When I first started dating the man I ‘ve been married to for 54½ years, I was introduced to ice hockey, specifically the Chicago Black Hawks. Those were the days of Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, and Keith Magnuson. Growing up in the SW, I had not ice skated. I watched firgure skating at the Olympics. This was a whole new animal. And I loved it.

As part of a writers’ community, I’m taking a class on writing skills and techniques. Our assignment this week was to write a crowd scene, including conversation, with something unexpected happening. At 3 a.m. this morning, I woke up giggling with this picture. Today, it became my homework. I must explain, Jonathan Toews played for Chicago from 2013 until 2023. He was one of my favs.

“The American figure skating team is within striking distance of the gold. It’s all up to this last nail-biting singles competition between Japan’s Kato and a surprise entry by the US coaches.”

Boos and jeers erupt as a padded and helmeted figure joins the skaters doing warm-up laps.

“The coaches may be hoping to counteract the gracefulness of Kato with the violence of crashing boards and well-flung pucks.”

Toews, sporting his #19 Black Hawks uniform, careens around the outside of the rink, skidding into hockey stops followed by direction changes. His low-held stick constantly moves back and forth corralling a puck as he darts through and around the other skaters.

At the buzzer, the skaters leave the rink as a Zamboni circles the ice. Its passengers—wearing birthday hats— wave to the crowd as a voice comes over the speaker, “Let’s hear it for the Esposito twins who turn 8 years old today.”

The judges quietly find their seats, organize their papers, and pointedly avoid looking at each other or the ice until the intercom voice announces the first competitor: Kato, representing Japan.

“Kato’s spent the last year working toward this Olympic competition. His costume, flowing with waves of fabric, represent the many colors and moods of the sea.”

“He is skating to “Sea Drift”by Frederick Delius, with readings from the poem that inspired it, Whitman’s “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking.”

“As he comes out of his triple-double segment right in front of the judges, his artistry and fluidity are superb.“

“His aesthetic flair has always been a favorite of the judges. Just look at that death spiral, like a sinking ship. He looks every bit the medal threat as he has all winter.”

“Tears flow as he throws kisses to the crowd. Kato wears his heart on his sleeve as he skates.”

“Jonathan Toews, in his Olympic debut, will have to push his performance-level forward to beat Kato’s final score of 194.8.”

“You’re right, Eddie. Kato is a tough act to follow. Toews will have to wow the judges with technical prowess and his unique moves on the ice. Nobody else uses props the way he does.”

As the countdown begins, Toews takes center ice, bends his knees, stick at the ready. Three, two, one, and he flicks the puck to the right, following with a loop and a pickup, flying down the ice, the puck firmly in his possession. Toews crashes into the boards, pins the puck with his skates, and sends it around the curve.

“His music constantly flips from “Thunderstruck,” to ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ to ‘La Bamba,’ to the ‘Boys Are Back‘”’… And Jonathan spins, stops, puck-handles, and speeds away in sync with each change. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Look at him race straight toward the judges and pull up at the last minute, and the music changes one last time, to Queen with ‘We are the Champions of the World. What a show!”

Jonathan jumps, fist bumps, and spins to an ice-blasting stop. No tears for this guy, as he drops his gloves, lifts his stick in the air, and chomps his tooth guard, before taking a wild and crazy speed lap on his way out of the ring.

Every man in the arena is on his feet, beating their chests, yelling war chants, clanging cow bells, and blowing air horns. Women are screaming, fainting, or quailing in their seats with hands over their eyes, except in the two rows behind the judges. These female fanatics pound on the glass demanding top scores.

“Welcome to the wrap-up of team competition in figure skating. In his first-time appearance in Olympic figure skating, Toews leans into his hockey personna to edge out Japan’s Kato by tenths of a point, giving US the gold. Protests are pouring in already as Jonathan wears the gold on the podium. Stay tuned for more drama.”