Chapter Ten: Chess

“…have reached Bianca and Calla. Unless you’re an axe murderer, in which case, we won’t call you back, leave a message at the BEEP.”

I checked the time on the clock on the stove. It was just past twelve. I looked at my phone display. Calla had called at half past eleven. She could have gone out to lunch, or she was in the shower, I might have just missed her.

“Hi, yeah, uh, this is Diggory Franklin, just returning your call.” I had no idea what to say. “Sorry I missed you… Call me back.”

Smooth, Digger, really smooth. If the romantic words I chose don’t convince her to call me, I’m sure it will be because of the irresistible sound of my stuttering voice. Why did this girl make me feel like I was twelve?

I hung up the phone and headed off for my workout. After all, that was all I really had planned for the day. A light lunch and then there were files to go over. My life as a lawyer. Yay, me.

I took my frustration out on the weights, pushing my maximum and grinding my teeth. I slammed my arms up on the bench press, making the metal plates of my weight machine clang and rattle. Back and forth, up and down, I pushed myself hard. I made my muscles ache and asked for more. I had to get this out of my head, be a man about it. She was just some weird girl.

Eventually lactic acid made me quit. I took a long, hot shower and just let the water beat down on me like a rainstorm, drowning out thought. I took my paperwork into the living room and went over files meticulously. I worked at it, single-minded.

Okay, I lied. I glanced at the phone an average of twice every five minutes, willing her to call. I felt like an ass.

“Screw it.” I threw down my pen and stormed away from the papers, heading off to my bedroom. I started looking for clothes. I got rid of my dirty t-shirt and shorts, opting for slacks and a nice sweater. I marched back into the living room and found my wallet. I locked up and rode the elevator down.

“No way am I just sitting around, waiting for some chick to call,” I muttered under my breath, thinking that this was the same advice Matt would give. Not that I wanted to talk to him right now, either. It was more just a need to get moving, and not be a wuss.

I hailed a cab and had it take me downtown. I window-shopped, mostly just walking around and occasionally looking into a store so it seemed like I had a reason to be there. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, more just wanting to find something that might take my mind off this problem.

A problem that shouldn’t even have been a problem! I hardly knew Calla, and she hadn’t been part of my life two days ago. I hadn’t known she existed. Now, she was all I could think about, and for no good reason! I scoffed out loud.

“Bullshit!”

“What’s that?” An elderly gentleman said. He was sitting at a café table, enjoying a cup of something hot. It smelled like tea. There was a chess set on the table.

“Oh, pardon me, sir! I wasn’t speaking to you.”

“Talking to yourself? Never a good sign. Something the matter?”

“Nothing. That’s what’s the matter. I’m mad about nothing.” I laughed at myself.

The older gentleman raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow. Would you like to sit down and have a cup of tea? Maybe that would help.”

I shook my hand in the air. “No, no, that’s okay. You don’t want to hear about it, anyway.”

“Well, suit yourself.” He shrugged, and turned towards the chess game.

“Are you playing yourself?” I asked.

“No. My friend and I enjoy a good game, now and then.”

I stared at the empty chair across from him, wondering if he was senile. Then I had a more obvious solution. “Is your friend inside?”

“No.”

I wrinkled my forehead. “You know that’s an empty chair, right?”

The old man laughed. “Of course. My friend lives in Boston, we play chess by mail. I like to sit with a nice tea and think about my next move.”

“Isn’t that slow? Haven’t you heard of the Internet?”

“Of course. But I really don’t want to bother with it. Sometimes tradition is nice. Faster doesn’t always mean better. And besides, this gives me more time to think. He’s a very good chess player.”

“My grandfather taught me to play ages ago. I remember it as a challenging game. I haven’t had time to for it in ages though.”

“Would you like to play?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to interrupt you and your friend,” I grinned. “And I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No bother. After all, his move is on paper, and I can get back to him anytime I like. Sit down.”

On the spur of the moment, I decided to sit. I pulled up to the table, and we set up the board.

“What’s your name, son?”

“I’m Diggory. Diggory Franklin.” We shook hands.

“I’m Hank Wilson. Good to meet you. Diggory, eh? That’s a name I haven’t heard in years.”

“Yeah, that was my mother’s idea. She read it in a book once.”

We started the game, moving pawns about.

“Do you happen to know which book?”

“Not really,” I said, moving a knight into play. “I don’t read much.”

He grunted. “No time for chess, you don’t read, you prefer the Internet to letters. Sounds like you live a busy life.”

“Well, I guess. I’m a lawyer, I put in a lot of hours.”

“A lawyer? Your parents must be very proud.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I’m sure they are.”

Hank appraised me from across the board. “So, is that the trouble you were complaining about?”

“My parents? No. Furthest thing from my mind.”

“Ah, then it’s a woman.” Hank tapped his temple. “I knew it.”

“What makes you say that?”

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