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)
Phillip Runs
Brother Maceda smiled brightly. "Ah, love. Such tribulation!" He laughed out loud.
"Well, you're no help! Jerri will kill me!"
Peter, with a great sigh, plopped down between Brother Maceda and Dan.
"Dan! Whatever you did it was brilliant! She left! How'd you do it?"
"Peter! You knew that would happen! How dare you! Jerri will kill me!"
"Calm down young man! Pray do tell all!"
Dan did so heatedly. Peter laughed so hard he lay on his back.
"Peter!" yelled Dan loudly enough that people nearby turned in their armchairs to see what the fuss was about.
"Well, I am certainly not going with you," teased Peter. "Why not take Jerri?"
Dan reached over to poke Peter in the ribs. Peter, knowing it was coming, moved deftly back, bowling over Brother Maceda.
"They're on the next to last lap!" shouted the crowd.
The three got to their feet. Peter moved behind Brother Maceda, using him as a shield to protect himself from Dan. The runners were giving it their all. When they passed where Dan, Peter and Brother Maceda stood, there were Anderson runners in first and second place. Another Park runner was third, with Phillip less than a yard behind him. Tania and her machinations were forgotten as the crowd shouted encouragement. The crowd surged onto the track, only to be shooed back to make room for the lagging runners. Phillip was working his way forward. The tight race made the crowd scream.
Dan caught Peter's ear. "Second," he said, out of Brother Maceda's earshot. "Not bad. The kid’s got talent. Let's find him before his dad does."
Without another word, Peter and Dan headed to the end of the track where the athletes were catching their breath. Peter ran, but Dan was still walking, not striding, let alone running. They approached Phillip from behind.
"Phillip!" said Peter in response to something Phillip muttered under his breath. "I daresay that sounded like a discouraging word!"
Phillip turned around. "Oh, don't tell my dad I said that, ok! He hates it when I swear. That was a bad race."
"Bad! Young man, it certainly was!" said Peter in his best outraged voice. "It's not good to show up other teammates like that on your first try. In fact, I placed a bet with young Dan here that you would have better manners and would be at the back of the pack, letting the seniors take the lead. My good man, not only have you had the discourtesy of showing them up, but I lost my bet!"
Dan stepped in. "Oh, I don't know, Peter. I think it's time some of the younger players showed up those snotty seniors. I bet he'd be in the front half, and here he is. Now pay up!" He held out his hand in front of Peter’s nose.
"All right you guys," wheezed Phillip. "I know what you're doing. It's my first try. But I'll do better next time!" He grinned between wheezes. "Thanks for your support." But his face grew apprehensive as his father approached.
"Son, you’ve got to get home to do your paper!"
"I gotta go to work after this. You know that." He took a long swig of water. He was still wheezing.
Dan, sensing there was more going on here than met the eye, moved quickly to intervene.
"Uh, Phillip, do you know how many soccer games I played at Park before I scored a goal?"
Phillip had his hands on his knees, still breathing hard. "No."
"Six."
Phillip looked up at him, sweat running down his face and dripping off his nose, his chest heaving less and less with each passing minute. He let the import of Dan's comment sink in for a minute. He hung his head down, his hands still on his knees. Dan was afraid he might collapse, but he suddenly stood erect. He had a half smile on his lips. "Thanks," he whispered.
"Oh," continued Dan. "There really was a bet. Since I won, I get to choose. The three of us are going for ice cream immediately after you're done here. Peter's paying."
"What?" came the muttered cry from Peter.
Dan turned. "Of course," he said, smiling. "Part of that might be payment for helping with Tania, you know."
Peter just sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Nice try, but I'll take it," said Phillip as the other 3200-meter runners gathered around. They, like Phillip, needed more time to recover.
Coach Johnson approached the group. Instinctively, Dan and Peter drew back so they wouldn't interfere with his pep talk but still be close enough to hear.
"Good job, team! We won the meet by a nose!"
The group cheered. So did Dan and Peter.
"Maceda, you impressed the heck out of me. You've got style! I think you gave too much at the beginning but we'll work on your pacing. That was an incredible first meet. And you…" He went on to say something about each of the group. His comments were mostly positive, but not always, particularly for the most laggardly runner. Dan thought to himself that if anything would help, Coach Johnson's comments should put Phillip at ease.
The crowd was dispersing rapidly. The athletes were heading up the hill to the showers. The parents were gathering lawn chairs, ice chests, bags and coats. Dan and Peter joined the throngs heading toward the school.
"Peter, how am I going to get out of going to Tania's place?"
"I'm gonna tell Jerri!"
"Peter!" exclaimed Dan. "I'm in trouble enough already! I'd better talk to Jerri first."
"Oh, she'll love that. 'Oh, Jerri, my dear, I'm having dinner with another woman. Why don't you come along, my dear.' Is that what you'll say?"
"Peter!"