Free Beanball by Gene Fehler Page A

them.
    That’s the whole thing.
    Lucky for me, our offense pounded the ball.
    Got me seven runs to work with.
    Â 
    Last ups, they loaded the bases with two outs.
    Then a guy I should have been able to strike out
    blooped one into short center.
    It was a sure hit. No human could get to it.
    But the Wizard—Luke Wallace—came out of nowhere
    and made a sliding catch
    to save the game.
    Â 
    I didn’t deserve the win, but I’ll take it.
    My team came through for me.
Andy Keller, Oak Grove backup infielder
    I’ll take credit for Luke’s nickname:
    The Wizard.
    Oh, yeah.
    I started calling him that
    â€™cause he’s a wizard with the mitt.
    I’ve known him since fifth grade,
    and the times I’ve seen him drop a ball,
    even in practice,
    I could count on one hand.
    Hey, I’d even have a few fingers left over.
    He can outrun any fly ball,
    and once he gets to it, it sticks to his glove
    like a piece of fuzz to a sweater.
    Â 
    I bet there aren’t many big leaguers
    who can play the outfield better.
Luke “Wizard” Wallace, Oak Grove center fielder
    I feel bad for Andy.
    He was counting on starting,
    which didn’t happen,
    and then he only got in for an inning
    in our first game.
    But he’s a good ballplayer,
    and this will just make him more determined.
    Hell break into the starting lineup yet.
    Coach is fair. He likes guys who hustle,
    and nobody hustles more than Andy.
    What he lacks in raw talent,
    he makes up for in desire.
    Â 
    We’ve been best friends for years,
    practiced together thousands of hours—
    baseball, football, basketball.
    The thing about him that amazes me:
    I know he thinks it all comes so easy for me,
    but he’s never acted jealous,
    not even once.
Melody Mercer, Oak Grove student
    I’m going to have to decide—
    who to go to prom with, I mean.
    I expect at least three guys will ask me.
    It’s a pain, having to decide,
    but I guess my problem isn’t the worst one a girl can have.
    I know some girls who won’t get asked at all.
    Â 
    I don’t know why anybody would want
    to go steady with one boy.
    High school is too early to get tied down.
    Look at my mom.
    She dated the same guy all through high school.
    She was married at nineteen
    and divorced before she was thirty.
    I want to make sure I pick the right guy—
    if
I ever decide to get married.
    Â 
    I wouldn’t mind going to prom with Luke.
    He’s the guy I’ve been going out with the most.
    He’s fun. And he likes me a lot.
    I just don’t know if I want to get too serious
    with one of the school’s biggest jocks.
    That’s what Mom did, and look how she ended up.
    Sports were more important to Dad than Mom was.
    Or me, even.
    Â 
    I like dating Brett. His parents are rich,
    so he has plenty of money to spend on me.
    I think Derek would be the best date, though.
    He’s absolutely gorgeous—the hottest guy in school.
    He should be prom king, for sure,
    and I have a good chance to be queen.
    Wouldn’t that make some photo?
    Derek and me, all dressed up, looking beautiful together?
Janice Trucelli, Oak Grove English teacher
    Luke Wallace isn’t one of my top students,
    only one of my favorites.
    Not that I’d ever say that in public, of course.
    Â 
    I know he’s capable of doing A work,
    but it’s pretty obvious he waits until the last minute
    to write his essays and doesn’t leave himself time
    to do any revising or proofreading.
    Â 
    Oh, he exasperates me!
    To him, the difference between an A and a B- or even a C+
    isn’t worth the extra effort it would take to earn the A.
    He’d rather spend his time and energy on sports.
    Â 
    He’s such fun to be around, though.
    He always has a smile and a pleasant word.
    He has a knack for making people feel he likes them,
    and I think he truly does.
    Â 
    I remember during football season last fall
    he kept putting off projects,
    not