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)
The Public Argument
Carmen eased her ancient frame closer to the window. The dog was restless again, so she knew the Taurus must be coming down the street. Yes, there it was. She grimaced. Both passengers looked angry, just like the time before.
Phillip was going too fast. The tires squealed as he swerved into the driveway and lurched to a stop. Carmen could see Phillip pull up the parking brake, turn off the ignition and throw the keys at Lance. Phillip opened the door and tried to get out but his seat belt held him in. He fought with the release for a few seconds, freed himself, and jumped out of the car. He slammed the door behind him and stalked up the walk. Carmen noted that old Mrs. Weiberg across the street stopped her weeding and looked up to see what the commotion was about.
Carmen could see Lance rummage around for the keys that Phillip had thrown. Then he sat for a moment to catch his breath. He then heaved himself out of the passenger seat.
"Phillip!" he said. "That won’t do."
Phillip stopped in his tracks and spun around to face his father. "I will not drive again!" he screamed. "I don’t want to drive and I don’t want to listen to you tear apart just absolutely everything I do!"
Mrs. Weiberg looked back down at her weeding and pretended to be busy.
"Phillip, you are being utterly disrespectful. You…"
"You’re the one being disrespectful! I am totally humiliated whenever I’m with…"
"Phillip! This is no place to have an argu…"
"Why not! You humiliate me in public! You argued with me at the ball game in front of everyone! Why can’t we argue here? You…"
"PHILLIP! You go into the house right …"
"I will not! Why do I have to drive, anyway? You’re just forcing me to do it and then you want me to pay for it and it’s not environmentally reasonable and I can take the bus. Why do you want this, anyway?"
Mrs. Weiberg moved to the muddy flower patch by the street. Carmen noticed she kept weeding the same spot.
Carmen turned to Margo, who had come to the window to watch. "Margo," she said. "I think we’re going to have to do something about this."
"Phillip, this is old ground," yelled Lance. "We’ve already covered it. You know why!"
"I DO NOT! I REFUSE TO DRIVE ANY MORE!"
Phillip and Lance were nose to nose. Carmen couldn’t tell the difference between their faces and the purple petunias. Mrs. Weiberg gave up all pretense of weeding and stared at the combatants.
"YOU HAVE TO DRIVE—WE CAN’T SCHLEPP YOUR BUTT ACROSS TOWN ALL YOUR LIFE—YOU’RE NOT TRYING—YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY—I’M TRYING TO TEACH YOU IF YOU’LL JUST LISTEN—YOU COULD SHOW SOME MORE GRATITUDE! YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCUSES ARE JUST A SMOKESCREEN FOR NOT WANTING TO LEARN."
Phillip stood on his toes and leaned into his words. "I WILL NOT PUT UP WITH THE WAY YOU TREAT ME!"
With that, Phillip turned and ran into the house, leaving the front door wide open. Lance turned and stared at Mrs. Weiberg, who immediately looked back at her weeding. Lance got into the house just as Phillip slammed the door to his room.
Margo buried her head in Carmen’s shoulder and cried.