Red: lynx wants me for a campaign
Joel: the elite doesnt have a look thing
Red: you know it
Joel: i know them
Of course he did. Joel had sponsors I couldn't pronounce, contracts with companies that had never looked twice at undersized centers from New Mexico. He moved through that world like he'd been born to it, and I was still trying to figure out which fork to use at team dinners.
Red: this is real money joel. endorsement money.
Joel: you deserve it
Red: i dont know what im doing. ive never done anything like this.
Joel: you show up. you stand where they tell you. you dont smile too much because it reads fake on camera.
Red: thats it?
Joel: thats most of it. the rest is waiting around while they adjust lighting for three hours.
I was typing a response when Andy's email came through. I opened the attachment and scrolled through the details. Shoot dates, location, wardrobe requirements. And then the list of athletes.
My thumb stopped moving.
Red: joel
Joel: yeah
Red: youre in this campaign
Joel: am i
Red: dont play dumb. youre on the athlete list.
Joel: i have a contract with them. didnt know who else theyd pick.
Red: and you didnt think to mention it
Joel: it didnt come up
I could picture his face. That careful blankness he wore when he was hiding something in plain sight.
Red: were going to be on set together
Joel: yes
Red: in the same room. with cameras. with other people watching.
Joel: red. breathe.
Red: im breathing
Joel: youll be fine. its just standing around looking athletic. you do that every night.
Red: thats different. thats hockey.
Joel: its the same muscles. different context.
