making new friends

 Kevin was thrilled to see Tony at the basketball court. They'd had a chilly start on their Black Friday game with some older dudes (well, they said they were just young dads) at the nearby apartment complex, but they'd warmed up and Kevin was happy to play ball with his new co-worker friend Tony from the grocery store.

Although Tony was older he made Kevin feel he was his older brother (something he'd never had since he was the youngest at home). After all, he was showing Tony the ropes at the grocery store. Tony was the cart boy at the moment (he had another job at the computer repair place and was going to the university) and Kevin did feel sorry for him. So he helped him when he could. Still, Tony managed well in the cold just in a tracksuit and an extra hoodie along with a scarf and beanie.  But there were more chances of snow and of course ice.

However, Tony was playing basketball with someone else today who acted as if he owned the court. Kevin watched in silence hoping this fellow would get in enough shots and call it quits. It seemed Tony let him win at every shot. He knew Tony was better with the ball than that. They'd really done well playing against Jory and Dan. Maybe they just let them win, Kevin thought now, but he didn't think so.

Finally, Trent got a phone call and soon left.

"What are you doing with that guy?" Kevin wanted to know.

"Oh, you know-" Tony shrugged back as if he was just killing time.

"He can't be your best friend, can he?" Kevin looked at Tony as if he should find new friends.

"Well.." Tony didn't look all that happy about it.

"Hey, I'm here now. You don't need to hang out with that guy." 

The snowflakes started to fall and they went to the nearby Quickie Mart for a hot chocolate after a couple of one on one plays.

"I don't think he really has that many friends," Tony said, but he made Trent sound like he was in a different league from him. "I don't think he wants Ting and me to hang out with him and his girlfriend."

"Great," Kevin's smile was open. "Then you and Ting can hangout with Dakota and me."

"Dakota?"

"My best friend. I mean we aren't exactly dating because you know, we..well we just stay home, she's my girlfriend. It's just, you know, it would be nice if.."

"Like what?"  Tony held on to the steaming drink.

"Um, maybe we could all go to a movie."

Tony nodded. "We could do that with you guys." Only he didn't have a car but Ting did. She was working at the museum at the moment. So it might be a Sunday afternoon.

"What does she do at the museum?" Kevin wanted to know.

"She does guides, occasionally, but usually she's on the computer looking up stuff to send to Better World Books. They have a book store there that takes a lot of  book donations, but it's like an overflow and it keeps her pretty busy." Tony said she liked it better than working at the daycare. Although, sometimes, she still had to deal with kids at the museum.