Beanball by Gene Fehler Read Free Book Online Page A

win without me.
    Doesn’t everybody want to feel he’s indispensable?
    Or at least missed?
Sarah Edgerton, Oak Grove student
    Sometimes I wonder if Luke
    even wants me to come see him.
    He’s so quiet—
    not at all the way he was before he got hurt.
    It’s mostly a monologue when I’m there.
    I try to be upbeat.
    I try to talk about funny things
    that happened at school.
    He doesn’t seem interested.
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    Each time I go to the hospital,
    I tell myself that my being there
    will help cheer him up,
    but it doesn’t seem to.
    Each time I leave, I tell myself I’m not going back.
    But I do.
    I say I’m doing it for him.
    Am I just kidding myself?
Luke “Wizard” Wallace
    I was surprised the first time Sarah visited me.
    I’m surprised she keeps coming back;
    I know I’m not good company.
    It’s not
her
fault I don’t feel much like laughing.
    Â 
    The first few times she came, I wished she was Melody.
    It’s pretty clear Melody’s not coming back,
    and now, I have to admit,
    I kind of look forward to Sarah’s visits.
    She’s got a nice smile and a great sense of humor.
    She always tells me funny things
    that have happened at school.
    A few of them I’ve already heard about,
    from either Gordie or Andy,
    but the way she tells a story makes it seem funnier.
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    Here’s an example:
    Principal Jenks gives the morning announcements.
    He’s got a high-pitched voice you wouldn’t expect
    from somebody as big as he is,
    and he always ends the announcements
    with a quote from a famous person.
    Some of the quotes are so dumb,
    everyone in homeroom groans.
    Â 
    Anyway, Sarah’s got his voice down cold,
    so when she imitates him
    giving one of his dumb quotes,
    it almost makes me laugh.
    I know Sarah’s trying to make me feel better.
    I guess she kind of does.
Sarah Edgerton, Oak Grove student
    I don’t know if I should have done it, but I did.
    I printed a bunch of articles off the Internet
    and sent them to Luke—anonymously.
    I don’t know how he’ll take the information,
    and I don’t want him to be mad at me.
    It’s just that I can see how depressed he is.
    I thought the articles might help.
    Â 
    They’re about people who are successful in sports
    even though each of them has vision in only one eye.
    There’s a professional hockey player,
    a college baseball pitcher, and a lot of others.
    Â 
    I want Luke to know he doesn’t have to give up
    the things he loves because he’s lost an eye.
    I want to do something to bring his smile back.
Luke “Wizard” Wallace
    I got an envelope today . . . full of articles
    about athletes who still compete,
    even though they’re blind in one eye.
    Â 
    I didn’t realize it was possible.
    I read them over and over,
    until I was too tired to read anymore.
    Â 
    Later on, I realized
    there was no name on the envelope,
    so I don’t know who sent the articles.
    My first thought was Coach Hucklebee.
    But he would have given them to me in person.
    He would have talked to me about them.
    Same with Mom or Dad or Andy.
    Â 
    What was he thinking, the guy who sent them?
    Why was he afraid to let me know?
    Did he think I’d be pissed, that I’d cuss him out
    and tell him to mind his own business?
    Â 
    Would I have done that?
    Have I been that nasty to people,
    that hard to talk to?
Alice Gooding, nurse
    When I went into Luke’s room, he was reading.
    He’s supposed to avoid eyestrain,
    but some reading is okay.
    I asked him if it was a school assignment,
    and he didn’t answer.
    Then, when I said it was time to change his dressings,
    I realized he hadn’t even noticed I was there—
    he’d been so engrossed in what he was reading.
    Â 
    The next time I went to his room, he was asleep.
    A sheet of paper was still in his hand.

 
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Part Five

Andy Keller, Oak Grove third baseman
    Luke