp.”
https://i.imgur.com/145Zuep.jpg
Let’s just say that River had no intention of letting anyone near her man and she had a pretty vicious right hook as several girls found out who tried to bully her in high school. And frankly now that it was official that she was getting married to Haruo when they returned to Sunset Valley from UBC, there was no bloody way she was going to let anyone try to get in between her and her fiancé. Anyone who tried would find out the hard way that River McIrish, soon to be River McIrish-Chikamori was no pushover.
River gave the woman a cold stare as she went by her in challenge.
https://i.imgur.com/0zk9Bo3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lvHHnXq.jpg
The four went into the restaurant and picked a table; evidently their specialty was the taco burger with taco sauce and a half oz. burger slathered in guacamole and and salsa. Torao and River decided on that burger while Bebe opted for the Swiss Mushroom and Haruo decided on the Hawaiian burger which had three slices of bacon, a pineapple ring slathered in Polynesian sauce on yet another flame-grilled half oz. patty.
The aromas emanating from the kitchen of the restaurant were making their mouths water and Haruo was glad that the wait wasn’t too long. In fact they all headed to the drink fountain to get their drinks before collecting their burgers and fries. The buns and patties measured at least four and a half inches across so they were big burgers.
“So tomorrow’s gonna be a rush out the door, eh?” Bebe grinned. “First class for all of us is at 8.”
“Speak for yourself, my ass has to be on the ice by five in the morning so my butt has to be out of bed at four. Two hour practice, get out of my gear and take a shower. Then hustle my butt to class.”
“Awwww….” River grinned at him. “Such a hard life…”. She teased him playfully.
“Hockey is life…” Haruo grinned back at her.
https://i.imgur.com/y6GmJuP.jpg
“And the macho chest-beating starts…” Torao interrupted Haruo’s train of thought as he was about to pontificate on the excitement that was inherent in lacing up the skates, grabbing one’s stick, jamming your helmet on your head and going out to do battle on the ice. To put the puck right where he intended it to go; the satisfaction your stick meeting the puck and sending it laser-beam delivery past the butterflied goalie sprawled prone on the ice while watching helplessly as the puck headed, unimpeded, for the back of the net.
Haruo looked thoroughly blissful as he talked about his on-ice enjoyment while Torao rolled his eyes and the girls giggled in amusement. “UBC Thunderbirds…HOCKEY…” and let out a sound that sounded like a dog barking; a large dog.
https://i.imgur.com/FvuKtxx.jpg
“OK Hon.” River chided him affectionately, “calm down or the university might send the dogcatcher around to restrain any one exhibiting animal-like behavior”
Haruo subsided very quickly after that admonition.
(end part 1)
Chapter 12-"University Life" (Part 1)
It was a heady feeling to be out in the big world in terms of adulting. Haruo, River, Bebe and Torao were pumped to be away from the parents and doing what they needed to do to get ahead in life.
University was a step in the direction in which they wanted to send their life. The classes and studying they had to put in would prepare them for the rest of their life; their experiences governing the direction of their subsequent failures or successes. It would behoove them to work hard and not be too inclined to party the nights away.
https://i.imgur.com/ucwYYjC.jpg
There had been a long conversation over lunch and they’d come to the mutual decision to enroll immediately. This would get their education on track quickly and get them their university degrees. So after lunch, they decided to walk down to the university administration building.
“I think athletics is worth taking.” Haruo informed the rest. “It’s something I like doing and frankly, if it comes down to it, I can teach Phys-Ed in Sunset Valley Secondary.” He looked over at the spires up above and marveled that the school had been established in 1908, eighty plus years ago. Man, this building is oool. Haruo thought to himself.
https://i.imgur.com/tJbsi1T.jpg
“So when is hockey practice for you?” River inquired.
“Practice is at five in the morning; five days a week, goes for two hours, get a shower and then head to class. I think the T-Birds have power-play drills tomorrow morning, at least as far as Coach Kelley says. “I gotta re-tape my stick, the tape’s going on it; getting worn from practicing slap-shots and get some tape wax.” River smiled at Haruo as he went through some of the stuff he had to do before he got on the ice.
“When’s the first game, Honey?” River looked at the T-Bird’s schedule that she purloined from Haruo’s hand.
https://i.imgur.com/bMmCLa5.jpg
“Four days from now. babe. Exhibition against U of A Golden Bears. (University of Alberta), Coach had a sit down intro to performance expectations on the ice. You get cut if your mark goes below a B average.”
“Ouch!” Torao said. “That’s a rough guideline to hold up to.”
“Naw 3.5 in academics shouldn’t be hard to maintain if I crack the books. The worry’s if I get injured during the season. Rehab will cut into my study time. It would matter if I wanted to make the A or get signed on to an NHL team, but I’m just doing this for the varsity letter and the connections that it’ll give me in the future.”
https://i.imgur.com/uE6zktY.jpg
“So…you’re just milkin’ it for the benefits, huh?” Bebe teased him. Haruo pantomimed shock and let out a small “oh…” and all of them laughed.
“Hey, an CICHL (Canadian Inter-Collegiate Hockey League) Championship is nothing to sneeze at.” Haruo pretended to be offended. That caused another outburst of laughter.
https://i.imgur.com/798oqhF.jpg
Registration at the Admin building was quick. Haruo had a few changes to his schedule now that Coach had drafted his schedule of practices. One of his Athletics department courses would have conflicted. But now he had a schedule that worked for what he needed.
And early morning practices were going to be hell to get up for but he’d signed on the dotted line. He was a second pairing defenseman and could look at about seven to ten minutes of ice time a shift depending on the line-matchups with the other team. He was paired with a six-two bruiser of a d-man and they both checked hard so Coach Kelley was going to put them out against the top-line of opposition teams to forecheck and blunt their attack into the blue-line. Campbell’s role was to stand in front of the goalie and knock opposition forwards who tried to screen the crease.
At least that was the plan.
Bebe’s stomach chose that moment to complain. “Oh jeez, that was embarrassing.” She flushed pink.
https://i.imgur.com/OHPXHXg.jpg
“Guess we’re all hungry.” Torao grinned at her. “Where to?”
“I thought I saw a burger joint around here somewhere.” Haruo stated. “…y’know…when we were driving in.
“Yeah down by the first corner. Right across from the theatre.” Bebe said. “I saw it. Haruo was too busy with the rental truck.”
“There really isn’t much other than that; other than a cafeteria that sells snacks. There really isn’t much of a grocery store, except on the other end of town.” River added.
They all finally agreed to get burgers over at the fast food joint. They felt that it was a good idea to make sure they ate well considering that they would be making their new accommodations livable. Unpacking would take them the rest of the day.
https://i.imgur.com/pXcwZgl.jpg
As Haruo approached the restaurant, a blonde middle-aged woman was eying him like this morning’s prime Grade A beef sirloin steak. As River was following right behind him, she caught the woman’s interested gaze at her fiancé and barely restrained herself from saying “Hey witch, keep your cougar eyeballs to yourself. Get yourself your own man. You cradle-snatching tramp.”
https://i.imgur.com/145Zuep.jpg
Let’s just say that River had no intention of letting anyone near her man and she had a pretty vicious right hook as several girls found out who tried to bully her in high school. And frankly now that it was official that she was getting married to Haruo when they returned to Sunset Valley from UBC, there was no bloody way she was going to let anyone try to get in between her and her fiancé. Anyone who tried would find out the hard way that River McIrish, soon to be River McIrish-Chikamori was no pushover.
River gave the woman a cold stare as she went by her in challenge.
https://i.imgur.com/0zk9Bo3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lvHHnXq.jpg
The four went into the restaurant and picked a table; evidently their specialty was the taco burger with taco sauce and a half oz. burger slathered in guacamole and and salsa. Torao and River decided on that burger while Bebe opted for the Swiss Mushroom and Haruo decided on the Hawaiian burger which had three slices of bacon, a pineapple ring slathered in Polynesian sauce on yet another flame-grilled half oz. patty.
The aromas emanating from the kitchen of the restaurant were making their mouths water and Haruo was glad that the wait wasn’t too long. In fact they all headed to the drink fountain to get their drinks before collecting their burgers and fries. The buns and patties measured at least four and a half inches across so they were big burgers.
“So tomorrow’s gonna be a rush out the door, eh?” Bebe grinned. “First class for all of us is at 8.”
“Speak for yourself, my ass has to be on the ice by five in the morning so my butt has to be out of bed at four. Two hour practice, get out of my gear and take a shower. Then hustle my butt to class.”
“Awwww….” River grinned at him. “Such a hard life…”. She teased him playfully.
“Hockey is life…” Haruo grinned back at her.
https://i.imgur.com/y6GmJuP.jpg
“And the macho chest-beating starts…” Torao interrupted Haruo’s train of thought as he was about to pontificate on the excitement that was inherent in lacing up the skates, grabbing one’s stick, jamming your helmet on your head and going out to do battle on the ice. To put the puck right where he intended it to go; the satisfaction your stick meeting the puck and sending it laser-beam delivery past the butterflied goalie sprawled prone on the ice while watching helplessly as the puck headed, unimpeded, for the back of the net.
Haruo looked thoroughly blissful as he talked about his on-ice enjoyment while Torao rolled his eyes and the girls giggled in amusement. “UBC Thunderbirds…HOCKEY…” and let out a sound that sounded like a dog barking; a large dog.
https://i.imgur.com/FvuKtxx.jpg
“OK Hon.” River chided him affectionately, “calm down or the university might send the dogcatcher around to restrain any one exhibiting animal-like behavior”
Haruo subsided very quickly after that admonition.
(end part 1)
