This Little Light
by
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CHAPTER FOUR
"Have you ever played baseball?" Nathan asked Sandy. Nathan and Paul were throwing a frisbee at recess.
Sandy clapped as Paul caught the frisbee. It was only an inch off the ground. "All right! Way to go, Paul!"
"So, have you?" Nathan repeated. He was truly curious. Sandy was enjoyable. Nathan learned a lot from Sandy. But, Nathan liked having fun with everyone, including Paul. He didn’t pick one or two friends and play only with them.
Sandy shook his head. "I’ve only played it on video games with Frank." Frank Whitten was a fourth-grader. He was Sandy’s best friend. "I haven’t played baseball like you. But, sometimes I help my dad. He coaches a beeper ball team."
"Beeper ball?!" The name sounded quite strange to Nathan.
"What’s beeper ball?" Kristen Marshall asked. She and Ellen were carrying a jump rope.
"It’s baseball for blind kids. It’s fun," Sandy said enthusiastically. "We have a game this afternoon at Silver Stables. Would you like to come?"
"Sure, that sounds neat" flew from Ellen’s lips before she realized who was listening. She glared at Nathan.
"Better watch. He might ask you out to dinner next," Nathan teased. He didn’t think saying that would hurt Sandy. He was just interested in bugging his sister.
Nathan was right. "Don’t worry, Ellen. If he gets too bad, you can tell me some embarrassing stories about when he was little," Sandy suggested. Nathan quickly became quiet.
Hannah laughed. Ellen had told her friends, Kristen and Hannah, about Nathan’s jokes. "Come on, Nathan," Hannah said. "He asked all of us. Why don’t you come?"
Nathan shook his head. He wouldn’t be tricked into going with Ellen and her friends. If he did, they could say he went on a date, too.
Besides, he had plans. "Sorry. I’m going to Paul’s this afternoon. We’re going to see some talent his dad found. I called Paul last night and told him about the game. He said he could find some good players."
"What do you mean, ‘talent he found?’" Ellen asked, scratching her head.
"It’s simple," Paul said with a sneer. "Sandy’s parents don’t work with your dad. Neither do Kristen’s or Hannah’s. And you’ll want them to play, for sure."
"Well, yeah . . ." Ellen hesitated. She wasn’t sure where this conversation was going. But, it was somewhere she hadn’t planned.
"So, I can get whatever players I want." Paul folded his arms. "And you’re going to be sorry you ever dared to challenge us!"
Ellen shook her head. She couldn’t understand Paul’s boastful attitude. But, somehow, it sounded threatening. She hoped she could find enough good players to match his.
The best she could do now was to limit Paul’s "scouting." "Most players should come from our dads’ work places. How about this? We can each have five players from other places."
"That’s fine with me," Paul said. He had a smug expression on his face.
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About the Book
Ellen, a fifth grader, is good friends with Sandy, a classmate with cerebral palsy. Sandy is quite shy, and Ellen wants to help him feel more confident. Her brother Nathan makes things difficult, though. First, he teases Ellen about having a boyfriend. Then, when Ellen organizes a baseball game where Sandy can play, Nathan joins the other team.
Sandy isn’t athletic enough to play like she had hoped. And, the other team’s leader, a nasty classmate named Paul, gets two very good sons of pro players to play for his team. Ellen fears If her team doesn’t win, Paul will tease Sandy about it forever. So, not only must their team find a way to win, she must figure out how to use Sandy.
Though This Little Light is for children, anyone will enjoy the thrilling baseball game. Children will enjoy and identify with the warm friendships and sibling interaction. And, they’ll see that while some kids might look or act different, they all need the same thing - good friends. And, when someone is a good friend, that friendship will be remembered fondly far beyond their school days. This book will help children see how great it is to be friends.
About the Author
Doug Fowler was born legally blind, but has always loved reading and creating stories. In This Little Light, he combines his love of baseball with fond memories of the way one classmate in particular shined her light on the playground by being a great friend. He hopes this story will encourage youngsters to shine the light of the Lord by making friends with and showing love to everyone, especially the disabled. Doug works in his church’s childrens’ ministry, and also practices law out of his home. He has had many gag ideas published in the Family Circus comic strip. This is his first published work for children under twelve.