THE PERFECT OPPURTUNITY

August 5th 2016

Wilhelmina Porter was bushed. Another long workday but at least she could say she did an honest day's work. Entering her apartment she was greeted by her orange tabby that meowed and purred longing for her attention.

"Hello to you too Corduroy" she smiled "thank goodness it's Friday"

The cat meowed again in agreement the two of them spent most of their Friday nights snuggled up on the couch together with the television or a good book.

"Okay Cordy" she chuckled "l-l-let me g-g-go through the mail first"

Corduroy settled himself back to his favorite spot near the window to sunbathe once more and she just shook her head at him. She loved that cat and she honestly didn't know what she would do without him.

Corduroy had been a graduation present from her parents as well as a home warming present for moving out. Moving from Philadelphia to Pittsburg meant moving from one side of Pennsylvania to the other side Lynn didn't want her daughter to be lonely so the young cat was fulfilling his purpose for sure.

Wilhelmina was thirty-one years old now and despite having two degrees under her belt including journalism and sociology she still found herself struggling to land a permanent position.

She worked as a bank teller full time for the benefit of a steady income and health insurance. Cat food, kitty litter, and vet visits weren't exactly cheap for Corduroy either.

Still wanting to get her foot in the door Wilhelmina did a lot of freelancing writing articles and think pieces for different news sites and blogs. So that pretty much took up all of her Saturdays and Sundays after church.

Her college friends from Bloomsburg Lizzie and Katrina tried to get Wilhelmina to hang out but most of the time she turned it down. They even tried to set her up with some of the guys at they knew from work or church.

Katrina Matthews or rather Katrina Spencer now had gotten married three years ago and was now expecting her first child while Lizzie Thompson was currently engaged and would be getting married in November.

Wilhelmina was happy for both of them and she knew that her friends wanted her to be happy too but she was content with where she was in life right now. 

It didn't bother her that she was now in her early thirties and single and she didn't find it depressing although most women would be freaking out about their biological clock and if they were still attractive.

Wilhelmina had promised to meet both of her friends for their monthly Saturday brunch in a few weeks to catch up on the details for Lizzie's wedding and do another bridesmaid dress fitting for Katrina.

Corduroy meowed to see if Wilhelmina was ready and she chuckled.

"A-a-almost Cordy okay boy"

The mail was the usual just bills and bills and more bills. Student loans included of course Wilhelmina wouldn't be surprised if she'd be paying off student loans till the day she died.

However there were two things in the mail that stood out to Wilhelmina. The first one she recognized immediately. It was from the Washington's and her heart leapt in excitement because she knew that it was an update about Calvin.

It was hard for her to believe that the son she gave up for adoption would be ten years old in less than three weeks. Wilhelmina already had his birthday presents together to send in the mail as she did every year and for Christmas as well.

Since Calvin was a bit older now he understood who Wilhelmina was and why she was special to him and Joyce even let him write letters to her as well. Calvin referred to her as Mina Mom since he rightfully called Joyce Mom; it made Wilhelmina feel special even though she wasn't raising him she still gave him life.

Wilhelmina sat down to read the letter and she was impressed at the level of penmanship that most boys Calvin's age didn't have.

Dear Mina Mom,

My birthday is coming up and I'm going to be ten years old and I'll finally have two digits in my age just like the rest of my class. I'm going to fourth grade too. Dad is taking me and two of my friends from class to Wild Water Kingdom for my birthday. It's going to be really fun.

I want to play football when school starts but Dad says I have to weigh enough first. I hope I do because I didn't last year and I really want to play. I want to play in the NFL when I'm grown up and I'm going to. Can you, Grammy, and Pop come visit soon since Mom says it's almost time. Did Cordy like the cat bowl I sent him?

Love, Calvin

It was definitely written from the perspective a boy turning ten since he was so excited he wrote jumping from one topic to another. 

It was sweet and Wilhelmina appreciated it so she would definitely have to call and arrange a date to visit; every time she saw Calvin he was bigger and bigger. No doubt Gerald and Lynn wanted to see their grandson as well.

Yes Calvin certainly was growing up and Wilhelmina noted his interest in football and his desire to one day play in the NFL. Football and the fact that Calvin looked like a butterscotch replica of Blake was a bit of coincidence to her.

It wasn't fair to judge Calvin on his interest in football since most boys his age loved sports and aspire to be athletes and for all she knew he could be very talented.

However Wilhelmina just wished she didn't have to think of Blake every time she thought of Calvin. Brushing those thoughts aside she made a mental note to call the Washingtons this weekend to see when she and her parents could visit. She couldn't wait to see them again.

Putting the letter from the Washingtons aside; Wilhelmina proceeded to open the envelope that was addressed to her from Pittsburg magazine. It happened to be a letter from the editor.

Miss Porter,

We are reaching out to you to see if you would interested in being one of our journalists covering the Steelers this season. We are very certain that we will make it past the playoffs to play in the super bowl. 

We have seen your freelance work on different websites and like your style of writing and think that it will be perfect covering the events of the season. Please let us know if you accept training camp is currently underway and the first game of the season will be September 12th

Sincerely, Cindy Lash Editor

Wilhelmina read the letter one more time to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

It was true they wanted her work for the magazine this was quite the Friday evening for sure. This could be a huge turn in her career and she was certainly going to take it into consideration. Things looked like they were finally coming together.

"Mina Mom!"

"Calvin!" Wilhelmina smiled as she wrapped her arms around her son "you're g-g-getting so big!"

The boy smiled and hugged Gerald and Lynn as well. Wilhelmina greeted Martin and Joyce and all of them joined together in the backyard for lunch.

"So Mister Ten Years Old" Lynn beamed "how are you doing? School starts up again soon huh?"

"Yes Grammy" he said, "I can't w-w-wait to see all my friends again"

"How do the k-k-kids in school t-t-treat you?" Wilhelmina asked concerned since Calvin inherited her Tourette's and knew how cruel kids can be

"Okay" he replied "I d-d-don't let them b-b-bother me"

"Well that's good" Lynn reassured "nobody messes with my grandson or I'll have to march up to that school myself"

Calvin giggled as Lynn kissed him on the forehead

"Actually Calvin is quite the social butterfly" Joyce said "and a bit of a class clown"

"Is that so?" Gerald asked chuckling

"Sure is" Martin chimed in "teachers call on more than one occasion to tell us about what mischief he causes"

Wilhelmina was proud of Calvin since when she was his age she was rather shy and reserved because of her Tourette's while he managed to overcome that. The only friend that she had who looked past that was Reid....

"So Calvin" Gerald said, "your dad says you want to play football"

"Yeah I'm g-g-going to be on the t-t-team at s-s-school this year"

"Really?"

"Yup!"

"Why don't we show your grandpa what you're made of Cal?" Martin said

"Okay!"

The men went out onto the freshly cut lawn and began to toss around the old pigskin and Wilhelmina was impressed with Calvin's skills; it was definitely another thing he inherited from Blake.

"So how are things going for you Mina?" Joyce asked, "any luck getting any journalism work?"

"Well..."

"Actually yes" Lynn spoke up for her modest daughter "Mina has been offered a job from Pittsburg Magazine to write for the Steelers this season"

"Oh that's wonderful!" Joyce replied, "you must be excited you know Martin and Calvin love the Steelers"

"Thanks" she replied, "I h-h-haven't taken the j-j-job officially yet"

"You should go for it" Joyce encouraged "Mina this could be a big opportunity for you"

"That's exactly what I was telling her," Lynn added "Calvin come here for a minute sweetie"

"Momma---"

"Yes Grammy?" Calvin ran over to them again with the football tucked under his arm

"Your Mina Mom is going to be writing for the Pittsburg Steelers what do you think of that?"

Calvin's eyes grew big with excitement "You are?"

"I'm not s-s-saying for s-s-sure yet----"

"You should!" Calvin exclaimed, "the Steelers are a-a-awesome! They're my f-f-favorite team"

"They are?" Wilhelmina couldn't help but smile at her son's excitement

"Yeah!" he went on to say "Dad and I w-w-watch all t-t-their games they almost made the p-p-playoffs l-l-last season"

"Do you have any favorite players?" Gerald asked

"A lot" Calvin said "there's r-r-running back Harvey Welch, h-h-half back Scott Wheeler, and w-w-wide receiver Reid Stone he's really g-g-good too"

Wilhelmina's ears perked up at this. Could it be her childhood church friend Reid Broderick Stone? It wasn't the most common name but she knew that Reid's dreams to play professional football were as big as the blue sky. If it was him then she was certainly happy for him.

Harvey and Scott's names sounded familiar too and it sounded like there were a lot of Bloomsburg alumni on the team

"But my m-m-most favorite p-p-player is Blake McCarthy"

"Who's your favorite p-p-player again Cal?"

"Blake McCarthy" Calvin repeated "he's t-t-their quarterback I w-w-want to be a quarterback like him s-s-someday he's so a-a-awesome"

A chill that Wilhelmina hadn't felt in over ten years ran down her spine. Blake played for the Steelers too?

Calvin was innocent in this whole situation but Wilhelmina just couldn't stomach that he admired Blake. 

Calvin looked up to him as a football hero without even knowing that he was his biological father. Of course not even her parents because she was too ashamed to say anything.

Now it looked like her past was coming back to haunt her.

"Mina Mom if you w-w-write for them could you g-g-get Blake's a-a-autograph for me?" Calvin asked innocently

"I'll um s-s-see if I can Calvin" was all Wilhelmina could say and the boy hugged her

"This is s-s-so exciting"

Calvin went back to tossing the football around with his father and grandfather and Wilhelmina watched them while trying to catch up with what Joyce and her mother were talking about now.

Wilhelmina couldn't say for sure if it was exciting but it certainly was interesting and ironic for sure.