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)
Dr. Jones Decides
"But I don't like it," continued Dr. Jones. "I've seen worse, but I've also seen lots better. I think your knee is too swollen. The x-ray shows fluid. Also, I can't tell if these two critical ligaments"—he pointed to two gray blobs—"are attaching themselves properly."
He fell silent and turned back to the x-ray. He looked pensive and tapped his pencil absentmindedly.
Dan thought of telling Dr. Jones about the bone fragment he had in a jar at home, but stopped, realizing he hadn't yet told his mother. He felt many unnamed emotions at once, none cheerful, but had trouble formulating a coherent question.
Dr. Jones turned back suddenly and spoke again.
"You've undoubtedly been vertical at least some of the time. How does it feel?"
"Uh, fine." Oh please oh please oh please…
"I think we’re going to have to do more surgery. And you’ll need a brace as soon as you get out of the cast."
Dan said nothing. The wheelchair the wheelchair the wheelchair…
"Would you like to lose the wheelchair and try crutches?"
Dan stifled a whoop and tried to keep his voice at a civilized level. "Brilliant!"
"Brilliant?"
Dan collected himself. "Oh, sorry, it means awesome. But I have a question about the x-ray. There doesn't seem to be much bone over the pin. Will my leg fall off?" Dan could just see his mother's shoulder as she strained to look.
"No, Dan, you're fine. The pin is working as intended. You’ll need the cast for a few more weeks. But we can get you out of the wheelchair and onto crutches."
"Yes sir! I'd like that. Very much."
"Since your leg wound is still draining you’ll need to keep using this bottom cast and change the dressings daily."
Dan heard his mother say something discouraging--it might even have been a quiet expletive.
"Now, let’s get you wrapped up and out of here. I want to see you in a month."
"Can I ask you a question?" said Dan.