The Dodging Game

37- Do I Make Myself Clear?

We walked to the field were the game was. I saw a few people I knew and said hello as fast as possible without making it seem rude, I've been doing this for years I know how to escape a full conversation with the countless players and parents. Justin saw some people he knew as well, but not as many as I did. Hr hard a harder time ending the conversations.

"And you said you didn't know a lot of people. Its like you know half of the people in the whole soccer complex. You're a secret social butterfly." He joked when I said hi to another group of kids. 

"I was really involved with the academy. I was there almost every single day in the offices helping out in any way possible. Over the summers I would be there all day every day when I didn't have boxing lessons. I think I've seen every member and at least one parent of each player at least once, thats why it seems like I know a lot of people. Once I started my senior year I took a step back, now that I think about it I haven't been in campus in like 3 months and haven't been to a game in like a month or two. I've missed it." I haven't noticed how much I've missed it until I said it out loud. 

"Oh thats why I haven't seen you around before. I started coaching two months ago and I became a game day coach like 5 weeks ago. I heard your name often but like I said before I didn't expect 'Arden' to be you." He was connecting the dots. 

"Well, I thought Coach J was a middle aged dude. So I guess we both assumed wrong." I smiled at him. 

"I guess that's why they tell you never to assume." I knew exactly where he was going with this. 

"Yeah cuz you make an ass out of you and me" I said what we were both thinking. 

"Well you're the one to say it not me, but yes." He laughed. 

"We were both thinking it, one of us had to say it." I started to laugh as well. 

We were still laughing when we finally reached the field where the game was. There was 2 minutes until they need to start warming up.

"What's so funny? Let me guess Jasmine forgot or mixed up the name of someone." Casey asked when we reached where the Jesse and him were sitting on the ground getting ready. He was finishing putting on his gloves while Jess was tying his shoes for who knows what time.

"Oh remember that one time you confused the names of Jim and Tim and caused Jim to get a red card in his record instead of Tim. You cost him the starting position for two games. That was too funny." Jess butted in.

"Hey that wasn't my fault. They are twins anyone can get confused. And no that is not why, although I did say hi to people I had not clue what their name was." I've meet a lot of people there is no way I can remember all their names.

"They are fraternal twins so that excuse doesn't count. Plus it's easy to remember their names, Tim is the tall one and Jim is the gym rat. Plain and simple." Jess had told me the cheat sheet when I first meet them but for some odd reason that day I got them confused.

"I use the T for tall. That's how Tim told me to remember. So if it wasn't a name mix up what was it. And can you help with this glove please?" Casey got up so I could fix his gloves.

"Well if you must know it was of assumptions we made. And you know what they say about assumptions." I grabbed the glove so he could put it in all the way. I tightened the vellcro and rolled down his sleeve.

"Yeah they make an ass out of you and me.... Thanks. Are you warming me up today?" He adjusted his shin guards before straightening up and looking up at me

"I don't know what coach wants me to do today. I was just going to wait here and see if he needs me. Wait, speaking of waiting here where is mom and dad?"I directed the question to Jess.