Martin Duguay
On Ice
To some it’s just a beer league for players past their prime. For old-timers like me, one last chance at glory. I skate up from the blue line, get a perfect pass and unload a low shot inside the goal post, stick side.
After the final buzzer and whistle blare, the handful of spectators who stayed till the end scatter. We make our way to the locker room. The stench of sweat and damp gear fill the air, along with cheers and banter. I take it all in, especially my linemate’s play-by-play analysis of the last goal I’ll ever score.
hockey skates dangle
from a nail . . .
winter stars
About the Author
Martin Duguay teaches at the Department of English Language Education, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea. Whenever he can, he enjoys exploring the countryside on his bicycle.
Love the title and accompanying haiku. The hardest part is the letting go.
Thank you! Indeed, letting go is the hardest part. My hockey gear is still in the basement although I last played six years ago.
I didn’t play hockey, but I did ice-skate on the pond back in Michigan. I remember my skates hanging by a nail in the basement. Thanks for the memory!
I’m glad it brought back memories for you. We also hung our skates on nails in the basement. I think I might still have an old pair of skates hanging in my parents’ basement!