The Great Quarterback Switch by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online

“I had my mind on that play. Would you mind repeating the question, please?”
    “No, since I have to in order to get an answer,” she replied, and giggled. “Have you ever thought of what you’d like to do
     when you grow up? I mean, when you’re an adult?”
    Michael shrugged. “No. I haven’t thought about it. I think I’m still pretty young to think about what I want to do when I’m
     an adult.”
    She wiped a little blob of Popsicle off her chin. “I think you’re pretty smart, you know that?”
    Michael blushed. “I wouldn’t say so.”
    “I would. Want me to get you a Popsicle?”
    “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
    “You sure?”
    “Yes, I’m sure.”
    “Okay. See you later, Michael.”
    She left.
    What a girl,
Michael thought.
She isn’t the mousy type we had judged her to be at first.
    All at once he heard a shout on the field and saw Eagles players jumping up and down and hugging each other. He knew that
     he had missed seeing the touchdown. Darn Carol, anyway, for yakking to him during that crucial moment!
    Vince made the kick good for the point after. Eagles 21, Moths 20.
    That was the score when the game ended.
    Michael and Tom rode home with their mother and father. They discussed the game, and the brothers winked at each other when
     their father praised Tom for thatlong touchdown run in the second quarter, and for his perfectly thrown long pass in the last quarter that had put the Eagles
     in touchdown territory.
    “You had me worried for a while,” Mr. Curtis confessed. “You looked so tired I wasn’t sure that you’d be able to finish the
     game.”
    “But you did,” Mrs. Curtis chimed in enthusiastically. “You seemed to perk up just when you needed it!”
    “Just in the nick of time. Right, Mom?” Michael said, nudging Tom in the ribs.
    “Right!”
    Tom chuckled, and Michael joined in with him.
    “What’s so funny?” their mother asked, looking curiously at them.
    Tom shrugged. “Oh, nothing, Mom. We’re just pleased that you and Dad enjoyed the game, that’s all.”
    When their mother looked away, the boys smothered another laugh.
    “I’ve got an apology to make to you, Mike,” said Tom, his voice lowered so it would not carry to the front seat.
    “Apology? What for?”
    “I knew you wanted to make an exchange that one time when I called for the T-forty-three-drive play. But I wanted to do it.
     You know what I mean? I’m sorry.”
    Michael grinned. “Apology accepted,” he said softly.
    Later that day the twins visited Ollie Pruitt and told him of their successful thought-energy experience.
    “Heck, I knew it would work again,” said Ollie confidently, as he snipped dead stems off a hibiscus plant in his yard. “You
     two boys are perfect specimens. You’re both smart as a whip, and you’ve got faith. You’re unique for this thought-energy process.
     I’vetold you that before.” He straightened up, grunting a little. “Hear these old bones? They snarl at me every time I move. Well,
     tell me about it. Has anybody gotten curious after you exchanged places?”
    “I had a close shave,” Michael said. He glanced at Tom. “Remember when you yelled at me just after I completed a pass to Bob
     Riley? You said, ‘Beautiful pass, Mike! Beautiful!’ Well, Vince heard you.”
    “I remember it all right,” said Tom. “I could’ve crawled into a wormhole. Rick Howell was sitting on the bench next to me.
     Even he looked at me and wondered if I had gone off my rocker.”
    “What did you say to Vince?” Ollie asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You got out of it okay, I hope?”
    “Oh, I think I did,” Michael replied. “I said that he— meaning me in the wheelchair— pretends he plays in my placesometimes— meaning Tom’s place. I said that
he’s
always stuck in that wheelchair and likes to get out of it once in a while.”
    Ollie’s eyes twinkled. “And he swallowed your explanation?”
    “The whole bit.”
    Ollie