Sunset Cove. Rookie School

Chapter 3 The Guys Go Shopping

There was a knock on Conner’s door. It was Devin.

“Hey. What’s up man?” asked Conner waving him in.

Ac/D blared from the speakers. He walked over and turned the stereo down. “I just came by to talk to you about going to rent a tux. You know I’m not from around here. So I really would have no idea where to go. Unless you’ve already gotten one?” Devin asked.

Sure I was just on my way out the door. I was going to stop by and see if Shawn might want to go.

“Sound good to me”. Devin replied.

“Maybe on the way back we can stop off at “Sharkey’s” on our way back for a couple of beers and some burgers.”

“Okay.” Conner replied. Closing the door. “Let’s go track him down and drag him along with us. Did they tell you about the captain of the teams?”

“Yeah.” Johnathon came by this morning to let me know. “It’s great but absolutely wild. I never thought I could even come close to qualifying for something like that.”

“John came by earlier too. Seems like it’s you, me, and Shawn”. Conner replied.

When the guys arrived at Shawn’s he was reading the rule book. “Sunset Cove’s” book on lifeguards. They went over their plans and Shawn was all in.

As the guys walked out into the bright sunny daylight the warm wind blew across their face.

“God. It’s good to be here.” Shawn said, “To be completely truthful I hadn’t a clue what I was going to do after graduation.”

“I know I feel the same way.” Devin replied. “I’m not sure how I was one of the one’s chosen, but up here I’m living my dream.”

“Me too. The ocean waves beating against my body, the beautiful girls everywhere, and the moonlit nights. Can you think of a better way to spend the day? We’re even getting paid to do exactly what we love to do. Swim and save people’s lives. Just take the time to really look around you at rookie school and you will find we all love it. There is like this fire in the eyes and everyone there is burning up”.

Conner said laughing and putting his arms around Devin and Shawn’s shoulders. “We’re going to be good friends I can feel it.”

“We almost have to be. We’re team leaders and every now and again we’ll need each other’s help for something. Am I right?” Shawn asked.

After they were fitted and they picked up their tuxes and headed on over to Sharkey’s. The hostess seated them and took their drink orders. They ordered a pitcher and three glasses. No one was hardly ever carded down here. They were a way of life. Every summer a group of intern lifeguards come through. Their jobs are hard enough without them being carded for what they want to drink. Most every owner felt the same way if you are old enough to fight the waves and risk your life to save theirs your old enough to-do pretty much whatever you the hell you want.

Sharkey’s wasn’t 5star. It kind of reminds you of the burger places you have back home. Not the chains but like the ma and pop types. Except is was shaped like a big hut. I guess in our world they would call it a cabana. It had straw on top of the roof and on the floor. It had that whole ocean feel to it. One wall was an aquarium full of special tropical fish.

The guys opened a menu to see what they wanted to order. The place was packed with wall to wall people and the Beach Boys were coming out of the jukebox loud as it could be singing Kokomo. By the time the waitress arrived to take their order they needed her to bring them another pitcher of beer. This time they drank a little slower so that they would still have some to drink with their food. After they ate it was around, 4:00p.m. Time to get back take showers and get ready for the ball that night.

On the way back they chattered like girls would. “You guys got your sights set on anyone to share the summer days and nights with”? Devin asked.

“Well I kind of has my eyes set on Bridget.” Shawn replied sheepishly.

Conner and Devin’s mouths kind of dropped open. “The boss,” they both said at the same time.

“Yeah. Why not? That is why I was reading the rule book earlier to make sure before tonight that there are no regulations I’m breaking or she’s breaking if I decide to go through with all this!”

“Boy, Conner said, “You must like her if you’ve thought it out this far then you are serious. Well don’t keep us dangling on the edge of our seats, now. What did you find out?”

“No rules to break since we’re both leadership. We can do as we chose and see fit. So I think I might just go for it. Ask her for a slow dance the champagne should wet the mood. It’ll be perfect.”

“You’re a brave man Shawn. I wish I had a set as big as yours. No, no, no. You don’t know me well yet but I’m just giving you a hard time. It’s the way people who do know me know whether or not I like them. If I don’t give you a hard time then you’re not even on the

List of want to bees.”

“Who are the want to bees’?” Devin asked.

“The ones I want to make my friends”. Conner replied back.

“Anyone else got their sights on anyone”? Shawn asked.

“I do”, Conner said, “But, I don’t want to jinx it”.

Devin kept thinking don’t let it be who I like. Please don’t let it be her. She’s so beautiful and he wanted her so badly. He could almost taste her mouth covering his. He wanted to talk to her, kiss her, and to feel her body against his. His goal was to start immediately. The only problem he had was he didn’t know how. He was a small town hick from nowhere. How do you get such a glamorous, pretty, and educated to notice someone like me? If he could figure out how to do this he’d be home free.

“Earth to Devin. Earth to Devin. Anyone in there?” Shawn asked. “You look as if you are in deep thought. So what’s up with you?”

“Just thinking about rookie school. It starts Monday. Is anyone as nervous as I am? It’s going to be hard work. They’re going to expect more out of us. With us being part of the leadership team”. Devin replied nervously.

“Hey, there is no reason to worry. We were picked because of our records. If they didn’t think we were 100% capable they wouldn’t have chosen us. Right? I’m right! So we’re going to have fun. You just go out there and do what you do best. The rest of it will work itself out along the way. We all knew this would be hard work when they offered it to us, but we jumped on a plane and here we are if you ask me the plane was the hardest thing to board. Once I done that I decided at that moment this is what I have to do. If for no one else but myself.” Conner replied back.

“Yeah, we’re going to be just fine. If we all stick together. We’ll have fun in the sun, we will work hard, enjoy a summer fling and at the end we will all have jobs if we want them. That’s my plan anyway stay on as a “Sunset Cove” lifeguard. Is this yawls goal?”

“Yes,” they said in unison. Then here’s to a lasting partnership. They clinked their beer glasses together one last time. Finished up and decided it was about time to get back. They had just enough time to shower, shave, and get into their tuxes.

They were all three excited about tonight.