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 Challenge is Issued
They had 30 minutes to spare before Phillip's dad would pick him up.
Phillip beamed when Dan admitted that he’d done in 30 minutes what he and Peter had not been able to do over several entire evenings, even with tech support on the phone. But now that their task was accomplished, there was no easy exit for Phillip. The conversation stalled. Phillip lived in an entirely different world.
"Uh, Dan, how's your leg coming along?"
"Well, I wish it could be fixed as easily as you fix computers," replied Dan. "It's going to be a few more months before I'll be able to walk well."
"Are you going to come back to church? Everyone's saying you've gone inactive."
Phillip's question caught Dan off guard. He didn't realize he'd been missed. After all, he'd been a couple times since the Sunday right after the accident.
"Uh, yeah, of course. It's just hard to get there. I can't drive with this leg sticking out straight, you know. So I guess I need to try harder to get a ride. I keep forgetting," said Dan. He doesn’t need to know the real reason.
"Oh. Yeah. I guess so. I’m not 16 yet, so I can’t drive," said Phillip. "Actually, I really don’t want to. It’s easier to take the bus. More environmentally friendly, too."
Phillip looked back and forth between Dan and Peter, trying to think of something else to say. Dan and Peter stared back.
Phillip spoke again. "Dan, what's it like to play sports for Park?"
Dan laughed out loud. Odd question. "Uh, nothing special. I just do it. I wanted to, so I signed up and just did it. That's all. We practice a lot after school. That's all." He looked back at Phillip.
"But, I mean, what's it like to be on the field and have all those people cheering for you and all that? Isn't it a lot of pressure? I'd be scared to death."
Peter answered. "My young man, it's entirely too cool. Goes straight to your head. Makes you feel like you could float. Biggest high possible."
Phillip was staring at Peter with his mouth open. He knew he was being mocked.
"Phillip, don't take Peter seriously. Here, just a minute ago you were working on my computer while we watched. We whooped and hollered for you. How did it feel?"
"Embarrassing." He had his mouth open again.
"You'll get over it," said Peter. "Stand up."
Phillip, puzzled, did so. Peter took him by the shoulder and moved him away from the chair. Then he walked around him a couple times, eyeing him critically and muttering nonsense under his breath. Phillip was turning red. Peter pulled up his shirt and patted him on the stomach. He squeezed his shoulders. He held his arms out one by one and looked at them top and bottom. Apparently satisfied, he stood back to consider.
"Track," he announced at last.
"Huh?"
"Oh, don't doubt me, son," said Peter in his most fatherly voice. "You can't doubt the Park High School goalie!"
"But..."
"No buts, young man. Do you run?"
"Yes, every day" he said suspiciously. "Dad says that's why I'm so skinny."
"Well, then. It's settled. You're joining the Park High School track team," said Peter with a ring of triumph.
Phillip sank back onto the chair, stunned and frightened. There was no exit.
"I can't. They won't let me join. I'd be scared."
Peter held out his hand like a traffic cop. "Stop, young man. You're perfect. As Dan would say, it’s brilliant. So it's settled. And, besides, you don't have to try out for the track team. You just join. And compete." He looked at Phillip wickedly. Phillip looked for a hole to climb into.
Phillip’s going to throw up. Not in here, please! "Peter! You're scaring him! That's no way to treat the 'he-who-rescued-my-computer,' now is it?"
Phillip looked gratefully at Dan, but said nothing.
Dan crutched across to Phillip. "Stand up again, I have a proposition for you." Phillip stood. "If you'll join the track team, I'll come back to church. How's that?" The doorbell rang and Phillip looked suddenly relieved. "No," said Dan, "I mean it." He looked straight into Phillip’s uncomfortable, doe-like eyes. "Just do it, ok?" He paused. "Otherwise we'll tell your Dad you've decided to stay the night."
Phillip grinned sheepishly. He was warming to the idea. Two well-known jocks were paying attention to him and seemed serious.
"Ok," he said in a tiny voice. Dan shook his hand.
Peter went into his war dance again. " Maceda! Maceda! Maceda!"
Maria came into the room. "Phillip, your Dad's here." She looked at Dan and Peter. "It was nice of you two to have a cheering section for him. Does this mean it works?"
"Sure does," said Dan. "I want to talk with Brother Maceda."
Phillip turned white, but Dan pressed ahead to the living room.
"How did our computer whiz do? Is it fixed?"
"Yep. And Phillip has news," continued Dan. Phillip looked like he was choking. "Phillip's told us all about his plans to join the track team as soon as the season starts. I imagine he'll be starting training pretty soon. I didn't know he was such a good runner." Phillip's face was as red as a Park letter jacket.
"Really! You haven't told me about this, Phillip. I'm delighted, of course!" He turned to Dan, Peter and Maria. "Well, we've got to go. School night and all." He opened the door and put his hand on his son’s shoulder; Phillip recoiled from the touch. As they went out, Dan could hear him saying, "so Phillip, do tell all..."
Dan caught a glimpse of Phillip's face through the window. He’s afraid of his father. He dismissed the thought. Peter’s way out of line, but Phillip might enjoy it.
Peter interrupted Dan’s reverie. " Not a bad evening's work, my dear Dan. But, alas, I must also go home. School night and all." He solemnly put on his coat, headed to the door and let himself out.
Dan knew he was in trouble. His mother waited until she was sure Peter was far enough down the driveway not to hear. She’s loading both barrels. He froze, propped by his crutches to await the inevitable blast. All the cheerful thoughts generated during the last hour vanished in an instant. His sullen demeanor returned.
"I told you not to have people from your church come here. And you didn't even tell me Peter was coming! And now that you've put that modem in your computer I won't ever be able to use the phone."
Dan was ready. "You're still a Mormon!" he yelled. "You shouldn't speak about the church that way…they're nice people…he fixed my modem…Peter comes so often he's like a member of the family…and you told me I could have the modem…why is it that everything I do is so wrong?" Haven’t we been through all this before?
It was an hour before Dan slammed his door, turned off his computer, and flopped to bed.