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.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
(About Dan Home) (Last) (Next)
Dan's Question
"Of course, fire away."
"What's Down Syndrome?"
Dr. Jones paused to look at Dan. He looked away and went back to wrapping the leg. "It's a genetic disorder."
"Is there a cure?"
"No."
"Can they be happy?"
Dr. Jones stopped wrapping and put the bandage down. He looked away for a moment and cleared his throat. When he spoke it sounded like he had a cold.
"Sometimes. They're human beings, Dan. Why are you asking these questions?"
"I'm just curious. There’s lots of Down Syndrome kids on the handicapped bus."
Dr. Jones was suddenly busy with the leg. He was wrapping more tightly and hurriedly than before. Dan flinched. Dr. Jones stopped and took a deep breath. For a moment, he just stared at the wall.
"When you're on the bus tomorrow morning, please say hello to Linda. She's my daughter." Without waiting for a reply, he busied himself with Dan's leg, more slowly this time.
Oh I stepped in it now. Gotta recover. Say something. "I know Linda. She had on a yellow dress this morning." He paused, searching for any words that might help. "I can tell you love her."
Dr. Jones stopped again. Without looking at Dan, he whispered a quiet "thank you."
Dan saw his mom looking at him funny, like she was trying to figure out who he was.
"Oh," said Dan. "One more thing."
Dr. Jones just looked at him.
"You said in the hospital you removed some contaminated bone. Contaminated with what?" The bones are still in the bottle at home.
Dr. Jones looked relieved. "Standard precaution. It protects you in case the fellow you stabbed had any sort of communicable disease. By the way, have you heard anything from him?"
"Yeah, he came to the hospital. He was trying to tell me something but had to leave suddenly."
"Well, you have nothing to worry about." Dr. Jones put his finishing touches on the bandage. "I’ll see you in a month."