Old Guy Hockey

While waiting for colleagues in a hotel lobby in Montreal, I overheard a man and woman conversing with his aunt and cousin. They discussed being snowbirds in Florida and lamented that they could not drive down two years prior because of a major house expense, specifically finding a major crack in the foundation. They decided it was better, and more financially prudent, not to go Florida that year. Peter rationalized that while they would not be able to escape the snow and cold, he could rejoin his hockey team in an over 65-year-old league. He told the three women gathered around him that he had forgotten how much he enjoyed playing hockey, and the following year, he declined going south again so that he could play yet another hockey season. He was looking forward to doing the same again this coming year.

When the four were saying their goodbyes, and I was still waiting for colleagues, I volunteered to take the photograph so that I could have a chance to meet the senior hockey player. Peter told me he was 71 and had two teammates in their 80s. After we took photos I asked if he would mine a photo with me so that I could send my buddy a photo. The love of hockey gave us a mechanism through which we could meet, have a chat, shake hands, share photos and stories, and have a photo taken we could share with our own community. It was a way for us to overcome our initial reluctance, very prevalent in adult males, to talk to each other and make friends – even if only temporarily. His cousin told me that I had made his day; of course, he made mine as well. A story to share with my friends at a game in the future.

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