Philip and the Girl Who Couldn't Lose

By John Paulits

Philip runs into Jeanne, a new girl in the neighborhood, who defeats him at every game they play. Philip enlists his best pal Emery to help him, but even when they join forces, they lose to Jeanne. In his frustration, Philip foolishly assures Jeanne that he will win the poster contest being run at the mall. She laughs off his challenge, certain

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gypsy Shadow Publishing
• Release date: Mar 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781619504851

Book preview

Contents

Copyright Page

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

About the Author

Philip and the Girl Who Couldn’t Lose

by

John Paulits

All rights reserved

Copyright © July 20, 2012, John Paulits

Cover Art Copyright © 2012, Charlotte Holley

Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC

Lockhart, TX

www.gypsyshadow.com

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC.

ISBN: 978-1-61950-485-1

Published in the United States of America

First eBook Edition: July 30, 2012

Dedication

To Becky Lee

The original girl who could not… and still cannot… lose

Chapter One

Why didn’t you catch it? Emery asked for the tenth time. He threw it right to you. Your team could’ve won.

Yeah, ninety-nine miles an hour he threw it to me. How could anybody catch a ninety-nine-miles-an-hour football?

The other kids did.

Philip threw his arms over his head in frustration. The other kids are way older. I didn’t see you catch anything.

They didn’t throw me anything. If they did, I’d probably’ve caught it.

You didn’t catch it last game.

It hit me in the nose! How could anybody catch a ball that hits you in the nose?

The two boys walked a short distance in silence.

Then Emery said softly, I guess we’re lucky they let us in the game at all.

The only reason they let us play is ’cause none of them wants to stand on the line with his hands up and count to ten.

I guess, but at least my team won.

You didn’t have anything to do with it. You just stood there counting.

I ran out for passes.

"They didn’t throw to you. At least they threw one to me."

And you missed it.

If they used a smaller football like the one we play with…

The big kids don’t want to play baby football.

Oh, Emery, be quiet!

The bigger boys had allowed Philip and Emery to join the touch football game for the exact reasons the boys described; to either count to ten before running after the quarterback—and never catching him—or to run out for a pass—and never get thrown to—usually.

So what do you want to do? Emery asked a moment later.

I don’t want to go home. My father’s watching the football game. It was a Sunday.

His team usually loses so he’s always yelling at the television, and afterward he’s grumpy the rest of the day.

Maybe some guys are in the schoolyard playing punch ball.

Philip felt his frustration rise.

Don’t start with punch ball, he warned.

Hey, I like punch ball. I won every game this week.

Your team won; you didn’t win.

"Your team lost; you really didn’t win."

Philip glared at his friend, but Emery walked on.

Want to play wall ball? Emery asked. But I don’t have a ball.

I have one.

No, wait. I don’t like to play wall ball with you. You get mad when you lose.

Philip felt an angry little snake start to crawl up his back. I’m not going to lose, Emery. And I don’t get mad. Here, I have a new ball. He took the ball out of his pocket.

Let me see it, said Emery.

Philip tossed the hard, air-filled pink ball to his friend.

"This is