Naked Hero - The Journey Away

the room, Jim Murdoch stood watching them, as he had done for several minutes. He saw the touches and the looks that were being passed between them, and wondered again who this man was, and how he had come to feature so prominently in Lewis’s life without any announcement. Jim was glad that Lewis had not seen him as he’d entered the lounge, as an introduction would then have been forced on him. Curious as he was to find out about this man, it was perhaps a step too far for him right now. And whatever was happening over there, Jim felt that he had no place in it, so he decided to leave. The news he had could wait. It was clear that Lewis had other things to concern himself with at present.
    It was an awkward situation though, as they had arranged to meet in the lounge after the match and then drive home. Jim decided that he’d leave it for half an hour. Lewis would call him when he was ready. But if he had heard nothing by then, he would make the call, probably return… and face the introduction.
    “So why do you have to get back tonight, surely you’re not working?” asked Lewis, drawing a line under the previous topic.
    “No. I’ve got a meeting tomorrow with a clothing company. Hopefully there’s a sponsorship deal to be had.”
    “To wear their stuff you mean?”
    “Yeah!” explained Lee as he sat back in his chair, creating a little more formality for this part of the conversation. “Just like you get sponsored to wear brand names when you play, we get sponsored to advertise them when we’re at the gigs, and through images that appear on the net, or in magazines. It’s nowhere near your league, but it helps to pay the bills.”
    Lewis took a sip from his drink, gesturing to the bar as he deposited the glass – an offer which Lee declined with a wave of his hand. “Would I know them - this company?” the tennis player asked.
    “You may do. HIM Clothing: Australians who want to break into Europe. Hopefully I can help.”
    Lewis nodded his head. “I’ve heard of them - they do tennis gear. Is it a big deal for you?”
    “It could be. That’s why I have to get back.”
    “Can I help? I owe you a favour, a big favour.”
    Lee knew the answer, but it wasn’t the one he would give, not yet anyway. “Don’t be silly, you don’t owe me anything, Lewis.”
    Another shake of Lewis’s head refuted this. “That’s not true, I do. I owe you a lot, Lee, and not just for today.”
    The Englishman smiled. “Well, once you’ve won the tournament and can have the odd drink again, maybe you can buy me a beer and we’ll toast your success.”
    The Scotsman smiled back – old enemies, new friends. “Sure. But I’ll buy you one anyway, even if I don’t win the tournament. There’s just this outside chance, you know… that I might not.”
    They shared a laugh at that, the mood staying light. “What happens after Melbourne?” Lee then asked. “You said you have some other commitments. Where do you go to next?”
    “Tokyo.”
    Lee let out another laugh. “That’s a long way to go for a beer. When will you be back in England?”
    “April probably, for a few days at least before the European season kicks off, then again in June. There’s a trophy with my name on it that I need to collect.”
    “Maybe I’ll get my beer in April then.”
    “Okay.”
    They paused for a moment and looked at each other, both tempted again to revise their plans – say ‘Sod it! Let’s have one now, and while we’re at it, let’s get a room!’ But the moment passed as both knew it must, Lee being the first to find his resolve with an alternative proposal. “I still think you should come to the Mardi Gras. I’d love to be able to show it to you. It’s an amazing atmosphere. You’d enjoy it.”
    “You’ve been before then?”
    “Yeah, I came here a few years ago. Just on my own. Not working - a holiday. Why can’t you do the same? Have a break from it all. I think you need one.”
    Lewis slowly shook his head. “It sounds tempting, but you know I can’t do that. Just take off and party for a while. The tour is just so intense. It’s impossible to cut loose without suffering for it. I want to give my career a shot. You must understand that - to get to the top, you need to be dedicated. I know you understand that. I know you’ve had that sort of dedication. Nobody ends up looking the way you do… without dedication.”
    Lee absorbed the compliment with neither arrogance nor humility, simply