The Extra Yard Read Online Free PDF Page B

list.”
    â€œLet me try,” Cassie said. “You’re probably doing something wrong.”
    â€œYeah,” Jack said, his fingers moving across the keys, “only you have a handle on this whole Internet thing.”
    â€œWell,” she said, “if you don’t want help . . .”
    â€œI don’t.”
    â€œWould it be helpful,” Teddy said, “if I reminded you again that I am dying here?”
    â€œI’m doing my best,” Jack said.
    It took him nearly five more minutes, which made all the other waiting time since Teddy had awakened this morning feel as if it had gone by in a blink.
    Finally Jack exhaled, then said in a quiet voice, “Here it is.”
    Gus walked over the arm of his chair and jumped on the couch next to him. Cassie got on the other side.
    Teddy didn’t move.
    Nobody said anything until Jack Callahan looked up, smiling at Teddy. Pointing at the screen.
    â€œCallahan, Jack,” he said. “Madden, Teddy. Morales, Gus.”
    It got even louder in the basement than it had the day before at Holzman when Teddy had come down with the ball.
    Make the catch, make the team.
    â€¢Â Â â€¢Â Â â€¢
    It was a good, loud, happy scene at Holzman Field a couple of hours later, one table set up with uniform jerseys on them, another one with helmets and pads.
    Teddy hadn’t even asked about team colors, mostly because he didn’t think he’d get this far. But he couldn’t believe what he saw:
    Giants colors.
    Blue helmets, with a small, white Walton w on the side, like the lowercase ny on Giants helmets. Old-school all the way. And the jerseys were dark blue, like the Giants’ road jerseys.
    The colors for his favorite team were now his colors, on his team.
    Some of the kids didn’t care what number they got, some kids did. The guys in the line, offense and defense, seemed willing to take anything in the 60s or 70s. Jack requested number 12 and got it, because he loved Aaron Rodgers and loved Tom Brady, too. Teddy just waited. He felt as if he had to have been one of the last guys picked, like the last kid picked in a playground game.
    So he was just going to wait his turn, take whatever was left when he got up to the table.
    But when he did get up there, Coach Gilbert was smiling at him. He had a jersey in his hands, but Teddy couldn’t see the number.
    â€œCongratulations,” Coach said.
    â€œThanks, Coach.”
    â€œI think I mentioned yesterday that I was a receiver in high school,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I used to catch passes from your dad.”
    â€œMy mom told me that,” Teddy said, “when I told her you were coaching the Wildcats.”
    â€œWell, in my life , I never made a catch like you made yesterday, son,” he said. He paused and said, “I asked some of the other parents, and they told me you’ve never played organized football before. Is that true?”
    â€œNo, sir,” Teddy said. “I never did.” He grinned at Coach, the old Teddy coming out of him, and added, “Mostly because nobody would have me.”
    â€œWell, I will,” Coach Gilbert said.
    â€œThank you,” Teddy said. “I wish the season was starting today.”
    â€œGot a number preference?” Coach said.
    Teddy ducked his head, looked up, and said, “Actually, I do.”
    â€œOne of your buddies might have mentioned you were a Giants fan.”
    â€œBig-time,” Teddy said.
    â€œDo I even have to guess who your favorite player is?”
    â€œNumber thirteen,” Teddy said.
    â€œHad a feeling,” Coach said, and then handed him the jersey in his hands.
    13.
    Teddy looked at the jersey and the number and then back at Coach. “Thank you so much!” he said.
    â€œIt’s all yours,” Coach said. “Pretty much been yours since you made that catch yesterday.”
    Teddy thanked him again and walked away