Pre-season Uncertainty

[der meister 2,937]

               Ryuji Sakamoto sits next to me, happily slurping away at a bowl of ramen. A lot can be said of the Istanbul Red Wolves highly-touted defenseman, both good and bad, but one thing no one can deny is that the boy loves his ramen. We're inside Miyabi Sushi for the second time this week, and it's only Tuesday. The food is expensive, but it's popular even with the Japanese immigrants, which only lends to its claims of authenticity. I have to admit surprise at just how many Japanese restaurants are in the Turkish city, and I'm fairly certain that Sakamoto intends to try them all.

 

               He leans back in his stool and lets out a contented sigh, patting his taut belly. I give him a few moments to revel in the aftertaste. "So, Ryuji," I ask, stirring the remnants of noodles in my own bowl with my chopsticks, "your first game in the VHLE is this week. How are you feeling about that? What are your expectations?"

              

               Sakamoto glowers at me before scratching his head sheepishly. "C'mon, man! Let me enjoy my food before we talk about work again!"

              

               I let out a little laugh; I've spent enough time with Ryuji to know that he's complaining just for the sake of complaining. "You finished eating two minutes ago," I reply, masking my voice in mock severity. "Now get back to work!"

 

               Sakamoto's eyes go wide and he raises his hands defensively. "Okay, okay. Just calm down, man!" Then he notices the grin on my face and laughs nervously, lowing his hands. "You had me going for a minute there."

 

               I grab my mug of tea and clink it against his glass. "Just a joke, Ryuji," I assure him, using informality to emphasize the point. "But I am curious about your expectations, or how your interactions with your new coach have gone so far."

 

               "Coach seems like a solid dude," Sakamoto responds. His voice sounds distant, and he's not meeting my eyes; instead, he is staring at a space beyond his empty ramen bowl. "He already told me I'm on the top pair and on special teams."

 

               "That's impressive!" I assure him. "Well done!"

 

               "What if I don't deserve it, though?" Sakamoto continues, fidgeting with a chopstick. "What if I let these guys down? This is only my second year of hockey, man. Last year was easy, but now I'm in a new league, in a new city. Yeah, some of the guys from last year are here too, but some of these other guys are like five years older than me, man. Like, for real? What if I suck? Some reporter guy said we have one of the top defenses in the league, and the coaches here expect me to deliver on that hype."

 

               I think back on the early morning training sessions, the seemingly endless loops around the gym, the fire and passion on display every shift for Mexico City last season. I've been doing this for a long time. Sakamoto's energy and determination are amongst the strongest I've ever seen. I motion the waitress over. "Two orders of purin," I say to the waitress. "My friend and I are celebrating today. My treat."

 

               Ryuji's head whips up at my words. "Purin?" he repeats. "For real?"

 

               A few minutes later, the waitress returns with a pair of rich caramel desserts, served with a small clot of cream and a cherry on top. Sakamoto gives me a suspicious look, but I answer before he can even get started. "Last season, you worked harder than 99% of the players I've seen in the VHLM. All of that work paid off when you were drafted in the first round to Istanbul and Toronto. Keep working hard, prove them right, and prove all the teams that passed you by wrong."

 

               Sakamoto grins. Spite is one of his biggest motivators. "You know what, man?" Sakamoto says, slicing into the purin with his spoon, "we're gonna do some special things this year for this city. And when we win the league title, you and me are gonna go restaurant hopping and get a different dessert at each one. My treat."

 

 

Recipe link: https://www.thespruceeats.com/custard-pudding-recipes-2031113