Chapter 7

“Yes, he’s here. Just a minute,” he said as Thad skidded to a halt beside him.

Once he was handed the phone, his heart pounding in his throat, Thad all but yelled, “Hello!”

“Hey, man!” Link said.

“Hey,” Thad replied, feeling let down.

“I made it!” Link yelled. “They just called. We’re supposed to be at the stadium at nine on Saturday to start training.”

“That’s great,” Thad said, feeling nervous that he hadn’t received a call.

“How about you? They call you yet?”

“No.”

“How about Dale?”

“I haven’t heard from him,” Thad said. “Let’s get off the phone in case they’re trying.”

The boys said a quick goodbye. Thad sat on the couch next to the telephone, staring at it, willing it to ring. The minutes went by. When nothing happened, he picked up the receiver just to make sure there was a dial tone.

Geez! His mother was on the extension, talking to his Aunt Betty. Damn! Why the hell wouldn’t his father come into the twenty-first century and let them get cell phones?!”