Shadow Boxer by Chris Lynch

Author:Chris Lynch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

10

MY JOB

The night before we were to meet the Big Brother character, Ma came into our room to make the final pitch. It seemed like every minute she was a little more sure that everything would be great if Monty and I would just buddy up with old—I can hardly say it—Chaz.

Monty was reading a book when she came in, Ten Days to Tremendous Triceps. He slapped his book shut and squeezed it between flat palms, to flex. “Bring him on, Ma,” he said. “We’ll take on all challengers.”

I couldn’t believe what was happening. It was as if he knew just what to say to make Ma believe he was beyond redemption, that he needed outside help.

“It’s not your aggression I’m worried about at the moment, Monty,” she said, staring me down.

“Ma, I said I would give the guy a chance,” I said, though I know nobody in the room bought it.

“You’ll see, George,” she said. “Chaz is a fine man. You’ll like him.” Every time she said his name, it was like she lowered a big bell over my head and gonged it.

I “uh-huhed” a few times and she left, a little disappointed with me but still determined that this was going to happen. After I killed the light and tried to sleep, Monty started tormenting me. He’d gotten unreal by that time, the way he could sense exactly how to stick me.

“Chaz . . . Chaz . . . Chaz,” he chanted quietly, out of the side of his mouth, sounding like the Penguin in Batman.

“Ya, Chaz . . . Chaaaaz . . . Chaz.”

• • •

On Saturday morning I got home from my route at eight. I was kind of torn—all antsy and wired up, but not wanting to leave my room. So I cleaned up. Monty was out of the room before I got home.

“What are you doing?” he said as he came back in.

“I’m straightening up,” I said. “This place is a pit.”

Monty shook his head at me. “Boring, George. Boring, boring, boring. I wouldn’t do it unless I was getting paid. A lot.”

“That’s because you’re irresponsible,” I told him.

That made him laugh. “Listen,” he said, “Chaz is here.”

GONG.

“How does he look?”

“He looks like a museum guy. God, I hope he’s not a museum guy. I don’t want to spend my Saturday in a museum.”

I grunted.

Monty shrugged and walked back toward the door. “Anyway, you better get out there. And you better stop being nutty. Ma’s already saying you better not act nutty today.”

When I got to the kitchen, Chaz was sitting at the kitchen table, in my chair, having coffee with Ma. He spun around.

“Hey, sport, I’ve been waiting to meet you. We’ve got places to go. Lots to do,” Chaz said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together.

“I’ve been working,” I said to him. “I’m a very busy man.” I left the room.

“George, come back here,” Ma called. “What’s the matter with you?”

“I heard the toilet running. I was going to go jiggle it.

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