Dave Casler
PO Box 98
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
Young Adult Novels by Dave Casler...
I've been told by publisher after publisher that there's no market for Young Adult novels. I think they're wrong! So I'm putting my novels on-line for you. Forget the publisher! Read to your heart's content--it's free! And, I'd like to hear from you, too! Contact Page.
You're reading About Dan. Be sure to check out About Phillip here.
Dan is a normal kid who loves his soccer. Except everything goes wrong. Everything.
About Series Home
About the About Series
Index to All Chapters
Here are all the chapters, disguised as asterisks. Hover your mouse over an asterisk to see the title of the chapter. Click on the asterisk to go straight to that chapter.
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(About Dan Home) (Last) (Next)
The Disquieting Thought
Brother Sam deposited Dan near the back of the chapel where one of the pews was cut short to accommodate wheelchairs. A steady stream of people shook Dan's hand and joked about his leg. Bishop Parker, imposing in his business suit, stood to begin the meeting; Dan remembered that he was a banker or something like that. A few latecomers trickled in through the chapel's back door and hurried to find a spot.
Dan felt at home here. He couldn't quite say why, but just being here lifted his spirits. He glanced around, somehow seeing the chapel differently this time. The organ pipes dominated the front of the hall. The piano stood against the opposite wall, also on the podium, with the pulpit halfway in between. The choir seats were empty. Bishop Parker’s chair was behind the pulpit to one side, between his two counselors. On the other side of the pulpit sat two youths and two adults; Dan figured these would be the speakers. At the very right, in front of the piano, was the sacrament table, covered by a white cloth. Behind the sacrament table sat Justin with another youth; they would bless the sacrament later in the meeting.
Dan grabbed a hymnal and sang quietly; he was self-conscious about his singing voice. He bowed his head for the opening prayer. As the congregation hushed for the prayer, he became aware of two crying babies who seemed to be competing to see who could cry the loudest. He was happy to be back.
The meeting proceeded in the usual way. There were some callings to be made and some releases, to which Dan didn't pay attention. Then the sacrament was blessed and passed. Jimmy Matterly, Justin's younger brother and a deacon, brought the bread to Dan. He sniggered and gently touched the bandages. Dan just smiled, took the bread and passed the tray to the person sitting in the pew next to him.
There were two youth speakers, both young girls. He wondered vaguely why Lisa didn't come back to sit next to him. Oh, well. She's supposed to sit with her family, he thought.
Dan’s leg was throbbing and he could feel his energy fading. He was beginning to wonder about the wisdom of coming today when suddenly the speaker caught his full attention.
"It's important that we be faithful. The Lord promises that good things happen when we are true to him. He blesses us in many ways. We read in Romans 8 verse 24: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.’ There’s a similar verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that lists some conditions..."
But Dan didn’t listen for the conditions. He looked at his leg. He saw the doctor telling him about the long haul and the need for endless therapy. He heard Bishop Parker telling him the Lord had some rough experiences in store for him. He thought of his mother's contempt for the church. And the lost soccer season and how far behind he was in school. And something was going on with Lisa.
How’s this all working together for my good? I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. I go to church. Ok, so I go most of the time. I fulfill my assignments, well, usually. I pray all the time, ok, several times a week, ok, maybe a couple weeks go by. I go to seminary when I can, mostly. I have a testimony. So why am I in this mess?
He felt a disquiet he couldn't explain, a black doubt creeping through him. It feels like the time Peter poured ice water all over me. It’s an overreaction. It’ll go away. After all, he'd seen many people who experienced severe adversity stick it out and remain faithful. But the feeling didn’t go away. I’ve never felt this way before.
Dan had always had a rather automatic, if stubborn, attachment to the church. His parents joined the church when he was a little kid, back in England. His mother had been his church primary teacher at one point. His dad had once been the church elder's quorum president. He'd just always taken it for granted that being in church is what a person was supposed to do.
Dan took the hymnbook out of its slot. The closing hymn was "Go Forth with Faith." What happened to my faith? It’ll come back, right?
The congregation hushed for the closing prayer. The "Amen" was the signal for people to jump to their feet and start talking with each other. Dan shoved his doubt into a pocket in the back of his mind. He needed to concentrate on answering people's questions and endure endless jokes about his leg. He appreciated their concern, but his leg was aching and he was fading fast. Get me out of here! Brother Sam came for him.
"Dan," he said, "you’re pale. Everything in its season. Let's get you home."