Monday Memories: Dirk on Ice

So, this morning started like most mornings.  The snooze alarm went off about 14 times before we crawled out of the bed.  Dirk stumbled off to the shower to get ready for work while I started the coffee and breakfast.  It’s a good life we have.

As he was leaving, and giving his goodbye kisses, Dirk mentioned casually that he had put his hockey gear into the washing machine.  (He’s a peach this one).  I thanked him for this, as I do not relish digging into what I consider to be a nuclear waste bin (AKA hockey gear bag) for these items.

My current job as Haus Frau involves me doing the laundry, keeping the apartment tidy, grocery shopping, and cooking, etc.  These jobs keep me busy, and I really like this new job quite a bit.(Even though it includes washing the dreaded hockey gear).  The job involves caring for people(the people I love) but no one will die if I wash the whites with a pink sock. We will just look festive and bright. In my previous job, as an ER nurse, if I made an error, someone could possibly die.  And the smells were much worse than a hockey bag, much worse).

So, my washing duties today made me think of hockey.  The game is so exciting, and they do it all on skates, amazing. When I was younger, my fantasy man was always a hockey player.  Well, that or a Fireman, or better yet, he would be a hockey playing fireman.  But, I digress.

When my husband and I met online, we spent over a year talking before we actually met in person.(You can read about that here.)  We had over a year to really get to know each other, and talk. He let me know early on in the conversations that he also loves hockey and he just so happens to play hockey.  This definitely endeared him to me  .

(Dirk in his gear)

So, my washing duties reminded of the first time I saw Dirk play hockey.  This memory came back to me as I was pouring the detergent and fabric softener into the washing machine(and I got a whiff of the nuclear waste that was brewing in the machine).  I should also mention that Dirk plays hockey once a week, on a Tuesday.  Today is now Friday, and it has just occurred to him that he should have his gear washed.  Again, I digress.

The first time I saw Dirk play was so wonderful.  He had a really good game that night, and only a few pucks got past him into the goal.  I stood on the side of the rink, like some kind of hockey groupie(Is that a thing?) waiting for him to come off the ice.  He looked so handsome in his gear, and I was smiling from ear to ear as he walked up to me.  I felt like the luckiest woman in the world to have such a handsome and talented man in my life.

Then, he  leaned down slowly to kiss me…..it was going to be a kiss like in a movie, so romantic and sweet.  But it wasn’t. It wasn’t sweet at all, It was sweat. The funky smell of sweat, dirty hockey gear, and unwashed human washed over me, and I felt the vomit rise in the back of my throat. I was unprepared for the smell and Dirk kissed me quickly before I could throw up all over the rink.  I backed away, horrified by the reek that was pouring off of him. How could someone look so good and smell so bad??

The look on my face must have said it all.  He smiled his big gorgeous smile and headed off to the showers.

And he just laughed and laughed, like he always does.

I made sure to switch the laundry cycle to Heavy Duty, and added a little extra detergent before pushing the start button.