Biker's Virgin

"But you loved playing. Why didn't you stick it out?"

"Not worth it," he said bitterly. "I was raised for this, you know? It was coming eventually; it was just a matter of when."

"But you don't want it, do you?"

"I'm good at it. I've been doing it my whole life already. Once my dad dies, I'll have to do it, anyway," he said shrugging.

"That sucks. You should still play if it's what you want to do." He shrugged again.

"It's not a big deal. I always knew this was my future. Besides, he sort of had a point."

"How?"

"Working your way up can take years. You basically waste your youth in the minors. It's not even a sure thing."

"He's using you for free labor," I said, drinking my beer. He laughed.

"I live on the land, and all I have to do to get to work is walk out my door," he said, satisfied. I couldn't believe that he was alright with that. There was no problem with that life, but it just didn't make sense to me that he had gotten onto the team, then thrown that away.

We wanted different things, I could respect that. I honestly didn't know what I'd do if I were in his shoes.

"Would you have quit if your dad didn't need you?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. If I hadn't quit then, maybe I'd be doing it now. What about you?"

"What?"

"Your promising future in professional sports," he said, a little sarcastically. "You put down the football and picked up an assault rifle instead." I smirked.

"I didn't quit. I took a sabbatical."

"Too bad. You were good."

"Were? I still am," I said.

"I believe you. Too bad the army got you. You could have gone pro," he said. "Probably would, too. Drafted right out of college." I didn't know why he was talking like all this shit had passed me by already. I was young and uninjured, with practice I'd be able to maintain all my stats, maybe even improve them.

"I'm not retired yet," I said.

"You're gonna try go pro?"

"That was the plan this whole time. It hasn't changed."

"Good luck. If anyone deserves it, you do." I thanked him. "Bet whatever team you got on would just love that they got a vet."

"If I got through boot camp, pro training has nothing on me. I'm doing it, Don. You'll see," I said, believing my own conviction.

"And, you know what that means," he said, taking a swig of his beer.

"What?"

"Women," he announced, smirking. I grunted, taking a drink.

"I don't know, sounds like too much distraction," I said.

"Distraction? You'd say no to easy, free tail?"

"I'm not interested in that, Don."