fun.”
“I told you before—I’m not into pain. Not mine, anyway. Yours I can deal with.”
“Why do you do stunt work then? There’s so much potential for accidents and injury.”
“That’s why I’m good at my job. I do the maximum preparation to avoid risks. You always see those clips of fiery stunts gone wrong, but you never see the hundreds of times that things go right—except in the actual movie.”
“All right. I guess I’m meeting you there, right?”
“Yup. Give me the address.” I found it on my phone and showed it to her. She pulled on her helmet and fastened the straps.
“Aren’t you ever going to ride with me?” Although who in their right minds would ride in a Toyota truck instead of the world’s coolest motorcycle?
“Sure. When you get the training wheels off.”
She roared off. Bomber was getting into his Porsche, but he watched her leave longingly. I knew that feeling well.
12
Fear of Heights
I swallowed and looked down through the deep canyon to the river below. Way, way below. My sphincter clenched.
Josie was leaning over the side of the rope bridge and pointing. “Look! I think I can see a hawk soaring over there.”
“Let’s keep going,” I suggested. There were more people coming and the suspension bridge was beginning to sway. It was a family and the kids were jumping and trying to rock the bridge.
She turned to stare and then giggled. “You know, for someone so big and strong—you sure seem to have a lot of fears.”
I ignored that and walked swiftly to the other side. Once I was on solid ground I felt better.
“Lots of people don’t like heights.” No guy wanted his girlfriend to think he was a wimp. But Josie was so fearless, I was never going to play the hero in her life. She was still laughing at me.
“This is one of the secrets that Vancouverites know,” Josie bragged. “Tourists pay tons to cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge, while this one is free.”
“I do appreciate having my own tour guide.” I grabbed her hand and kissed her on the top of her ball cap. Josie looked so cute in her hiking outfit: shirt, tank, shorts, daypack, and hiking boots. And miles of tanned leg showing.
“And I have more good news, I can route our hike so that we don’t have to cross that bridge on the way back.”
“I wasn’t that scared,” I protested. Truth be told, I was a little edgy already.
After hiking for an hour, we broke for lunch. We sat on a rock in the fall sunshine. I took out the sandwiches I had made, and Josie brought out drinks.
“Even your sprouted monstrosities taste good up here,” Josie said. But she ate her whole sandwich. We ate most of our lunch in silence.
“Something bothering you?” Josie asked.
I nodded. “My tryout with the Vice starts tomorrow. I’m kind of nervous.”
“Why? You’re in great shape now, aren’t you?”
“The best ever. Tony has been amazing.” I’d thanked him yesterday, and we had one last talk about psychology and maintaining the right attitude during my tryout camp. And we’d agreed to stay in touch during the season—wherever I ended up.
“Then why sweat it?” Josie gave a casual shrug and then lay down, closing her eyes and basking in the sunlight.
Did she not get this? It was only going to be the most important two weeks of my life. If I made the Vice, I could still get a crack at the NHL. “It’s a huge deal. I mean, everything I’ve done for the past two years—getting straight, playing in Switzerland, training with Tony—it’s all been for this.”
Josie opened her eyes. “It’s not life or death, Ricky. What happens if you don’t make the team?”
“I don’t know. I try not to think about that possibility.” I wanted to remain positive, and not even consider failure.
She sat up. “But imagining the worst can make you feel more relaxed. When I’m working, I spend a ton of time envisioning all the bad outcomes and how I would react to them. Then I put aside my
“I told you before—I’m not into pain. Not mine, anyway. Yours I can deal with.”
“Why do you do stunt work then? There’s so much potential for accidents and injury.”
“That’s why I’m good at my job. I do the maximum preparation to avoid risks. You always see those clips of fiery stunts gone wrong, but you never see the hundreds of times that things go right—except in the actual movie.”
“All right. I guess I’m meeting you there, right?”
“Yup. Give me the address.” I found it on my phone and showed it to her. She pulled on her helmet and fastened the straps.
“Aren’t you ever going to ride with me?” Although who in their right minds would ride in a Toyota truck instead of the world’s coolest motorcycle?
“Sure. When you get the training wheels off.”
She roared off. Bomber was getting into his Porsche, but he watched her leave longingly. I knew that feeling well.
12
Fear of Heights
I swallowed and looked down through the deep canyon to the river below. Way, way below. My sphincter clenched.
Josie was leaning over the side of the rope bridge and pointing. “Look! I think I can see a hawk soaring over there.”
“Let’s keep going,” I suggested. There were more people coming and the suspension bridge was beginning to sway. It was a family and the kids were jumping and trying to rock the bridge.
She turned to stare and then giggled. “You know, for someone so big and strong—you sure seem to have a lot of fears.”
I ignored that and walked swiftly to the other side. Once I was on solid ground I felt better.
“Lots of people don’t like heights.” No guy wanted his girlfriend to think he was a wimp. But Josie was so fearless, I was never going to play the hero in her life. She was still laughing at me.
“This is one of the secrets that Vancouverites know,” Josie bragged. “Tourists pay tons to cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge, while this one is free.”
“I do appreciate having my own tour guide.” I grabbed her hand and kissed her on the top of her ball cap. Josie looked so cute in her hiking outfit: shirt, tank, shorts, daypack, and hiking boots. And miles of tanned leg showing.
“And I have more good news, I can route our hike so that we don’t have to cross that bridge on the way back.”
“I wasn’t that scared,” I protested. Truth be told, I was a little edgy already.
After hiking for an hour, we broke for lunch. We sat on a rock in the fall sunshine. I took out the sandwiches I had made, and Josie brought out drinks.
“Even your sprouted monstrosities taste good up here,” Josie said. But she ate her whole sandwich. We ate most of our lunch in silence.
“Something bothering you?” Josie asked.
I nodded. “My tryout with the Vice starts tomorrow. I’m kind of nervous.”
“Why? You’re in great shape now, aren’t you?”
“The best ever. Tony has been amazing.” I’d thanked him yesterday, and we had one last talk about psychology and maintaining the right attitude during my tryout camp. And we’d agreed to stay in touch during the season—wherever I ended up.
“Then why sweat it?” Josie gave a casual shrug and then lay down, closing her eyes and basking in the sunlight.
Did she not get this? It was only going to be the most important two weeks of my life. If I made the Vice, I could still get a crack at the NHL. “It’s a huge deal. I mean, everything I’ve done for the past two years—getting straight, playing in Switzerland, training with Tony—it’s all been for this.”
Josie opened her eyes. “It’s not life or death, Ricky. What happens if you don’t make the team?”
“I don’t know. I try not to think about that possibility.” I wanted to remain positive, and not even consider failure.
She sat up. “But imagining the worst can make you feel more relaxed. When I’m working, I spend a ton of time envisioning all the bad outcomes and how I would react to them. Then I put aside my
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