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Xander’s Dilemma – 2
“Xander,” called his father, “come over here.”
Xander looked directly at his father. He did not want to give away the trick by looking to the bushes where Galen was hiding. He walked through the maze of tables where grownups got together and tried their best to bore each other.
“Hi dad, I was just playing with Galen.”
“Did you forget bout the pre-nuptial meeting I told you to be ready for?”
Oh no, he was supposed to look up that word and then be ready for something.
“Well sweetie,” said his mother. She walked over to Xander and straightened his hair out. “Didn’t you want to look nice for whoever we decide you’re going to marry?”
“Apparently, our son forgot about the meeting,” said his father.
“Xander,” said his mother before she just finished with a sigh.
“Son, put down those balls.”
Xander had forgotten all about this stupid meeting and now his mother was going to try and get him promised to be married. He needed to go somewhere. First he needed to get rid of the balls before he got into trouble.
“Blue,” he said.
The red ball flew over to the table with Galen’s parents. Oh no, the trick.
“Uh, yellow,” said Xander.
The blue ball flew over to the other table.
“Xander, what is going on?”
Xander’s mother stood up and knocker her chair over. Parents started coming around and looking at him.
Adults were making all kinds of noises. Galen’s parents were coming over.
“Halt,” cried the Mayor. The old man stoked his beard as all the balls flew down. The mayor ran over and touched the hair of Xander. “He is not using the balls. Who is using the power?”
“Um, we were just playing a trick,” said Galen. She looked down at her feet.
“Well,” said the Mayor.
“It was my idea,” said Xander. He could not let Galen get in trouble. “She just wanted to tell me first and I thought,”
“Enough,” interrupted his father.
“Different powers,” said the Mayor while he touched both Xander’s and Galen’s hair. “Unrelated, compatible, and what’s this?”. The mayor furrowed his brow. “Wow, this union has a future to lead to greatness.”
The mayor turned to all of the parents, “we have our first approved union upon completed schooling.”
All of the parents started cheering. Xander’s dad put his arm around Xander. Xander’s mom hugged him. Galen’s parents ran over and hugged her. Her mom was crying. Xander and Galen looked at each other and wondered what just happened.
Traveling Man
This week’s challenge from Chuck Wendig is about traveling. Since I am feeling like a bit of a non-conformist, I did a little bit of word equivocation here and changed the topic completely. 
“Jesus man,” said Keith, “you could have gone to college.”
“I did go to college you douchebag,” said Derek. He took a swig of beer. It was probably what was on sale. Derek tended to settle for cheap.
“A real college,” said Keith.
“Will you two give this up already?” asked Tim. The two men glared at him. The routine of having the same argument had become too familiar to be interrupted. “Look, we all get it.”
“It’s not about getting it, it’s about learning,” said Keith. Keith picked up his glass of scotch and swirled it around without taking a sip. “That’s the whole reason you will let this opportunity go by, because you never learned the lesson about traveling.”
“What the hell would you know about learning,” asked Derek.
Tim rolled his eyes. “At least the conversation is a little different,” he muttered aloud though no one would listen.
He walked up to the bar and grabbed his beer and watch the fallout of this argument. He would be damned if he would get between the two of them if they started throwing punches again.
“I learned that I sucked at some things and that I needed to focus on things I was good at,” said Keith.
“Good job buddy, I mean really. We are all so proud of you.” Derek turned to Tim. “Tim, please stop everything in your life and congratulate Keith on learning that he sucks at things.”
“Come on,” said Tim. “Derek, just admit you have principles. You would not go to the left because you needed a third step and it was traveling even if it was not called. Keith, you say how he could have been great and was afraid to.”
“No, this is important,” said Keith. “This deal is about exploiting a loophole.” We could both be rich and be great by each using skills we both have.”
“I was not afraid to be great,” said Derek. “I love basketball. I did not care if the refs stopped calling traveling. I wanted to keep playing the right way. If that cost me, then so be it.”
“It was one step! The had to change the rules when the money started coming from poor communities. The new fans couldn’t understand things like defenses,” said Keith finally taking a drink of scotch.”
“I wasn’t playing for them,” said Derek.
“Look Derek, said Tim, “Keith is happy. He is not a risk taker. He is in a stable job, has a stable marriage, and is over not getting a college scholarship.”
“No I’m not,” said Derek into his beer.
“What?” said Tim and Keith together.
“My job has been a dead end, my wife cancelled our date night to join a civic club, and I think about having the free ride to college every night.” Derek drained his beer.
“I’m sorry man,” said Keith.
“No,” said Derek. “You are right. I should have travelled.”
He slammed his beer glass down. He waved the bartender over and asked for Polish lager.
“Are you okay?” asked Tim. Derek, never went after top shelf.
“I accept,” said Derek. “Monday I will quit. If Elisabeth wants to know what I’m doing she can ask when she notices.”
