𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭 ♕From Beth the Eyes of Beth Harmon

V-Hellos and Goodbyes

Episode 2

Exchanges

Part 1

Kentucky, 1957-1963

Hellos and Goodbyes

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Jolene and I were in the hallway, looking at the spot I fell on Friday.

"You shoulda seen yourself. Up on that stool. Floating around up there. Deardorff just hollering at you."

"It felt funny." I recounted the event in my mind.

"Shit. Bet it felt good." It didn't feel good. I was in the middle of a crazy knot I tangled myself into. I hated that I did that to myself. Those things don't happen to nine year olds. I sighed.

"What you gonna do at night?" She asked.

"I'm gonna stay awake as long as I can. Reading my book. Learning the Sicilian Defense." I looked at Jolene. "There's 57 pages about it. With 170 lines stemming from P to QB4. I'm gonna memorize them and play through them all in my mind." Luckily for Jolene, I had already thought about what I would do without my vitamins at night way before she even asked me. I had an answer prepared.

"Poor mind."

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The last encounter I had with Mr. Shaibel came after one of my math classes. He was fixing a light bulb in the main hall.

"Mr. Shaibel?" He didn't answer.

"They won't let me play anymore." I said looking up at him. Still no answer. Not even a look.

"I'm being punished."

"Please. Can you help me?" I didn't know what I was expecting him to say. But this time I wasn't trying to hide my desperation. I really was desperate.

He put his arms down and leaned on the ladder. He reluctantly looked down at me, a hint of pity in his face.

"I wish I could play more with you." It was genuine.

He sighed, but didn't say anything. He turned his focus back to the light bulb. I walked away.

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6 or so years later...

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"For crying out loud, what you still doing in bed?" Ferguson came into the room and interrupted my light sleep. After he left, Jolene rolled over and grabbed a cigarette from the pack she precariously hides under her pillow.