The coach walked slowly over to Derek and his mom, holding his notebook under his arm.

“I can’t believe you’re still here!” he said to Derek. “First in, last out, huh?” He turned to Mrs. Jeter. “I assume you’re this young man’s mom?”

“That’s me,” she said. “Dorothy Jeter.”

“Paul Nelson. You ought to be mighty proud of your son. He’s got the right work ethic.”

“He’s committed to making this team,” she replied. “In our family, we don’t take our commitments lightly.”

“Not even to being in talent shows, I gather,” said the coach with a bit of a grin.

“It’s good to try all kinds of things,” said Derek’s mom.

“Yes, indeed, Mrs. Jeter.” Coach Nelson cleared his throat. “Uh, listen—Derek, I have to say, you’ve made an impression on me today, tryout or no tryout. Coming in person instead of calling, getting here early—and staying the whole time, even though you must have been aching to get out there and play. That can’t have been easy.… ”

“No,” Derek admitted. “It wasn’t.”

“Now, as you can understand, I have to pick my team from the kids who were on the floor today. And I can’t schedule a private tryout, just for you.”

Derek nodded. Of course he knew all that. What was the coach getting at?

“Normally, I wouldn’t do this—but since I don’t have to post the roster till Friday, I’m going to bend the procedures a little.”

He sat down on Derek’s other side. “I also coach the under-fourteen traveling team,” he said. “They’re going to be scrimmaging Thursday evening. If your neck is all better by then, you can come down here and I’ll get you into the game. That’ll stand as your tryout—if you’re up for playing with kids who are older and more advanced, that is.”

“Yesss! Ow!!” Tears came to Derek’s eyes, finally—from the pain in his neck—but now they were tears of joy. He couldn’t believe the coach was giving him another chance to make the team! “Thanks, Coach Nelson!”

“You earned yourself a second chance, kid,” said the coach, clapping him on the shoulder—gently. “Character counts, at least with me. Let’s just hope you’re less clumsy on the court than you are on the dance floor.”

They all laughed at that one. Then Nelson said, “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jeter. Hope to see you both here on Thursday night.”

“You will,” said Derek’s mom, “whether Derek can play by then or not, we’ll be here.”

“I’m playing! I’m totally playing!” Derek insisted. “Don’t worry, Coach,” he said. “These things almost always heal in a couple of days. Right, Mom?”

“Yikes. My exact words,” she admitted. “Not that I’m a doctor. But let’s hope so.”