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around, talking and laughing, I walked over to the corner of the weight room. I sat down on the end of the bench and positioned myself under the bar. I started doing presses. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. I reached ten and put the bar back in place.
    I looked around the room. The other guys were all at different pieces of equipment,working out. Coach Barnes was standing at my side.
    â€œI figured I’d made the right choice for captain. Now I know.”
    I felt happy and excited—and a little bit guilty. Coach Reeves hadn’t even cleaned out his office yet.
    I owed him so much. He was the reason I had played in the first place, and then he’d worked with me to help me become a better player. He’d also been there when I was having trouble in math. He sat down and worked with me until I understood calculus. He didn’t do that just so I could stay eligible to play ball. He just did it. I’d miss him. Still, this was pretty exciting.

Chapter Five
    â€œWhat are you doing?” my mother asked as she padded into the kitchen in her slippers and pajamas.
    â€œEating,” I mumbled through a big mouthful of cereal.
    â€œYou’re always eating. What I meant is, what are you doing up at this hour? It’s not even seven o’clock. You can’t be starting work this early.”
    â€œThe store doesn’t even open until eight,” I said. “I have a shift later on today. I’m working from noon to six.”
    I worked in the produce department of Dennis’s No Frills Grocery Store. It was a nice job. I liked the people I worked with. Dennis was a great boss, and he always let me, and the other members of the team, change our shifts so we wouldn’t miss games or practices.
    â€œThen, getting back to my original question, why are you up?”
    â€œI’m going to school.”
    â€œIn case you hadn’t noticed, it’s summer vacation. You don’t have to go to school,” my mother said.
    â€œI’m not taking a vacation this year. I’m going to school every day this summer to hit the weight room. You should see how amazing it is in there!”
    They’d finished the weight room in record time, and it was everything that Coach Barnes had said it would be.
    â€œI’m sure it’s wonderful. What I don’t understand is how come they don’t have money for each student to have his owntextbook, but they have money to spend on the football program.”
    â€œIt was all donated,” I explained.
    â€œMaybe somebody should donate money for textbooks.”
    â€œI think that’ll happen when everybody in town crowds into the stadium to watch people read their textbooks,” I said.
    â€œThat won’t happen in this town. Everybody is football crazy, maybe too much so,” my mother said.
    â€œThat’s not possible.”
    â€œDo you really think that you have to go in every day?” my mother asked.
    â€œGotta. I’m the captain and I have to set a good example.”
    My mother came over and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. “You always set a good example in everything. I’m so proud of you. I was proud of you long before you started playing football.”
    I felt embarrassed and happy. “I better get going.”
    â€œWhy don’t you wait and I’ll drive you to school.”
    I shook my head. “That wouldn’t work. I’m going to run to the school and get some work for my legs. Thanks, but no thanks. I gotta get going.”
    I stood up and cleared my place, putting the bowl and cup in the sink.
    â€œI’ll see you after work,” I said.
    â€œI’ll make you something special for dinner,” my mother said.
    â€œIf you want to make it really special, make it really big. I’m trying to bulk up.”
    â€œI’m glad to hear that. I was worried that you were wasting away,” she joked.
    â€œAnd do you think you could buy me some