The Little Wooden Chair -or- The Most Unlikely Hero
Page 4
I looked down at the Sosa card and for a second, I thought I might faint.
The next morning, I met Joey at our usual corner.
“Well?” I asked.
“Well what?”
“The card, what did you forget?”
Joey laughed. “Oh, right. That guy was such a dingle-head.”
“Seriously, you forgot nothing?”
“Well, not that I remember anyway.” He started to laugh, then stopped. “No way. You forget something?”
“Max,” I said coldly.
“You forgot to feed Max again, classic.”
“No, I forgot him entirely; I didn’t even know I had a dog.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
I nodded.
“Still, that card was worth it, right?”
I didn’t reply.
On the way home from school, we ran into the trader.
“Care to do some more business?” he asked with this trademark smile.
“Don’t think so,” I said.
“I’m not trading cards, I’m offering cash today.”
“Cash?” Joey suddenly stopped.
“Yep, cold hard cash, in exchange for a few insignificant memories.”
“Go on Nick, I’ll catch up.”
“Joey, let’s just go. You’re liable to forget your parents.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You already got your signed Sosa.”
I tried to make him come with me, but I knew it was a lost cause. Joey really wanted those shoes.
The next morning, Joey didn’t show up at our usual corner. It wasn’t till recess that I caught up with him. He was wearing those stupid Kobe Bryant high-tops.
“Nice shoes,” I said sarcastically.
“Thanks, they're only making 100,000 pairs.” He twirled his shoe like a fashion model. “By the way, I’m Joey. Are you new around here?”
My heart sank. Even if Joey didn’t remember, I knew what he had traded to get those shiny new sneakers—I thought I was I worth more, a lot more.
* * * * *
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About the Author:
M.J.A. Ware, known as M.J. to his friends, lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains with his wife and two daughters. When not writing he runs a company where he designs award winning video arcades. He’s currently polishing his latest novel, Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb, about friends who take on an army of the undead, armed with nothing but Super Soakers—filled with zombie killing juice.