He Needed His Friend, Not a Comeback Speech
Brian Armer
Ellis waited until the others had left before he started unwinding his hand wraps. Marco was halfway to the door when he noticed. He put his bag down.
“Go on,” Ellis said. “I’ll catch up.”
Marco looked at the loose wrap trailing over his friend’s knee, then at the gloves still on the floor. He pulled a chair over and sat down. Ellis stared at his hand. The skin across a knuckle had rubbed open during the session. Practice was finished, and he was taking care of it before heading home. Getting the wrap off required more patience than he had left.
It was his first practice back in weeks. Work had kept him away, but he had finally made room for the gym again. He had pictured the old combinations coming easily. They hadn’t. He had reset his feet, tried again and worked through each round. Now he wanted a few quiet minutes, not an assessment of his comeback.
“Don’t,” he said.
Marco stopped reaching for his water bottle. “Don’t what?”
“Tell me it’s all part of the journey.”
Marco considered this. “I was going to ask if you wanted the rest of my sandwich.” Ellis looked over. “What kind?”
“Chicken.”
“Then yes.”
Marco found the wrapped half in his bag and set it on the chair between them. Then he waited while Ellis finished freeing his hand and gave the raw skin the care it needed. He didn’t keep checking the clock. He didn’t ask when Ellis would be back.
For a while, they listened to the coach moving equipment in the next room. Ellis finally picked up the sandwich with his other hand. “I used to be better than this.” Marco leaned back in his chair. “You used to steal the whole sandwich.”
Ellis laughed, briefly, before looking down again. “I mean it.”
“I know.” Marco stayed quiet. Ellis took a bite. There was nothing he had to answer, nothing he had to promise about next week.
When they were ready to leave, Marco gathered both sets of gloves. Ellis stood and reached for his bag. “Sorry you had to hang around.”
Marco looked at him. “You drove across town to help me move a couch that didn’t fit through the door.”
“You said it would fit.”
“It almost fit.” Ellis shook his head, smiling now. Marco held the gym door open. “Come on. I owe you at least half a sandwich and a chair.” Ellis walked out beside him, still smiling about the couch.
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