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)
Falling Behind
Dan wheeled himself into the kitchen and found the note on the table. He strained to reach the portable phone and nearly knocked it to the floor. He grabbed it just in time, pulled it into his lap and dialed the number his mother left for him.
"Park High School."
"This is Dan Cook. Ms. Albright, please."
He hadn't thought of school since the accident. The entire hospital experience was starting to seem like limbo—a time-out.
"Hi, Dan, how are you doing?"
"Ok, I guess. Just got home from the hospital. Mom said you called."
"We've been in touch with your doctor and he said you can come back to school on Monday. The handicapped bus will pick you up." He cringed at the word handicapped. "They'll get you home again, too. After you get on crutches we'll reevaluate."
Dan wasn’t sure what to say.
"Now, let's talk about your schoolwork. You're a week behind. I've talked with your teachers and they think you can make up the work just fine."
Make it up? Dan thought. Why not just skip it? "What do I need to do?"
"Do you have your chemistry book with you? You were already behind in Chemistry even before the accident."
"Everything is still in my gym locker."
"I don't think you should leave your homework until Monday. Who can bring your stuff to you?"
"Peter Fawkes. He lives just down the block, so it won't be out of his way."
"Ok. Do you have any other questions?"
"No."
He couldn’t reach far enough to put the portable back into the cradle, so he put it on the table. Leaving it on the table was a good way to start an argument, but what could he do?
He looked at his watch and thought for a moment. It was fifth period, which Peter used for a lunch break. He dialed Peter's cell.
"Peter at your service," came the voice.
"Dude."
"Where do they have my favorite invalid locked up?"
"I escaped this morning. Cops and robbers and everything."
"So you’re all healed, right?"
"Right. Can you bring my backpack home? It's still in my gym locker from Friday."
"Will do. Don’t forget the chemistry test on Monday."
"Test? Monday? What test?"
"The next module. The one we did while you were taking vacation. Cool stuff. I don't have a clue what it's about, either. What are you doing now?"
"I think I'll take a nap first…"
"Nap! Nappy time for Danny-pooh!"
"Jeesh. Lighten up. Do you have time to work on my computer? Fix the modem?"
"When are you going to grow up and get broadband?"
"Broadband! Ha! My mom keeps reminding me I'm so lucky to have a computer. Dad gave me his e-mail address."
"Doesn't your mother have a hit squad after him?"
"He sneaked in while she was gone. She threw him out when she came back. Wasn't nice about it."
"Ok, look, that was the bell. Gotta go. I'll put in a good word for you in chemistry. Like maybe 'molecule' or 'Avogadro'!"
"Today, then?"
"No, dummy, we have a game! In the mud and rain! Now that's the way soccer should be played!"
"Ok, tonight. Good luck."
"The game'll be a pushover. You watch. I'm the goalie, remember?"
Peter was right; mud and rain made the game more interesting. He had a mental image of himself on the sidelines in his wheelchair, soaked to the skin.
He wheeled himself back to his room and tried heaving himself out of the wheelchair and onto the bed but nearly tumbled to the floor instead. He set the wheelchair brakes more firmly for a second try. I’ll get the hang of this yet! He stared at the ceiling. Wasn’t there a pill he was supposed to take after lunch? Later. He was asleep in three minutes.