The Chess Match: Part 1

Many years ago I took to writing as a way of relaxing.  I am not sure why it relaxes me so much.  Especially because I’m never really satisfied with what I wrote.  But for some reason I get a real joy out of doing it.  The following is the first part of a story I wrote about a chess match that I played in during my sophomore year of high school.  I have wanted to put the story down on paper for years but never liked any of the resulting texts.  About two years ago I dermined to put it down in written form and after several days working in spare moments I came up with the following.  I still find errors in it but am pleased with the overall text.  I will post it in sections until the story is complete.  So without further delay:

 

 

The Chess Match:  Part 1

 

I am not sure why some events are burned into our memories but this one stuck in mine because it seemed like a David and Goliath story.  Only, my goliath was a gorgeous 4ft 10in brunette.  “Goliath’s” name was Lisa Fridell.  She was a smart attractive brunette in the tenth grade in Central High School.  We had never met before our meeting at the CHS chess club championship match the fall of 1981.  A couple of years later we would develop a crush on each other… unfortunately our crushes on each other never overlapped.  I don’t know if she had heard of me before that match but, boy, had I heard of her.  I had heard enough to make me sick but that is getting ahead of myself.

 

It was a warm sunny day with a slight wind, the kind of day where it was hard to find a problem, even if you went looking for one.  Tony and I sauntered out to the bus stop.   It was the same every day.  Get out at 3:00pm wait in front of the gym until 3:15pm when Mr. Atkinson would pull up bus no. 17.  Thump! went our backpacks as we dropped them on the ground and waited.

 

“On the road again..” Tony began to sing the Willie Nelson hit.  “I just can’t wait to get on the road again…”

 

I smiled.  “You know Tony, for some reason I don’t even seem to mind the country music today.  It is a good day.”

 

“Yeh” he said.  “Its good to get home.  What are you going to do this weekend?”

 

“Oh, I don’t know.  I just want to relax after the week I’ve had.”

 

“It’s been bad?” Tony asked.  I couldn’t believe he asked such a stupid question.

 

“Oh be serious!” I said.  “You know… the chess match……, Lisa Fridell and all that mess.  Surely you couldn’t have forgotten about that!?”

 

Tony smiled and was just about to say something when I blurted out, “Oh man!  I can’t believe that I’ve forgotten!  See you!”  I shouted as I grabbed my bag and ran for the library.

 

I was nervous but…  I am sorry.  I really am getting ahead of myself.