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.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
(About Phillip Home) (Last) (Next)
Is Melanie a Girl?
"Saint Richard?" asked Melanie.
"Yeah," mused Phillip. "I called him ‘Saint Richard’ the year before he left on his mission because Dad told me I should be more like him. Mom hates it when I call him that."
Phillip finished cleaning the cage in silence. Melanie handed him the puppy; Phillip carefully returned it to the cage. Melanie stooped to the next cage, pulled out a frisky Schnauzer and gave it to Phillip to play with while she took her turn cleaning. He sat on the floor and let the puppy run around him. He poked at the dog who responded with a playful bark.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked.
"I don’t think there’s anything I can do." The schnauzer nipped one of Phillip’s fingers; he jerked.
"Hon," barked Mrs. Hardesty, "when you finish there I need you to unbox the new shipment of cat food and get some on the shelf. It’s almost bare!" She bustled off.
Phillip sighed. He handed back the puppy and stood, brushing himself off. "We can get the other cages later. Maybe we should get that cat food now."
"Is your dad still making you learn to drive? I mean, if his business has changed?" she asked.
"You’d never know anything’s changed. But I got him to agree to let Mom teach me. She and I went out yesterday after school. She sucks in her breath a lot but otherwise just smiles. She didn’t say anything and she let me drive anywhere I wanted. And when I said I was done, she said it was ok."
"Well, that’s better, isn’t it?"
Phillip hoisted a box of cat food and started for the front of the store. "A lesser evil, if that’s what you mean. I still think we need to use public transportation more. The bus I took this afternoon was nearly empty, yet it got caught in traffic! All those people out there burning expensive gasoline. I was just counting all the tons of greenhouse gasses they were creating while just stuck there! When is everyone gonna get a clue?"
Melanie smiled at Phillip’s outburst. She paused before changing the subject. "Uh, Phillip, are you interested in getting something to eat after work? You know, just go get something to eat. Nothing special."
"No, mom’s got…" He suddenly stopped cold, nearly dropping the heavy box. Melanie bounced off him and stumbled backwards.
"Huh? What’s wrong?" she demanded.
Phillip put down the box. He stared at Melanie. His mind was working.
"You’re a…you’re a…uh…you’re a GIRL!"
"Yeah, what’s wrong with that?"
A smile slowly spread across his face. "Are you sixteen yet?" he asked.
"I’ve been sixteen for a month. What does that have to do with being a girl?"
"To answer your first question, the answer is yes. But not until I’m sixteen."
"Yes what? Yes that I’m a girl? I don’t have to wait until I’m sixteen to be a girl."
"Yes you do…no…I mean…never mind. Yes, I’ll go to dinner with you once I turn sixteen."
"I’m hungry now. When do you turn sixteen? At quitting time?"
"No," he said, still smiling broadly. "This coming Wednesday."
She was puzzled. "I don’t get it."
"Look, on Wednesday we’ll both be sixteen. Then we can have dinner together."
"Is this a Mormon thing?"
"Something like that. Ok?"
"Uh, yeah, ok."
Phillip hefted the box on his shoulder. "By the way, there’s another track meet tomorrow. Wanna come?"
"When? Where?"
"Boulder High. Four o’clock. It’s free. It’ll be over by six."
"Uh, ok. I’ll be there."
"Cool. I’m number 17." He put down the box and ripped it open. They began stocking the shelf.
"I think I can pick you out in a crowd," she said. "Even without your number."
"Sure, I’m the only one with glasses," he said ruefully. "By the way…" He paused.
"Yeah?"
"When we have dinner, can we take the bus?"
Melanie was puzzled. "I suppose so."
"Cool."