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)
The Fancy Restaurant
Phillip looked at her, puzzled. "Do we have to go to a fancy restaurant for it to be a date?"
"We’re not at school just having lunch together in the cafeteria, you know."
"We don’t have the same lunch. I have fourth period, you have…"
Melanie rolled her eyes again. "Can we just go to a nice restaurant? There are four in the mall. They’re over by the theater."
Phillip thought for several seconds. "Which one is cheapest?"
"Honestly, Phillip. One would think you’ve never been on a date before."
"I haven’t. This is my first one."
"Come with me," she commanded. She led the way through the mall, past the food court, out the door and onto the outside pavilion. Once outside, she grabbed his hand to urge him forward.
"Are we supposed to hold hands on our first date?" asked Phillip as they pushed through the crowds.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It’s in the handbook."
"What handbook?"
They drew up in front of one of the restaurants. "Is this ok?" she asked.
It was raining harder now. Phillip tentatively withdrew his hand from Melanie’s and studied the menu. His eyes zeroed in on the prices. He’d never paid attention to restaurant prices before because he’d never paid restaurant prices before. He’d only been to nice restaurants with his folks. Dad always paid.
The numbers on the menu loomed large. He mentally converted the prices into how many hours he needed to work at the pet store.
"Uh, I guess so," he said reluctantly. "Are you sure you don’t want to eat in the food court?"
"Phillip, this is your first date. Let’s do it right."
He was silent. He put his hands into his jacket pockets and made a show of studying the menu. Raindrops on his glasses made it difficult to see.
"Phillip, look. Next time we’ll eat in the food court, ok?"
Phillip took off his glasses and shook them. He pushed them back on his nose. He surveyed the crowd in the restaurant—mostly a well-to-do crowd, he thought, kind of rowdy. He turned to survey the distance back to the food court. He surveyed Melanie. She looked like a wet hen. Water was dripping from her nose.
"I think this would be wonderful," he said.