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Authors: Gary Paulsen
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talking history here. Some of the athletes you meet today will be future world champions.”
“Whatever. When are we supposed to be there?”
Dunc looked at his watch. “If we want to get good seats, we better go now. Here’s a map. The skating rink is through these doors to the left.” He led the way across the lobby and out the double doors.
The complex was constructed like a miniature town. It was fully self-contained, and several temporary stores and restaurants lined the sidewalks.
“Stop!” Amos grabbed the back of Dunc’s coat. “Check it out.” He pointed to the sign on one of the stores.
“Video Games Paradise? Amos, we don’t have time for that right now. The boys’ free skate is about to begin.”
Amos threw his shoulders back and started for the store. “Well, pardner, you go ahead. But I’m sticking with a real
man’s
sport. By the way, can you loan me some money? I’m a little short.”
Dunc shook his head. “I left my extra cash in my suitcase. I guess you’ll just have to come with me and watch the skating after all.”
Amos shoved his hands in his pockets and scowled. “Are you sure you don’t even have
one
lousy quarter?”
“Scout’s honor.”
“No good. You’re not a Scou—”
A young Korean girl rushed between them, pushing Amos off the path. He fell backward just as a large security guard rode by on his bicycle. The guard crashed sideways into a light post. Amos scrambled to his feet and tried to help the guard up. “Sorry, Officer. It was a total accident. You see, this strange girl ran by and—”
“Save it.” The red-faced guard crawled to his feet and picked up his dented bicycle. He took out his citation pad. “Do you know the penalty for assaulting an officer, kid?”
Amos paused. “No, but if you hum a few bars I’ll give it a try.”
The guard started writing.
Dunc stepped in front of Amos. “Officer, I’m really sorry about this. But in all fairness you should know that they only let him out of the institution once a month.”
The guard looked puzzled. “Institution?”
Amos pulled on Dunc’s sleeve. “Institution?”
Dunc stood on his tiptoes and whispered something in the guard’s ear.
The guard stepped back and looked at Amos. “I see what you mean.” He ripped up the ticket. “Okay, I’ll let it go this time. But you better keep an eye on him. He looks dangerous.”
“I will. Thanks, Officer.” Dunc dragged Amos down the sidewalk. “That was a close one.”
“What did you tell him?” Amos asked.
“Nothing much.”
“Dunc.”
“Okay, I said you were in intensive psychotherapy and that it was time for your medication. And if you didn’t get it really soon there was no telling what you might do next.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“No problem. Hurry up now. We don’t want to be late.”
“Speak for yourself.”
• 4
“That twirling stuff doesn’t look all that tough.” Amos watched the last male skater spinning in a tight circle below them. The skater jumped into the air, missed his landing, and came down hard on his backside. Without stopping his program, the boy got up and flew right into the next jump. This time it was flawless.
“I didn’t know you could skate.” Dunc looked at Amos. “In fact, I was wondering how you were going to manage at Melissa’s party even if she did decide to invite you.”
“Details. After these guys give me a few pointers tomorrow, I’ll be so good Melissawill want me to go skating with her every weekend.”
“It’s a lot harder than you think. These athletes spend years in training. Some of them don’t even get to live with their families. They almost never get to do regular stuff. They spend all their time practicing with coaches. In a way it’s kind of sad.”
“I don’t know. Except for having to wear those tight pants, it might be worth it to get away from Amy for a while,” Amos said.
The crowd applauded thunderously as the boy received his scores. He left the
“Whatever. When are we supposed to be there?”
Dunc looked at his watch. “If we want to get good seats, we better go now. Here’s a map. The skating rink is through these doors to the left.” He led the way across the lobby and out the double doors.
The complex was constructed like a miniature town. It was fully self-contained, and several temporary stores and restaurants lined the sidewalks.
“Stop!” Amos grabbed the back of Dunc’s coat. “Check it out.” He pointed to the sign on one of the stores.
“Video Games Paradise? Amos, we don’t have time for that right now. The boys’ free skate is about to begin.”
Amos threw his shoulders back and started for the store. “Well, pardner, you go ahead. But I’m sticking with a real
man’s
sport. By the way, can you loan me some money? I’m a little short.”
Dunc shook his head. “I left my extra cash in my suitcase. I guess you’ll just have to come with me and watch the skating after all.”
Amos shoved his hands in his pockets and scowled. “Are you sure you don’t even have
one
lousy quarter?”
“Scout’s honor.”
“No good. You’re not a Scou—”
A young Korean girl rushed between them, pushing Amos off the path. He fell backward just as a large security guard rode by on his bicycle. The guard crashed sideways into a light post. Amos scrambled to his feet and tried to help the guard up. “Sorry, Officer. It was a total accident. You see, this strange girl ran by and—”
“Save it.” The red-faced guard crawled to his feet and picked up his dented bicycle. He took out his citation pad. “Do you know the penalty for assaulting an officer, kid?”
Amos paused. “No, but if you hum a few bars I’ll give it a try.”
The guard started writing.
Dunc stepped in front of Amos. “Officer, I’m really sorry about this. But in all fairness you should know that they only let him out of the institution once a month.”
The guard looked puzzled. “Institution?”
Amos pulled on Dunc’s sleeve. “Institution?”
Dunc stood on his tiptoes and whispered something in the guard’s ear.
The guard stepped back and looked at Amos. “I see what you mean.” He ripped up the ticket. “Okay, I’ll let it go this time. But you better keep an eye on him. He looks dangerous.”
“I will. Thanks, Officer.” Dunc dragged Amos down the sidewalk. “That was a close one.”
“What did you tell him?” Amos asked.
“Nothing much.”
“Dunc.”
“Okay, I said you were in intensive psychotherapy and that it was time for your medication. And if you didn’t get it really soon there was no telling what you might do next.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“No problem. Hurry up now. We don’t want to be late.”
“Speak for yourself.”
• 4
“That twirling stuff doesn’t look all that tough.” Amos watched the last male skater spinning in a tight circle below them. The skater jumped into the air, missed his landing, and came down hard on his backside. Without stopping his program, the boy got up and flew right into the next jump. This time it was flawless.
“I didn’t know you could skate.” Dunc looked at Amos. “In fact, I was wondering how you were going to manage at Melissa’s party even if she did decide to invite you.”
“Details. After these guys give me a few pointers tomorrow, I’ll be so good Melissawill want me to go skating with her every weekend.”
“It’s a lot harder than you think. These athletes spend years in training. Some of them don’t even get to live with their families. They almost never get to do regular stuff. They spend all their time practicing with coaches. In a way it’s kind of sad.”
“I don’t know. Except for having to wear those tight pants, it might be worth it to get away from Amy for a while,” Amos said.
The crowd applauded thunderously as the boy received his scores. He left the
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