Page 50 of The Tip-Off
“I’d start there. I’ve heard great things about the new student advisor in the tutor center. I have her name here somewhere.” Dr. Rainey flips through some papers on her desk. “Ah, here it is. Her name is—”
“Blair Olson,” we say at the same time.
“You know her?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Great. I’d start there.”
“Thank you, Dr. Rainey.”
She nods. “My pleasure, Gabby. Whatever you decide, I know you’re going to do great things.”
I decide to walk back to my apartment to give myself time to think. At least I’d answered one question today – there’s no way to avoid Blair while I try and figure out what the right career path is for me.
It’s only about a half-mile from campus, but I move slowly so it takes far longer than it should. I wonder how Zeke’s interview went. What exactly do they do at an NBA interview? Ask him to define ball terms? Test his sports history knowledge? He mentioned he’d also get a chance to scrimmage with the team which sounds pretty awesome. I can just picture Zeke playing with all those big, strong NBA players. It’s where he belongs.
I’m still not sure where I belong after Valley. I thought it was being with Blair, starting our own company, and being lady bosses, but the older I get, the more I realize that I wasn’t meant to run a company. Not like Blair. Her passion and excitement for business is obvious and she’s going to be an amazing CEO someday, but I want simpler things. I want to do work that feeds my soul and I want to spend my days remembering that I lived for a reason. I want to say yes to all that life has to offer, not be stuck inside an office working insane hours. Life’s too short.
Well past eight o’clock, Zeke finally responds to my text about the playlist.
Zeke: This list is awesome.
Me: I know, right? How was the interview? Also, in what year did the Chicago Bulls win seventy-two games?
I’m holding the phone waiting for his response when it rings instead.
“Hi.”
“Hey. I’m too tired to text.” Zeke’s deep voice makes me smile, and even over the phone, I can hear the exhaustion. “What are you up to?”
“WatchingThe Bacheloretteand looking up basketball trivia.”
“Ninety-five-ninety-six season,” he responds and then yawns.
“What?”
“You asked what year the Bulls won seventy-two games.”
“Oh, right.”
“Why are you looking up basketball trivia? I didn’t know you even liked basketball.”
“I like basketball as much as any sport. Which isn’t all that much admittedly. I was thinking about your interview and then I started to wonder what types of questions they’d ask, and the next thing I knew I was watching YouTube videos of NBA records.”
“That was a great team. Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Longley, Kukoc.”
“Is it weird to think someday people are going to be talking about you that way?”
“Honestly? No. It’s the dream. It’s what I’ve worked toward my whole life. I’ve done everything I can to get myself ready for this next step, but I’ll have to keep on proving myself for a long time before people lump me in with guys like that.”
“They will, though.”
“God willing.” He yawns and I know I should let him go so he can sleep, but I missed him today, weird as that sounds.
“So today went well?”
“Yeah, it went well. The facilities are insane, coaches are great. It’s a waiting game for now until the draft lottery to see how things shake out. I’m going to Phoenix next week to meet with the Suns.”
