First and Ten Read Online Free PDF Page B

you think is right. Send me an e-mail tomorrow and let me know how it goes.”
    Matt had difficulty getting to sleep. He rolled around in his bed, trying to get comfortable. But all he could think of was lunch tomorrow and what he was going to say to his dad.
    He awoke early the next morning to sunshine streaming through his bedroom window. He had forgotten to close the heavy drapes on his east-facing room. Matt looked at the clock. It was only 8:00 am and it was Saturday. He contemplated going back to bed, but decided that would be futile. Instead, he headed downstairs and directly to the front door, which he opened, and scooped up the Post off the front step.
    Matt turned immediately to the Sports section, pulled down a cereal bowl from the cupboard and poured himself some Cheerios. He was just shoving the first spoonful into his mouth when he saw the picture on the second page of the Sports section. It was Phil! But he wasn’t going to like the shot. It showed the ball ricocheting off his hands, one of several passes that he had dropped during the Maroon-and-White game the previous day. You could see the anxious look on Phil’s face as the ball slipped away. In terms of action, it was a great picture, but it wasn’t very flattering to his friend.
    Matt hadn’t thought about football since yesterday evening. All he could think about now was the lunch today with his dad. It consumed him all morning, as he played three-on-three basketball at Anderson Park with Phil, Jake, Amar Sunir and a couple of other friends.
    â€œWhat’s up, Mattster?” Jake said as they took a water break. “You’ve hardly made a shot all morning. Worried about making the football team, or what?”
    â€œI guess so,” Matt replied. He wasn’t ready yet to tell his friends about his dad. It was such weird news, he didn’t even know how to bring it up. He also didn’t know how he felt about it yet.
    The game broke up about eleven thirty, and Matt headed home, had a long shower and got ready to meet his father. It was weird, but he fretted over what clothes to wear and took extra time to comb his hair. Why was he so concerned about what he looked like? He couldn’t figure it out. But at the same time it seemed important.
    Just before one o’clock, the black Ford suv rolled into the driveway. Matt’s dad eased out of the front seat and walked to the front door. His mom was already out doing an open house, so Matt had been waiting near the door for his father. Might as well get this over with, he thought. He met the visitor outside.
    â€œHey, Matt,” his father said cheerily. “Are you hungry?”
    Matt nodded. He wasn’t really. He was too nervous to even think of eating. He climbed into the passenger seat of the suv and did up his seatbelt. His father slid into the driver’s seat and turned to him.
    â€œKnow anywhere we can get a good pizza?” his dad asked.
    â€œWe always go to Classico’s,” Matt replied. “It’s not far from here.”
    They exchanged small talk about the suv, the weather, football and pizza as they drove. At the restaurant, a waitress led them to a secluded table near the back.
    Shortly after they had ordered, Matt’s dad laid his palms down on the table and cleared his throat.
    â€œI know you must have some questions,” he said, suddenly looking nervous. “But maybe first I’ll tell you where I’ve been for the last ten years…”
    Strangely, Matt giggled. Just a nervous reaction. “Sure,” he said. “Okay.”
    His father cleared his throat again, raised his eyebrows and sighed.
    â€œWell, Matt, your mother and I had been married for about ten years. We got married young. We had Mark very young. I thought getting married was the right thing to do, so did your mother. But we weren’t ready. I mean, I guess more honestly, I wasn’t ready.
    â€œBy the time you came along,