FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

August 24-26: New York trip

The plane ride was short from Biloxi to New York. Erik was fast asleep until the plane finally landed with a big bump that woke him up. The startled leopard jumped up in his seat as he awoke. Shandra was on her oPod seeing the whole thing. She gave a small chuckle and said.

"Still not used to de flyin' yet, huh?"

Kijani didn't answer. He just rested his head back in his seat and sighed. Shandra just laughed some more and patted his shoulder.

"Hope ya ready. We got busy days coming." She said.

"Why, am I in trouble?" Asked Erik.

"Nah boy, far from it. Because of de combine game...people have been talking."

"What kind of people?"

"De kind that want to see you become famous! Dat kind."

All Erik did then was smile. He was excited for the trip ahead.

Once the two got all their bags, they waited outside the airport and Shandra pulled out her phone.

"Gonna call me friend Howard." She said.

"You got a friend in every state in the country?" Asked Erik.

"Ya meet people everywhere ya go boy. It be easy to make a friend."

Erik chuckled a bit and left Shandra talking on her phone. He then heard his name being called out.

"Hey, Erik! Is that you?!" It said.

Erik then turned around and saw two little pups running towards him once they saw that it really was him.

"Whoa, dude! It is you." One said.

"Yea, we saw you on TV and we saw when you stole the ball from Bates and you slammed it down on the other side and you yelled super loud and..."

"Whoa, easy there." Said Erik. "It's nice to meet you."

"Dude, do you think you will get drafted?" One pup said.

"Are you gonna play here?" The other said.

"Only one way to find out." Erik said.

The two pups then wagged their tails in excitement. Then, Shandra signaled Erik to come over. Erik tried to walk away, but one of the pups quickly pulled out his phone and asked for a picture. Erik quickly agreed and the three took a nice picture together. Then Erik finally walked off.

The drive to the hotel was an eye-opening scene as Erik had his eyes out the window the whole time. The city was a site the young leopard had never experienced before. It was incredible. Soon they reached the hotel and took out their bags. Erik was about to grab his bags, but Shandra stopped him and said.

"Howard, can you take care of this? I'm gonna take de boy on a walk down de street."

The Brown cat nodded and Shandra took Erik by the arm and began walking down the sidewalk.

As the two walked down Shandra quickly became a tour guide. They walked through Manhattan and even passed by the empire state building. It all ended when Shandra bought two hotdogs for the both of them and started to walk home, but when Erik took a bite from his, he quickly spit it out.

"What the? That's awful." He said.

Shandra just started laughing. Her braided her swaying side to side as she chuckled.

"Boy, ya gotta try new things. Dem hotdogs here are good, you know?" She said.

"Hell no!" Erik yelled and then he threw the hotdog away.

Shandra then immediately hit Erik playfully in the back of the head.

"Ah!" Said Erik.

"Remember what ya mama said." Said Shandra.

The two then looked at each other for a second then quickly shared a good laugh together and hugged each other.

The next day was an early rising morning for the both of them as they quickly got dressed and headed out the door with their breakfast in a paper bag.

"Where are we going this early anyway?" Asked Erik.

"De New York sports radio station was lookin' for a player to be on de show. I put your name in their minds and now dey want an interview with ya." Answered Shandra.

Erik just smiled.

The interview was fast, but still covered a lot of topics regarding the FBA and the draft. 104.1 sports radio host Ryan Oliver, a husky grizzly bear with a personality almost as loud as Erik's, was doing the interview.

"Gooooooood morning all you New York sports fans. It's 9 in the morning, I got myself a nice cup of coffee and I have with me a surprise guest." He started. "He's currently in this years draft class for the FBA, he made the top 24 and he also lead the combine game in assist reaching up to 8 completed passes. Ladies and gentlemen, Erik Kijani."

He then pressed a small button and the sound of applause rang through the room.

"Hello, it's good to be here." Said Erik.

"So, welcome to New York Erik. I understand it's your first time? Correct?"

"Yes."

"So how's the city treating you?"

"Um...very well I think....I love to walk around and see all the tall buildings and signs."

"Yea, ha ha, I guess you don't get too many of those in Florida."

"No sir."

"Alright then, so lets start with this...The combine challenge....first game, you got a few points in, a good number of steals, but you couldn't get your team that win. Next game, you come back with more steals, more assist, but with a few turnovers. So let me ask you...how do you think you did?"

"Well, I can admit that I could have done some things better....that's really any game though...you can always improve on one thing...but, I will also say that I showed people what I could do on the court and I proved that when I have the ball....I make points happen."

"Okay, I see. Well then, what was with the turnovers? Can you explain that?"

"Yea, I can. Our team needed to score more and I was thinking of just shooting more, but I decided to still play with my team and keep trying to get them open shots...but...the shots were not going in and the passes were a bit too close...I'll take the blame for that."

"Well, at least you own up to it. That's always good to hear, but I think one thing that I think everyone was kind of expecting was your attitude during the game. And, you know,..I saw you scream, yell, bang your paw on the court a few times, I mean...do you think that all that is necessary?"

"Yes."

"oh, you do? really?"

"Yes, really."

"And why is that?"

"I like to win...it's just that simple....I always want to win and I always want to give all my energy, get excited, get my mind on the game,....so....yea, that's just how I do it."

"Well, I can say that you do live up to your nickname."

Erik was silent. Ryan continued.

"Anyway, so despite all that work you say you put in, they still ranked you low and even said that you might not get into the first round. What are your thoughts on that?"

"Well, I always say that people can really judge me or say whatever they want about me...I mean, I can take it....but all I can really do at this point is prove them wrong...that's the only way to change their minds."

"So, are you saying that you basically don't care what they say about you?"

"No...I listen to them...I just may not take them as seriously."

"So what if I told you right now that I think you will probably get picked in the second round."

"I would say that we will just have to see."

"That's it?"

"You want me to say something else?"

"Yea, sure. Go ahead."

"See you at the draft."

"...Oooookay, so another thing that was said during the FSPN report was the point made that the FBA hasn't really had any decent players from Africa. How did that make you feel?"

"Angry."

"Oh really?"

"Yea, I mean, like I said, you can say anything you want about me, but this is my country...my birth country...to say that I might struggle because I'm Ugandan born is a bit childish."

"Childish?!"

"That is what I said....you know what, I will say that that statement will just make me work twice as hard...not just for me and my team...but for my country, Uganda."

"Okay then....well, I guess the last thing I can ask is what is going on with this strike, huh? I mean, you may get on a team, but you may not even get to play."

"No comment on that."

"Oh come on, where's that 'Hot Head' mentality? It's gotta make you just as mad as the fans are, right?"

"It's not my place to talk about that. You got another question?"

"Well...actually, I think that we're out of time. Thank you again Erik for your time and I wish you luck in your future."

"Alright, thank you for having me."

After a few photos were taken, Erik then left to spend the rest of his day back at the gym. It was just a few quick cardio exercises, but it kept him busy for most of the day. Finally the day slowed down for Erik at the hotel room. He was resting on the bed, watching the TV until he decided to check his phone. He was immediately angered when he saw one of Sterling's tweets.

"This fucking pompous...you know what?" Erik thought as he immediately started typing on his phone. Then Shandra walked into the room.

"Hey boy." She said as she sat down on the bed. "Whatcha be up to?"

"I'm tweeting at Sterling." He answered.

Shandra's ears then quickly perked up. She turned at Erik and said.

"Erik...give me de phone."

"What?...No, I got this idiot."

"Erik!...de phone!"

The two then stared at each other for a second, then Erik suddenly started running away. Shandra charged after him.

"Erik!" She screamed.

The two then ran around the small island in the kitchen and ran in circles for a while.

"Erik!...Give me de phone! Now!" She screamed again.

Erik kept tweeting and said.

"I got this!"

"No! Ya don't need to handle dis! Just stay quiet!"

"And lets this guy have his way all the damn time?"

"Erik!"

The two kept running in circles, until Erik finally stopped and said.

"Okay! Wait!...I'll end it! One last tweet!"

"Eriiiiiiik!"

"Last one!"

Then, Shandra ran for him again. She finally caught him and they both fell on the couch. It was too late. Erik already sent his last threatening tweet. Suddenly, a maid opened the front door. All she saw was Shandra and Erik wrestling on the couch.

"Room service.....?" She said.

"....Uh.....we good....." Said Shandra.

The maid then slowly closed the door. Shandra then quickly ripped the phone out of Erik's hand and read the tweet.

"Oh and Sterling. Next time I see you on a court, you'll wish you had low mins?! Erik!"

Erik didn't answer. He just sat there pissed off on the couch.

"Ugh!, Erik...ya can't act like dis. Dis don't solve a damn thing!"

"Don't pretend that you don't want to punch his fucking face!" yelled Erik.

"Erik!...Don't ya think dat be what he wanted all dis time?! Ta get ya mad and make ya look like a crazy man!"

Erik went silent again. Shandra then took a deep breath and sat next to Erik.

"Listen Erik." She began. "Ya about ta enter a world dat all dey want ta do is watch ya fail. Dey want to see ya fall with ya hands in the air beggin' for forgiveness. Dey just want ta embarrass you...but ya can't let dem. Ya gotta be strong willed with a stone heart, and not let anyone beat ya from de inside." She then wrapped one arm around the leopard and hugged him close, like a mother would do to her son. "Be smart Erik...and be strong."

Erik took a long deep breath and then said.

"Okay....I'm sorry...."

"Good." Said Shandra. Then she playfully hit him in the back of the head. Erik flinched a little, but the two ended up laughing together in no time. Then, Shandra started typing on her phone.

"What are you doing?" Erik asked.

"Locking ya out of ya tweeter page." Shandra answered.

"....What?"

"Dats what ya get for makin' a 38 year old Hyena run around de hotel room."

Erik was again starting to get mad, but in the end, he just decided to lay back on the couch. Shandra just did the same.

"Whatcha want for dinner?" Asked Shandra.

"I think a burger sounds nice." Said Erik.

"A burger?....yea, we gettin' two salads."

"Fine."