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 Phillip. Be sure to check out About Dan here.
Phillip is a computer nerd who suddenly discovers a liking for track. Everything would be fine except for his father.
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 Phillip Home) (Last) (Next)
Mom Tries Cookies
Phillip was stepping out of the shower when he heard his mother’s voice calling up the stairs. He barely heard it through the bathroom door.
"Phillip, honey, do you have a few minutes before you go to work?"
"Just a second, mom," he yelled. "Gotta get dressed. What’s happening?"
"I’ll be in the kitchen, dear."
Phillip didn’t like it when she said "I’ll be in the kitchen." It always meant a lecture—what his mom called "just a friendly heart to heart talk." He dressed quickly. He needed to catch the bus.
He came downstairs to find his mom sitting at the kitchen table. There was a platter of fresh chocolate chip cookies in front of her. The aroma told of more in the oven. Phillip was suspicious. She only did this when bribing the boys.
"Honey, please sit down."
Phillip eased into the chair and faced his mother across the kitchen table. He put his palms on the table.
"What’d I do?" he asked.
"Nothing, Phillip. It’s just that we haven’t had a chance to say hello in a while. I thought you’d enjoy some cookies."
Phillip took a tentative bite. As usual, they were soft, moist, had extra chocolate and tasted warm and sweet. Grant would kill for Margo’s cookies.
He spoke with his mouth full. "You know I have to be at work at ten-thirty, right? Gotta work ‘til six."
She hesitated and then showed him her sweetest smile.
"I know, dear. No problem. I can drive you to work if you’re too late for the bus."
"Ok, what’s the matter?"
She hesitated. "Well, I…"
"Dad and I are arguing."
She lost her smile and replaced it with a worried frown. "Phillip, I love you. I see you changing."
"Mom, I’m not changing. I’m just Phillip, like always. It’s Dad who’s changing. He’s always on my case about something. I mean, you know, I’m doing the best I can!"
"What’s upsetting you, sweetie? You know your father loves you…"
Phillip snorted, nearly spitting cookie on the table. "Mom! He screamed at me only this morning because I didn’t have time to go with him to the mountains! He’s always on my case about driving lessons. He says I’m not responsible. Why can’t he just say he loves me and give me some space and…"
Margo pressed on gently as though handling an angry rattlesnake. "But Phillip, dear. You’re nearly sixteen…"
Phillip braced for the lecture about learning to drive.
"…and soon you’re going to be ordained a priest…"
He was surprised. This wasn’t what he expected.
"…and your father is concerned about whether he’ll get to, you know, who you want to ordain you."
Phillip took another bite of a cookie. He shifted his weight and looked out the window.
"I just assumed Dad would do it," he replied. "He ordained Richard, didn’t he? He ordained me a teacher, didn’t he—no wait, Richard ordained me. That’s odd—can a priest ordain a teacher? Yeah, I guess so. I remember from seminary. A priest can ordain a priest, too. Too bad Richard isn’t here to do it. Of course, he’s an elder now."
Margo was gauging his mood. "So what are you going to do?" she asked.
"I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it."
He hadn’t thought about it at all. Did he really have a choice?
Margo pressed on. "Phillip, I know you and your father don’t get along right now. I’m sure you and he will do just fine, but maybe right now…if you want to…if it is…well, if you want to have someone else…"
Phillip leaned against the kitchen wall. He thought for several seconds before replying.
"I haven’t really thought of anyone other than Dad." He leaned forward, looking intently into his mother’s face. "Doesn’t Dad wanna do it?"
It had never occurred to Phillip that his father would be so angry he didn’t want to ordain his own son.
"No, that’s not it." She spoke tentatively. "It’s just that we want this to be a spiritual occasion…"
Phillip rolled his eyes. Margo pretended not to notice.
"…and if you’d feel better about someone else doing it, we understand."
"Well, Grant’s not a priest yet, so he can’t do it. There’s Dan, of course…"
Margo’s shoulders fell and the smile faded. The cookie ploy hadn’t worked. But she wasn’t done.
"Well, sweetie, let us know what you want to do. By the way, now that you’re turning sixteen…"
"I don’t want a big party, if that’s what you mean."
"Why not?"
"Don’t you think I’ve kinda outgrown birthday parties and all that? I’m not a little kiddie."