Spud

by Patricia Orvis

  He jogs toward the pool. My ice bag is melted, but I no longer feel the pain. Ray’s cool. The team is cool. The weather is not cool. I need a shower. No pool. Just the shower. It’s gonna be a long season with this coach. I need some rest. I’ve got to gear up for an exciting, fresh year.

  Author’s Note

  Statistics about the heat wave in 1995 Chicago are from:

  Klinenberg, Eric. Heat Wave: An Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago. 2002.

  About the Author

  Patricia Orvis grew up in Seneca, Illinois, and went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Saint Francis, in Joliet. She currently teaches English and History in Plainfield, Illinois, and is enthusiastically working on her next novel. She can be reached via patriciaorv@yahoo.com, and encourages all readers to visit WriteLife.com.