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)
Cheryl's Burden
"What do you mean?" asked Dan. He was seeing a different Cheryl; he'd never seen her pensive.
Her shoulders slumped. "Dan," she began, but her voice trailed off; she turned away.
He thought of grabbing his lunch and pretending he'd forgotten something. But he couldn't bring himself to run away.
"Cheryl," he said, "I'm going to walk again, and you aren't. Is that it?"
She looked through him as though looking at an abstract watercolor. She took a couple deep breaths but said nothing.
Dan looked down at his lunch. He unwrapped his sandwich and held it without taking a bite. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't go there."
"No," she replied. "You're right." The dam broke. "I'm sitting outside today because feel sorry for myself." She forced a little laugh and straightened her blouse. "I see athletes run. I see dancers dance. The actors act. Other girls have dates. I'll never walk without crutches and braces, let alone run. Everyone who ends up with a cast on their leg gives me sympathy and tells me they know what it feels like, but they don't. They'll get better. I won't." She stopped.
Dan took a bite out of his sandwich; he started to chew but didn't taste anything. He looked up. Cheryl was examining the remains of her lunch and twiddling with her napkin.
"Cheryl," he said gently. "We had a blast at the dance."
"Oh, I know. Yeah, I've learned how to be positive and have a different kind of fun and all that. I learned a long time ago no one will pay attention if I'm morose. But," she let out her breath in a whoosh, "everyone responds to a smile." She tried to smile. "I spend half my time offering my shoulder for other people to cry on. And they use it, too!"
"I'm afraid that includes me. Sorry."
She looked up suddenly. "No, Dan, don't misunderstand. I really enjoy helping other people. It's just..." her voice trailed off.
"What?" pressed Dan.
She didn't answer. She twisted her napkin some more. It broke.
Dan finished her thought. Be gentle, he thought. "There's no shoulder for you to cry on. Is that it?"
She lowered her head so no one in the cafeteria would see. But she couldn’t hide her tears from Dan. I wish I had Peter’s gift for wiping away tears.
She finally replied in a small voice that made it hard for him to hear. "Sometimes I think I'll never marry. Who’d want me? I've never had a boyfriend." She tossed her hair to dismiss the thought and looked at Dan. "Oh, I've had a few sympathy dates, like they were public service or something. In fact, someone from your church, Justin or somebody like that, took me out last spring, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it. He let slip that he'd talked about me in one of his church meetings, so I figured I was his 'service project' or whatever you call it. I made him take me home." Her voice was rising. "Dan, maybe my leg is malformed, but my heart isn't!"
"Oh." It was all he could think of. "Wow."
"I mean, at least you have Lisa," she began.
"I do not," he interrupted sharply.
"What?"
"No I don't." He said it emphatically. "We broke up."
"Oh, Dan, I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about. You can appreciate this. She wasn't dating me; she was dating someone with my name who’s a mythical knight in shining armor. As soon as I’m tarnished and broken, she drops me. I'm not sure whether she dumped me or I dumped her. Let's just say it was mutual."
"Oh, Dan, you two have known each other forever."
He bit his lip. "She deserted me when I needed her most." I sound like Peter.
She thought for a moment. "Why is it people only look at the outside?"
Dan laughed sardonically. "Because it's the only part we can see, that's why!"
She was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I look at you as a happy girl who happens to be on crutches. I never thought there'd be turmoil inside."
She smiled. "Well, I really do try to project that image. And you're the happy-go-lucky soccer player who will soon be a happy-go-lucky soccer player."
"Yeah, not soon enough." He took a bite of his sandwich to punctuate his reply. "So what do you do when you’re down like this?"
"Oh, it passes. I like to be alone. Outside, if possible. Fortunately, it's nice today, except you can't see anything," she said, gesturing toward the Flatirons. "I just count my blessings. Eventually I feel better."
Dan turned around to look at the mountains. He could see their outline in the haze.
"I wish I had a way that worked like that," he said. "My leg's getting better, but I'm worried about my mother. You know, she passed out last night on the kitchen floor. She woke up when I found her, but she wouldn't let me call an ambulance or anything."
"Doesn't your church help with things like that?" She showed sudden interest.
"Yeah they do, but she won't let them."
"Does she have friends?"
"Yes, there's someone named Joyce in Nederland. They talk a lot."
Cheryl paused for emphasis. "The power of friendship is unbelievable, Dan. Friends are the most valuable things we have."
"Yeah, I've sort of discovered that." He thought of Peter.
She looked at her watch and started gathering her stuff. "It's nearly time for sixth period. They'll be waiting for me. You know, Dan, there's no point in wishing for something you can never have." She got up and grabbed her crutches.
"Well, you must be feeling better," said Dan, also getting up.
"How do you know?"
"You're spouting platitudes."
She laughed. It was her pleasant, cheerful laugh, like the Cheryl he knew. "I didn't even notice," she said.
"Who's waiting?" asked Dan.
"Huh?"
"You said 'they'll be waiting.'"
"Oh, them," she replied coyly. "Well, you'll have to come see. Stop by room 513 during sixth period sometime."
"Can't. I have chemistry."
"Ok, then, live forever in ignorance."
They moved to the cafeteria door. Peter was in his normal spot, still waiting for Dan. He saw them and opened the door.