Page 16 of While You Were Trending

BROTHERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PUCKS

Declan

“Dude,I saw your socials this morning. I can’t believe you drove a fucking Zamboni,” Alex says over the phone as I head toward the event building on the winery property.

He called as I was walking out of the main house. It’s like he knows I’m with Ginny.

And that I’m getting pissed that something’s up here that I can’t figure out.

It’s more than wine. I caught on to whispers with the staff at the wedding yesterday, but I didn’t suspect it would’ve involved Ginny beyond whatever capacity she was needed in for wedding stuff.

Now, though?

Now, I want to know what the hell’s going on.

Without telling Alex where I am, who I’m with, or why I’m worried.

When it’s none of my business.

After that show Eddie put on in the kitchen, I’m sure as hell not asking her what she thinks. And I’m glad she’s clearing outto let my director-slash-cameraperson and me handle filming on our own.

It’s a low-budget production.

The lowest of low-budget productions.

But it’s a stepping stone.

“If you want to drive the Zamboni, all you have to do is ask,” I tell Alex.

He laughs. “Yeah, we’re all taking turns driving the Zamboni after morning skate. Sure.”

“Afternoon game today?”

“Plowing through Copper Valley this afternoon.”

“Give my regards to their mascots.”

He laughs. “I’m gonna give them and their mascots all a big L today.”

“Your ass on the rebound?” He pulled a glute and was out for a few games. Looked good two nights ago though. You can take the hockey player off the ice, but you can’t take the love of the game out of the hockey player.

“My ass is fine as hell. Want a pic?”

“Foxy Goes There, ass-rater edition.”

He snickers.

When I retired from hockey, I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do. I’d intended to play for ten more years, but my option came up while I was out with an injury, no teams wanted me, and I eventually had to face that retirement was the only thing that made sense.

The amateur documentarian thing happened by accident.

I got an invitation to shadow my dentist for a day after getting my permanent teeth, so I recorded the whole thing, tongue-in-cheek, and posted a video of the highlights to my socials.

That was followed by an invitation to be a mascot for a day, which I also recorded, and everything exploded when I posted that video.

What began with me documenting my post-hockey life as I took a road trip around the country with my dog, looking for what I’m supposed to do now, has turned into a social media influencer job with nearly three million followers across my channels.

“Saw Foxy went viral again last week,” Alex says. “But don’t tell me that’s the best you could’ve done as a rodeo clown.”