The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had Read Online Free PDF Page B

I was captain that day and was in a good mood, having already gotten Raymond, Ulman and Pearl for my side. There weren’t too many people left, but that still don’t explain why I suddenly heard myself call out, “I pick Emma.”
    “Who?” asked Elbert. He had a rare afternoon off from working with his pa at the barbershop.
    “Emma,” I repeated. “Emma Walker. She’s right over there.” I pointed. Everyone turned to look.
    Emma stood perfectly still, her eyes wide. “No thank you,” she said finally, “I don’t want to play.”
    Now this irritated me to no end. She’d been looking at us like we were enjoying a royal banquet and she ain’t ate in a week. I knew she was lying. “Come on, Emma,” I coaxed.
    Emma glared at me, but she came over and joined our team.
    Soon as I started pitching, I forgot all about her. I’m always the pitcher. No one can throw like me. I’m a fair hitter too, but pitching is what I do best. I think it comes from killing all those birds with my flip-it. Or maybe from the fact that I’m left-handed. Or maybe it was just ’cause I was the only one in town with a real glove.
    Anyway, an hour later, Pearl was playing second base and Ulman was on first. Raymond was catching and taking his turn as umpire. Emma was somewhere way out in right field. I threw a fastball. Elbert swung and missed.
    “Strike one,” said Raymond.
    I threw a curveball. Elbert swung and missed.
    “Strike two,” cried Raymond.
    I threw another fastball, but Elbert hit it this time. He ran easily past first, but Pearl had her eye on the ball. She had to dive for it, but she caught it. I was pretty darn proud of my little sister. That made two outs.
    Elman was up to bat next. I grinned at my older brother in friendly competition. He hit my second pitch way out to right field and started running. The ball was falling directly toward Emma. All she had to do was reach out her hands and the ball would fall right into them. But Emma was staring at her fingernails.
    The ball thumped into the dirt six inches from where Emma stood. She jumped.
    “Pick it up!” I yelled. “Throw it to third!”
    Elman was running slowly around the bases, laughing.
    Emma picked up the ball like it was a wild rat about to bite her. She threw it with all her might. The ball went about ten feet. Toward Ulman on first. Elman slid into home.
    I threw my glove to the ground and marched over to Emma. “What were you doing?” I snapped. “That should have been an easy out!”
    “Sorry,” she mumbled.
    “Don’t you know how to throw a ball?”
    Emma shook her head. Her eyes welled up, but she didn’t make a sound.
    I felt a little bad then. “I gotta go back and pitch.”
    It started raining as I walked back to the mound. Mitch was up to bat next. He was the largest boy in the game, seventeen years old and at least 160 pounds. His face was slightly flat and he always wore a wide, lopsided grin. Dr. Griffith had some fancy name for his condition, but we just called him slow.
    I threw a wicked curveball. Mitch hit it through the drizzle all the way to Main Street.
    “Way to go!” Pearl called out. Raymond gave Mitch a push to start him running. Pretty soon everyone was chanting, “Mitch! Mitch!” as he took his victory lap around the bases.
    Mitch’s grin was wider than ever. He shook his head back and forth as the rain came down and he joined in the chant. “Mitch! Mitch!” he yelled. “Way to go!”
    Finally Mitch slid into home plate, splattering Raymond with mud. Everyone laughed.
    “Watch where you’re going!” Raymond grumbled.
    This only made Mitch grin harder.
    I glanced over at Emma. Even she was smiling a little. And suddenly I was glad I had asked her to play, even if it meant we lost the game.
    Maybe there was something to Mama’s rule.

9

    THROWING STONES
     
     
     
    IT FINALLY STOPPED RAINING THAT EVENING after supper, and I went to hang out on Mrs. Pooley’s front porch. Doc Haley sat in one of the