Common Goal

There was some quiet laughter, but he could see the shocked confusion on his teammates’ faces. Did they really think he would play forever? “Come on, boys,” he joked. “I’m forty-one. You had to see this coming.”There was silence, and then someone—Prentice, it sounded like—said, “You’re only forty-one?”Everyone laughed, and that opened the floodgates.“I thought you were at least sixty.”“Goalies didn’t even wear masks when you were a rookie.”“My grandpa grew up watching you.”Eric shook his head. “Fuck all of you. I can’t wait to never see you again.”