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THEMAN
He didn't know why he was even going to the stupid hotel. They probably wouldn't even let him through the front door and into the lobby. No sir, they sure didn't let folks like him into places like The Hilton Hotel. All the way down town on the stuffy, overcrowded bus, jammed against the grimy window by a big old mama with her tatty plastic purse gripped between her two fat hands, he had kept asking himself why he was even bothering. As he left the bus and plodded along the dusty sidewalk in the blazing heat, wiping the moisture from his brow on the sleeve of his jacket, he asked himself why he was putting himself through the rejection that lay ahead of him. He had told her that he wouldn't go. So he knew that she wouldn't be expecting him, wouldn't be disappointed that he didn't show up. So why was he going?
Well, when they stopped him walking into the place right from the get go, that would solve all his problems and he would have the perfect reason to just get right back on the bus and forget all about her and The Wanderers. That's right, he told himself, he would just get back on the bus and go back where he belonged and put all this nonsense out of his mind.
As he neared the hotel where the convention was being held he saw an impressive five storied, white brick building with the words Hilton Hotel emblazed on a brass plaque above the revolving doors. Standing on the red carpet out front was a huge white man dressed incongruously in a heavy, plum coloured, calf length coat with gold stripes two inches above the wrists. The guy must have been sweltering in the mid-afternoon heat. Bobby wondered how much they paid him to stand out there everyday tipping his plum coloured peaked cap and hailing taxis, and he grinned to himself as he drew in a deep breath and prepared himself to be turned away. But to his astonishment the guy didn't even look at him twice as he stepped through the doors and into the lobby. He thought that maybe the doorman hadn't seen him and realizing that it was just a matter of time before he was slung out on his ear he would get a quick look around, who knew if he would ever see the inside of one of these places again. His eyes swept around the wood paneled lobby and took in the red wall- to- wall carpets and shiny brass light fittings. He gazed appreciatively at the pretty blonde girl behind the reception desk in her navy blue skirt and blazer and pink lipstick, as she chatted gaily with a pair of elderly tourists.
Then he noticed a huge square board just beneath the sweeping staircase and sauntered over to see what it was. On it was a list of events taking place in the hotel that day and he saw that the USC Spades Convention was being held in something called The West Wing, and realizing that no-one was even looking at him, let alone looking as if they were about to ask him to leave, he wondered how to find The West Wing. Adopting his most confident, nonchalant attitude, he casually looked around, waiting for inspiration. He found it in an arrow shaped sign on the wall telling him which direction to take, and for want of a better idea he decided to follow it. As soon as he got to The West Wing and someone noticed that he had gotten past the doorman, he knew that it would all be over and he could just head on back to the bus. But he found his way. Nobody stopped him and before he new it he was stepping into the damned convention after all.
He found himself in an enormous square room, which had been divided in two by a floor to ceiling see- through wall, separating the playing area from the bar. Hanging all around the walls were t.v. monitors which he supposed were to allow spectators to watch the games in play. Ingenious. There was a long bar against the right hand wall so he strolled over as casually as he could and ordered a coke from the spotty boy who asked him what he wanted without batting an eyelid at him. Amazed that he had come so far without being approached by any bouncers he stood at the bar for a long time sipping his ice cold drink, just taking it all in and trying not to attract anyone's attention.
It was the second afternoon of the convention and there was obviously a tournament in progress. There were a lot of people in the spectators' area, watching the screens and talking in groups as about twelve tables on the other side of the screen were battling it out. He watched as round by round the losers left the arena and the winners went on to play with another set of opponents. He watched the spectators welcoming the losers as they joined them at the white clothed tables. He had noticed that there was a couple of teams from The Wanderers playing, recognizing their nics on the leader boards high on the dividing walls. It was weird to be watching the game played by real people and he realized that he was itching to have a game with a live partner and opps, but that was out of the question. Now that he had come this far, he wanted to stay a bit longer and see how it all panned out. So he stayed at the bar with his cold coke and watched. No-one noticed him and no-one asked him to leave, and gradually he began to be so engrossed in the game that he forgot his misgivings and began to enjoy himself. He was able to stay till the end of the tourney and applaud silently as his team -mates, whose names were so familiar but whose faces he had never seen until now, won the final game. If he felt a pang of regret that he couldn't go over to congratulate them, as he would have done on-line, he didn't acknowledge it, he was happy to be left alone to watch. And on the way home at the end of the afternoon he played the final game back in his head, not noticing the stuffy air in the bus or the smell of the old man sitting in his urine stained overalls.
The next afternoon found him once again propping up the bar in the spectators' area. This time he didn't order a drink. He couldn't afford these prices. He watched as the players shuffled into the room in ones and two's and some of them in laughing groups, and made their way to the sign-up table. And he watched as the names went up on the board, noticing that again there were a number of teams from The Wanderers signing up. He recognized a number of them from yesterday and he saw that they were just as good friends in the flesh as they all seemed to be on-line. There was a small lady with white hair and smiley blue eyes that he supposed must be her, because she seemed to know everyone. She had looked over at Bobby a couple of times, but he had looked away, avoiding her scrutiny, determined to keep his anonymity. A couple of the others had also glanced his way, a guy he knew as RAMBLINGMAN and had played with a few times, and a Chinese girl he knew was RAINBOW both glanced at him once or twice, but he was happy that they didn't know who he was. He just wanted to watch. And watch he did. He spent the whole morning watching the games and became so engrossed that when he finally looked at his watch he started in panic as he realized that he was going to be late for his job.
Joanne noticed him rushing out of the gallery in a tearing hurry and wondered what had him in such a rush to leave. She hoped that no-one had spooked him and kicked herself for not going up to introduce herself and bring him into the team camaraderie. But she had been afraid of frightening him away, so she had left him alone. One or two of the others had seen him standing at the bar for hours on end and asked if she knew him, but she had just shaken her head and shrugged her shoulders. If she was going to get him to trust her, it would have to be slowly. She would talk to Isobel, her co captain, and see if they could come up with a plan. If he turned up again that was. In the mean time she was going to dinner with her husband Joe and catch up on some together time, which was going to be hard to find over the coming fortnight.
The next afternoon he was at his usual place at the bar as she walked into the convention center. Not many people had arrived yet and she took a deep breath as she walked towards him, hoping that he wouldn't bolt. At first she just stood next to him, not saying a word. Not even looking at him. They stood together like that for a few minutes before she said
"I'm glad you made it."
He didn't answer at first and she thought that he would just up and walk out of the room, but eventually, without looking at her either, he replied.
"How d'ya know it was me?"
She smiled then.
"It was just a guess. But I'm real glad that it is."
He didn't answer, not sure what to say, so they stood, avoiding each others eye in an awkward silence for what felt like an age. Finally she turned and looked at him.
"Do you fancy a game?"
He wanted nothing more, but still couldn't look at her for fear of seeing mockery in her eyes, and when he didn't answer she said
"The rest of the team are having so much fun playing with each other for the first time in the flesh that I think they've forgotten that I play as well. I could sure do with a good partner."
This seemed reasonable to Bobby.
"I don't know how to enter." He finally replied and she smiled to herself.
"But I do. I'm the Cappy after all."
Finally he allowed himself to look at her. He saw a genuine smile, with no disdain in her clear blue eyes, which twinkled with conspiracy, and a grin slowly spread across his face. So for the first time in the convention RAMBLINGROSE entered a tourney with her teamie, THEMAN.
They did well in the tourney, making it through to the semi finals and they were both excited at having played their first game with real people. But as they were about to walk through the door from the arena into the gallery Bobby's heart dropped as he realized that there were Wanderers there who were waiting to congratulate them and ask him questions. He stopped in his tracks and turned to her
"I gotta get to work now."
"You don't want to meet the rest of the team?" She asked.
"No Ma'am." He shook his head. "I can't lose this job."
She squeezed his arm.
"Ok. Thanks for the game. Will you come again tomorrow?"
"Maybe.'
"I hope you do, it was great to finally meet up with THEMAN."
And then she took him totally by surprise as leant over and planted a motherly kiss on his cheek. He just stood and stared at her with his mouth open. Nobody had ever done that before. He didn't know what to say, but she just smiled again and gently guided him toward the partition door and waved at him as he turned and headed for the exit. She couldn't wait to go and find Isobel and tell her that she'd managed to persuade him to have a game.
The next afternoon as she walked into the room her eyes were immediately drawn to his spot at the bar and she felt a surge of relief to find him in his usual position. But instead of going straight over to him, she joined some of the other teamies who needed some technical questions answered about the rules of playing in a live game. Finally she saw that Isobel had entered and only then did she approach him. She sensed that he had been waiting for her, but when she drew near he just nodded his head in greeting.
"So, you fancy a game today?" She asked.
"Sure." He answered.
"Good. I've signed you up already."
"You were sure I would come?" He looked at her.
"No, but I hoped you would."
"Ok, I'll wait here till we're called." He said.
"Right. But you are signed up with GETUPANDGO." And not giving him a chance to answer she walked away to find RAINBOW, who she was playing with today.
Bobby stood at the bar and fumed. She'd tricked him. He thought he was going to play with her again, what was she doing signing him up with someone else? He was just debating whether to leave when a very short, but incredibly round woman with bright orange, short, tightly curled hair approached him at his place at the bar. She gave him no chance to turn away, instead she dived straight in with the introductions.
"Ah, there you are. I'm Isobel, co cappy of The Wanderers and better known as GETUPANDGO. You must be THEMAN. Good to finally meet you. Joanne said she'd signed us up together in this afternoon's tourney. I'm not the strongest player on the team, but then, I'm not the weakest either, so who knows, we may be in with a chance."
She held out a chubby little hand, festooned with gold and silver rings, at least two on each finger. Her wrists were also dripping in gold and silver bangles, which clanged together noisily as she vigorously shook his hand. Her long, long fingernails were painted scarlet to match the bright paint on her lips under a heavily made-up face and thick, black, false eyelashes. She wore a long orange dress, which clashed with her hair and reached right down to the floor, and she had thrown over the top of this atrocity, a lime green, flowing satin cloak. She was outrageous and Bobby couldn't get a word in edgeways as her torrent of conversation went on.
"Sheesh, I'm parched. What has a girl got to do to get a drink around here?" She spoke loudly and Bobby grimaced, but the spotty young bartender was there in a flash.
"Oh good. I'd like a Bloody Mary, heavy on the tobasco. What are you having?" She turned to Bobby, who was absolutely speechless and just shook his head in bewilderment at this onslaught. When he didn't answer her straight away she just turned to Spotty and said
"Okay, make that two. One a virgin." And then handed one of the glowing red concoctions, complete with a complicated construction of fresh celery and olives topped by a bright blue paper parasol, and a red and white striped drinking straw, to him with a flourish.
"Get that down you." She laughed and chinked their glasses together. Then wrapping her red painted lips around the straw, she slurped loudly. Not knowing what else to do Bobby followed suit, almost gagging on the spicy brew.
The next half hour was spent with Isobel pointing out all their fellow wanderers and sharing with him all the gossip she knew about each one. She pointed out WILDROVER and RAINBOW, telling him that they were really called Dave, from Scotland and Sue Lin from New York. She told him about RAMBLINGMAN who was from Australia and was traveling with his nice friend, Ed who had fallen in love with TEXAS-GIRL, whose real name was MaryAnne. She regaled him with stories about his other teammates and he found himself rapt in her story telling and laughing at the antics that some of The Wanderers had gotten up to. Before he knew what was happening she had ordered them both another of the spicy red cocktails and was ushering him towards the arena for the beginning of the tourney. When she found that they couldn't take their drinks to the table, Isobel forced him to gulp his Virgin Mary down in one and they wobbled to their table giggling like a couple of schoolgirls.
Unsurprisingly, they were out of the tournament on the first game, but unperturbed, Isobel steered him back toward the bar as soon as they emerged into the gallery, waving at people as they went. As she ordered their third cocktail of the afternoon, he shook his head saying
"I cant let you pay for all the drinks Ma'am." And put his hand in his jacket pocket for some money but she slapped his arm playfully.
"Hell honey, I aint payin for them. You keep your money in your pocket and for goodness sake, don't call me Ma'am. I'm Isobel."
Before he knew it, the afternoon was over and he had to rush off to work once again, but not before signing up for the following day's tourney with his new friend and swearing her to sobriety, at least until the game was over, so they at least had a chance of victory. On his way home on the bus he marveled at the little woman, so vibrant and full of life and when the wizened little lady sitting next to him, moved as far along the seat away from him as she could get, he realized that he had been laughing out loud at one of Isobel's outlandish stories.
The next afternoon was the fifth day of the convention and the friendly games were well underway. Bobby stood at his place at the bar watching the door for Isabel. But she didn't show up. He was confused and hurt at the thought that she would stand him up after their afternoon the previous day. He had really liked her and thought that he had found a new friend. Not something he did easily. So all his old misgivings were starting to come back and he was beginning to consider leaving when he turned to find Cappy standing next to him.
"Hi." She said.
"Hi." He answered despondently.
"I had a call from Isobel. She asked me to tell you that she is so sorry, but something has come up and she's going to be late for the tourney."
"Oh." Was all he could say, the disappointment was thick in his chest.
"Her mother has been rushed into hospital." Cappy told him.
The relief was palatable and he felt guilty.
"I'm sorry to hear that." He couldn't help the smile that played on his lips. He had thought that she had discarded him.
"So I hope you don't mind, but I've changed your sign up and now you are playing with MAMMAMIA."
He did mind, though. He had been looking forward to spending another afternoon with GETUPANDGO and hearing more of her stories. He'd spent the morning wondering what eccentric costume the crazy woman would be wearing today. Seeing the look on his face Joanne went on quickly,
"She's a good player, you've played with her on line. Come on over and meet her."
And, reluctantly he followed his captain over to a tall, thin woman he guessed was in her mid thirties, with startling blue eyes and long Barbie blonde hair.
"Frieda," Joanne introduced them. "This is Bobby, THEMAN."
As they shook hands Frieda beamed at him, taking him by surprise.
" Ah, THEMAN," she said "Good to finally meet you. How much fun to be playing the game together for real."
Bobby noticed a strange lilt to her words, but before he could ask Cappy chirped in.
"Frieda is from Stockholm in Sweden."
"Yes," Said Frieda, "That is the funny accent. Where are you from Bobby?"
"Er, I'm from here, this is my home town."
He was a little in awe, he had never met anyone from Sweden before and he was fascinated to find out more, and as Joanne slipped away she was happy to leave him in a stilted conversation with that lovely blonde bombshell.
That afternoon THEMAN and MAMMAMIA won the tournament and Bobby was thrilled as he left the playing area to be met by Joanne with a bejeweled and crimson clad Isobel, who insisted on taking them all to the bar for another round of Bloody Marys. When he asked after her sick mother Isobel just shrugged and said
"She's getting old. What can I expect."
And then went on to regale them all with another of her outrageous stories which saw them all, including Bobby, giggling into his glass. Before he left he asked Isobel for another game the next day, but she said she had to go back to the hospital to visit her mother, and he was equally disappointed when Frieda turned him down as well, pleading a desperate urge for the beach to work on her tan.
So the next day he planned to take up his position at the bar and watch the others play, but Joanne had other plans. She had signed him up with WILDROVER the Scotsman called Dave, who Isobel had pointed out a few days ago. Dave was a friendly guy and Bobby was beginning to get used to playing with his teamies as real people, and he was euphoric to get into the finals. They didn't win the tourney, but he felt like a champion as they stepped through the doors this time to find Joanne, Isobel and Frieda waiting to congratulate him. Also there were RAMBLINGMAN and KINGASPADES, who both slapped him on the back as if they were old friends, and Joanne and Isobel shared a secret smile as they watched THEMAN emerge slowly from his shell.
As the second week of the convention wore on he became a familiar sight to everyone and a popular teamie. He was reasonably successful in his games and he found that the more games he won, the more people asked him to partner them. He had forgotten his early uncertainties about coming in the first place and had totally relaxed into The Wanderers. These people were just like they had been on line, and he liked them. He never told anyone at home where he was spending his afternoons, they wouldn't have understood, and maybe even some of them might have wanted to tag along. That was unthinkable. But eventually the two weeks were up and on the last day, before the Champion of Champions Tournament got underway he managed to get his cappy alone for a while. Things were pretty hectic building up to the most important game of them all. The Wanderers had three teams playing in the final tourney and everyone had assembled to watch this battle. Bobby knew that he wouldn't have a chance to speak to her alone again, so he must grab his chance now.
"I have to rush off to work early today Cappy, I can't stay for the tourney, but The Wanderers will win, don't worry."
Joanne smiled at him and asked,
"So you wont be able to stay for the party tonight?"
He shook his head regretfully,
"No Ma'am, I have to go to work."
"We'll all miss you Bobby. I'm glad you came after all. Did you enjoy it?"
He nodded emphatically, with a big grin on his face,
"Oh yes, it was so great to meet everyone, and to play with real people, and they are all just the same as when you play on-line. Will there be another convention next year?"
Joanne was astounded. That was the longest sentence she had heard him utter, and she laughed in delight.
"Well, I hope so. Will you come?"
"I sure will Cappy."
"Well it was real good to meet you Bobby." And she smiled once again as she shook his hand and then thinking better of it she gave him another motherly kiss on the cheek.
He raised his eyes to hers with his hand on the place where she had kissed him and joy shining from his eyes.
"Thanks Joanne." And she watched him as he turned and left the room in his scuffed and battered trainers and too-big jeans with the holes at the knees. With his hands thrust deep into his pockets and a slight swagger to his step trying he was THEMAN. She wondered how old he would be next year and guessed around fourteen.
Then her attention returned to the matter at hand, she had to find her three teams who were playing in this tourney and give them a pep talk. And she had to give this ugly thing in her pocket to Pete.
THE END
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