Free Jinxed! by Kurtis Scaletta, Eric Wight

was just a kid, but I already had my dream job. I was the batboy for the Pine City Porcupines. The Pines were the baseball team in my hometown. They played in the Prairie League.
    I wrote them a letter in the off-season, asking if I could be a batboy. I told them that I would love to do it, that I knew a lot about baseball, and that I would work really, really hard.
    Dad said I should also send them a résumé.
    â€œWhat’s a rez-u-may?” I asked him. That’s how he said it: “rez-u-may.”

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    â€œIt’s a list of all your past jobs and your accomplishments,” he said.
    â€œI’ve never had a job.”
    â€œGood point,” my dad said. “But you do have a lot of accomplishments.”
    So I got on the computer and typed up my accomplishments. It took me all day.

    â€œI’ve never seen ‘I have my own résumé’ on a person’s résumé before,” Dad said when I was done.
    â€œBut I worked really hard on it.”
    â€œGood point. It looks great. Let’s mail it tomorrow.”
    â€¢ • •
    I waited two weeks, but nobody called.
    â€œIt can take a long time,” said Dad. “Be patient.”
    I waited two more weeks, and still nobody called. I was beginning to give up hope.
    â€œThe season hasn’t even started yet,” said Dad. He was right.
    Then I got the call! The Porcupines wanted me to come in for a job interview.
    I put on my best pants, my good shoes, a shirt with a collar, and a snap-on tie.
    â€œYou look great,” said Dad. “Remember to speak clearly and make good eye contact.”
    â€œOK.”
    â€œDo you want a ride?”
    â€œNo. I’ll feel more grown-up if I ride my bike.” We lived really close to the ballpark.
    â€¢ • •
    I talked to the clubhouse manager, whose name was Wally. He had a big white droopy mustache that covered his mouth. At least I could make good eye contact.
    â€œYou have an impressive résumé,” Manager Wally said.
    â€œThanks. I wrote it all by myself.”
    â€œWhy do you want to be a batboy?” he asked.
    â€œI love baseball,” I told him. “You should see my room. I have posters and pennants on allthe walls. I also have over five thousand baseball cards in binders. They fill a whole shelf.”
    â€œI love bacon, but I don’t want to work on a pig farm,” replied Wally.
    â€œYeah, but being a batboy is fun,” I said.
    â€œSometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t,” said Wally. “It’s always hard work. Have you ever done hard work?”
    I thought about the hardest work I’d done. I’d pulled weeds in the garden. I always did my homework on time. I walked our spaniel mix, Penny, and cleaned up after her.
    â€œAll the time,” I said.
    â€œFinal question,” said Wally. “Explain the infield fly rule.”
    I knew all about the infield fly rule. My uncle Rick told me about it. Uncle Rick has told me almost everything I know aboutbaseball. I explained to Wally that the infield fly rule kept the infielder from cheating and turning an easy out into two easy outs.
    â€œI’ve always wanted somebody to explain that to me so I could understand it,” he said. “When can you start?”
    â€œWhen school gets out,” I told him. Dad had been very clear about that.
    â€œGreat,” said Wally. “But no more ties. Don’t you know that there are no ties in baseball?”
    â€œNo ties,” I repeated. I could totally keep that promise.

hy don’t we talk about our plans for the summer?” said our teacher, Ms. Singer, on the last day of school.
    Here was my chance to tell everyone about my job. I hadn’t told anyone yet. I was scared the Porcupines would change their mind. I thought Wally might call and say, “Sorry, kid, we couldn’t wait for school to get out. We’re bringing in a kid who’s dropped