The next morning, we got an early start. Billy had to make one stop before we headed to Kingston. Because he had left Toronto right after the game on Saturday night, he had not had a chance to clean out his locker, gather up his sticks, skates and other personal belongings at Maple Leaf Gardens.
The trainers and coaching staff were still around. Most of the other Leafs had already cleaned out their stuff.
Billy laughted at me when i appeared as if I was going to wait for him in the car. "Hey, come on. Don't be silly I doubt if there is very many people around here anyways. Most of the players were probably earlier on Monday. Besides, we are married now and you are just going to have to get used to it. They are going to have to get used to you also." He squeezed my hand.
"Okay, you talked me into it."
Little did Billy know that there were still a few members of the press around - not as many as there were on Monday and Tuesday - but a few die-hards. The stories of the drug-scandal had pretty well died down from the previous week. Greg Walsh, who wrote for the Daily Times, and who lived a block away from the Gardens, in a crummy hotel, showed up not too long after we did. One of his spies told him that we were there. Billy confided in me later that he always looked like a cat that swallowed a sour mouse - he never had a nice word to say to or about anyone.
Billy and I just went into the dressing room and he started to gather stuff. All of his Leafs equipment - sweater, equipment, pants, etc - had already been removed. He found out later that when George Armstrong - the captain - had been there on Monday and had done Billy's for him. Some of the players on the team had heard through the grapevine of the marriage . Therefore, Chief had figured that Billy would be in later in the week to complete the task. An old friend of Billys, from the many road trips, Bo Cassidy, wrote for the Star, was also there. He just came out and asked Billy if Billy and I were married. Billy told him yes and that we had gotten married the previous day. Billy promised him that when we were back from our brief honeymoon in Kingston. We would get together with Bo and give him an exclusive. Billy even promised to sign it in blood."
After Billy was finished with his task, we left the building.
After he was on the wheel of the car, he gave me a passionate kiss and said to me, "Hang on to your hat, Sweetness. I forgot - we have one stop to make. Before we leave town, I think we should go visit my lawyer Joe. I realize that probably nothing will happen to us in the next few days, but I would like to know that everything is taken care of. I think we should stop in to his office, see if he is around and have him draw up some wills for us while we are gone. Now that we are married, I would hate to think that anything happened to me and you would get nothing out of it."
"Sounds good to me."
Joe McMillan's office was a little uptown from the Gardens, off Yonge Street on Eglinton Avenue East.
The lawyer's office was in a small building a couple of small blocks from the intersection. Billy parked the car in the parking lot in the back of the building and we went around to the front. There was no security guard at the front door so we just went to the building directory. We found out he was on the third floor in Suite 301. The elevators were just to the right side of the lobby so we went to go there to get one. The elevator stopped on the 3rd floor. His office was right beside the elevators on the left hand side of the hall. The door was open when we reached it so we just entered. Sitting at the desk was a receptionist who was busy transcribing her notes. When she looked up and noticed us, she said, "Yes, may I help you?"
"Hello," Billy said. "Is Joe McMillan in?"
"Yes, he is."
"Is he busy?"
"Well, he is not with a client, if that is what you mean."
"May I speak with him please?"
"Sure, I will see. May I tell him who is here to see him?"
"Billy Duke."
"Okay, hang on." She spoke into the intercom "Mr. Millan, a Billy Duke here to see you."
After a few seconds' pause, we could hear Joe's voice "Thank you, Sheila, send him in."
The lawyer's office was right next to the main reception area. The door to his office was closed. Billy lead the way after the secretary pointed us in the right direction. By the time we opened door, Joe had gotten up from his desk and had opened the door. We entered. Joe took his Billy's hand and acknowledged his presence. He closed the door behind us. Joe pointed towards chairs that were in front of his desk and invited us to sit down in them. "Well,Billy, how have you been? Long time, no see. What can I do for you today? Coming here to collect your post-season cheques," Joe said, half smirking.
"Fine, Joe. No, not at all. I don't know whether you heard or not, but Sherri and I got married yesterday."
"Hey, yeah, I heard something about that. Congrats man."
"Hey, Joe, this is Sherri Duke, my new wife."
"Hi, Sherri."
"Sherri, this is Joe McMillan, my lawer."
"Hi, Joe."
"Now that is out of the way," Billy said with a satisfied sigh, "Since I now have another person to consider in my life and you are a lawyer, we were wondering if you could draw up a couple of wills for us. Nothing fancy, just in case something happens to one of us, the other one will be taken care of."
"Good thinking, Billy. I know that there is some compensation under the NHL Players' Association agreement, but it is a good idea to have your own will also, for any children you two may have. Give me a day or two and I will have something for you to sign."
Billy said, "We are heading out to Kingston for a brief honeymoon so I could give you a buzz when we hit town."
"Sounds like a plan to me. So congrats again to you two and looking forward to see you in a few days. Nice meeting you, Sherri."
"Nice meeting you to, Joe."
Joe arose from his chair and lead us to the door. We left the office and headed towards the parking lot and our car.
After he was on the wheel of the car, he gave me a passionate kiss and said to me, "Hang on to your hat, Sweetness. Next stop, Kingston."
While we were on the road, Billy, of course, had brought a whole stack of cassette tapes of various types of music and we listened to them.
Also, I had several things I wanted to discuss with him and the long ride to Kingston seemed to be the best time.
"I have something I would like to discuss with you." Billy looked at me with a concerned looked on his face. "Oh, it is nothing bad. It is just I have decided to give hockey another chance."
I know Billy was remembering what had happened on our first date. He had gotten me a ticket to a hockey game and because I was not really into the sport, and only went to find out more about it, i went to the game. Billy got into a fight with Keith Maguson during the first period. I did not stay too long after that. I guess because my father had abused me, I was really not into violence. I saw hockey at that time as a violent game.
"What?" he asked.
"Well, let me say that I was sure surprised at the game on Saturday night. There were no fights, anything."
"Well, there have been many games that have not had any fights. I think in the long run, the players were aware of the importance of the outcome of the game. Both Toronto and Buffalo knew that if they lost the game, the season was over for them. So we were more interested in putting the puck in the net and not trying to knock off each other's block."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Well, I know that hockey is very important to you and I want to say that I want to give it a chance. I may not become the world's biggest hockey fan, but I am willing to give it another chance. "
"Sherri, thanks." He gave me one of his patented private grins and I know that if we were not in the car, he would have given me one of those bone crushing hugs to show his appreciation.
The good weather did not hold out like it had for the previous few days. It was fortunate for us that we had brought our rain coats brecause it began to rain by the time we got to Belleville - which is about 45 minutes from Kingston.
But the rain showers did not continue long and the sun began to shine by the time we hit the Kingston City Limits. We continued on the 401 highway until we got off at the turn off at Division Street. We continued along the Division Street until the end . At the end of the avenue, about 4 miles down the road, was the City Hall. It was only the emiddle of the afternoon, but the sun greeted us when we finally found the Holiday Inn which is right at the foot of Ontario Street about a block and a half from City Hall. It was an early day and April. Therefore, there were not as many tourists wandering around in Confederation Park in front of City Hall as there would have been in a sunny day in July.
We had made one stop before going into Kingston. Billy had heard of a really old restaurant along Highway 2 in the
