Page 61 - ThreeGiftsForFlipBook

Sam ignored him and talked fast to get it all out before anyone could interrupt again. “You see, the problem is I have to be over there by four o’clock on the nights I am scheduled to babysit so I have to leave practice early. Coach said I had to do my conditioning in the morning before school, lift weights during lunch hour, and tell you why I was leaving early.” Sam let out a sigh of relief having it out, but he didn’t dare look at his teammates. Other than a bit of snickering no one said anything for a little while. Paul stood up beside Sam. “I, for one, think if we quit goofing off before practice time we could save a half hour and Sam could get his conditioning in with us and still make it to his assignment.” Everyone nodded, some more reluctantly than others. Paul turned to Coach Hamilton. “What do you say, Coach?” Coach Hamilton thought a minute about that. He wasn’t one to ever lose ground on a deal. Again a smile spread across his face. “That sounds like a good deal to me. I think I will still expect the early morning conditioning, however, and weight lifting at noon. If someone can go around stealing candy from children, they have too much time on their hands.” 56