There he was moving, barely moving, across the ice.
Thirty-six pounds of five-year-old determination.
Goalie pads almost as big as him.
His first ever game,
The first of the season,
Played not in the local house league rink,
But at the big-time minor pro arena downtown.
There he was standing in front of (and underneath) the net,
Leaning forward and focusing and falling down,
Falling down on the puck even,
Once or twice.
So little.
But also.
So big.