“I’ll text you,” he says. “When you have a free day.”
“Good.” The word comes out level and carries nothing it shouldn’t. Neither of us mentions to Tomáš that this plan was already decided.
He nods. Marchetti is already pulling him sideways to take a photo with someone, and Tobík goes, the scarf swinging against his back. Tomáš claps my shoulder and drifts toward Thompson, who has begun asking him about the offside trap with the misplaced confidence of a man who has just discovered the offside rule.
The bus back to the hotel is fifteen minutes of quiet. Kovár is asleep against the window before we leave the parking lot. Novotný is FaceTiming his girlfriend at a volume that suggestsshe has not asked him to lower it. Tomáš is on his phone, scrolling something I can’t see.
The AC hits me first when I get back to the room, then the quiet. Šíma told me on the bus that he was going somewhere “with character,” which I have learned to translate as a bar I will hear about over breakfast in detail I didn’t request.
I pull the shirt over my head. The water bottle on the desk is warm but I drink it anyway. My phone has two notifications waiting. A missed call from Dad. No voicemail. Below that, the email from the club is still sitting where I left it this morning. The deadline is closer than it was at breakfast.
I stand up. I cross to the window. Somewhere out there is a man who stands in a stadium corridor being recognized by strangers, and the word “no” has apparently been removed from my operating vocabulary in his vicinity. Tomáš didn’t see it. Tomáš handed me his brother on a platter.
Recovery at nine. Weights at eleven. Walkthrough at three. The day tomorrow has shape. Somewhere inside the shape there will be a text from Tobík, and on the other end of the text there will be a Beltline I have never walked and have walked a hundred times.
BRNO'S BEST #2
Kovár
Day five of the American food study. I've found pancakes. They're different from Czech pancakes. The difference is that these are better. I'll deny this in public
Novotný
Treason
Polášek
The pancake discourse has gone too far
Šíma
The pancake discourse has not gone far enough
Kovár
the syrup is a separate issue. I have thoughts on the syrup but I am saving them
Šíma
Kovár is saving his syrup thoughts. the man has a reserve of syrup opinions he is holding back from us. I do not know whether to be grateful or concerned
HOWEVER. the pancakes will have to wait. POST-MATCH REPORT. unofficial. unsanctioned. the coaching staff did not ask for this and will not receive it
Polášek
the coaching staff is in the next room
Šíma
the coaching staff is always in the next room. this has never stopped me
item one. Kovár almost scored
Kovár
I did not almost score. I was in position. the ball chose a different path
Šíma
