Button Down

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Authors: Anne Ylvisaker
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get home from the game. Clyde probably went with Burton. Mr. Ward will drop them off here. You’ll see.”
    “What about the other fellows?”
    “They’ll know to come later.”
    “I don’t know,” said Franklin.
    “Come on,” said Ned. “We can practice some plays. Does anyone have a ball? Franklin?”
    Franklin shook his head.
    “Well,” said Ned. “We can do some warm-ups. Run.”
    The boys stood around looking at one another.
    “I’ll stay,” said Ralph.
    “Thanks,” said Ned. “Who else is in? Fellows?”
    “Aggie and me,” said Tugs.
    “All right,” said Franklin.
    Paul shrugged and hopped onto his hands and walked around a bit. Mel plopped down on the ground.
    Then a car honked over and over, and they turned. It was Mr. Jackson with Mr. Leek and Granddaddy Ike. Ned ran up to the car.
    “They aren’t here. Burton went to Iowa City for the game. No one else showed up. You can go home if you want. I just want to wait awhile.”
    “Go home, nothing,” said Granddaddy. “Get out on that field and show me what you’ve got.”
    “But we don’t have a ball,” said Ned.
    “Huh,” said Granddaddy. He combed his mustache with his fingers.
    “Want me to take you home, Ike?” said Mr. Jackson.
    “No,” said Granddaddy. “I’ll wait here. We can run plays. You can go on if you want.”
    “I’ll stay,” said Mr. Jackson.
    “I’ll stay, too,” said Mr. Leek. They helped Granddaddy out of the car. Mr. Jackson took a blanket out of his trunk and laid it on the ground. He looked at the blanket and back at Granddaddy.
    “Maybe you better sit in the car,” he said.
    “Sure, sure,” said Granddaddy. “Put me in the driving spot so I can see. Just leave the door open. Best seat in the house.
    “OK, boys, and Tugs and Aggie,” he said once he was settled. “Show us what you’ve got.”
    “I . . . we . . .” Ned started. Why were they all looking at him for direction? He started again. “Well, there’s the Ike. We could show them that.”
    “Sure,” said Ralph. “How does that go again?”
    Ned got a stick. He went to a patch where the grass had worn off, and drew the play out and explained it again. Then they got into formation and ran, pretending to throw a ball.
    “Fine! Fine!” said Granddaddy. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Leek clapped. “Show us another!”
    They ran the Lester. They ran each of their plays three times over.
    Ned looked over at Granddaddy. He was listing. His eyes were drooping.
    “That’s all, fellows,” Ned said. “We’ll get Burton and Clyde next Saturday. They’ll be sorry.”
    Mr. Leek and Mr. Jackson helped Granddaddy into the backseat. “Hop on in, Ned. We’ll take you home.”
    “See?” said Granddaddy as they waved to Tugs and Aggie, who set out on foot. “What has old Burton Ward got that you don’t have?”
    Ned slumped in his seat. “Lester’s football,” he said.

Ned had planned on giving Burton the business after school. They all had license to call him chicken now that he’d failed to show for their game. But Burton wasn’t on the back lot after school. Clyde and his fellows were milling around without a football.
    Ned and the others ran to their side of the field. They practiced a couple of plays, but when Burton still hadn’t arrived and his team still wasn’t playing, they walked over.
    “Bawk, bawk, bawk,” Paul started chanting softly.
    “Bawk, bawk, bawk.” Mel and Franklin joined in, then Ralph and Ned and the rest, until they were one big clutch of chickens. They tucked their hands into their armpits and flapped their elbows.
    “Looks like we’re going to win the challenge,” said Ralph. “These chickens were no-shows.”
    “Knock it off,” said Clyde. “There is no challenge.”
    “Sure there is,” said Ned. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy.”
    “Lester’s football is gone. Burton didn’t even get to go to the game.”
    “What do you mean, Lester’s ball is gone? Burton didn’t go to the

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