Olympic Dream (13 page)

A hand clapped him on the shoulder. “Way to go,” a familiar voice said.

Doug turned to see Red Roberts grinning at him for ear to ear. Doug grinned back. No further words were needed right now.
The winning time on the race clock spoke volumes. He knew his teacher had always believed in him, but he was glad Red had
been there to see him triumph all the same.

Doug was attacked from behind in a big bear hug. “That was incredible! I can hardly believe it was you!” Kate cried. Terry
was with her and added his hearty congratulations to hers.

Doug finally made his way through the crowd. He looked around for Billy but didn’t see him anywhere. Disappointed and a little
bit concerned about his friend, he wheeled his bike to the rack and locked it tight.

“Guess all that indoor practice has sapped my endurance a bit,” a voice behind him drawled. Doug spun around and saw Billy
smiling at him.

“Aw, I just got lucky at the end, on that curve,” Doug said. “You had it all the way until then.”

“Hey, I’m not looking for your sympathy,” Billy replied, punching Doug playfully in the shoulder. “Now c’rnon, stinky man,
let’s go grab a shower in the locker room before the picnic!”

An hour later, the football field was swarming with cyclists, their parents and teachers, and other members of the community.
Like Doug and Billy, most of the contestants had showered but pulled their sweaty T-shirts back on over their clean clothes.
Everyone wanted to show their school spirit and to stand out as participants in the race.

Doug and Billy grabbed a plate of sandwiches and some sodas, then found a place to sit in the bleachers. Doug saw his and
Billy’s parents laughing together a few rows down. Red was chatting with Jack Millman and Jimmy Bannister. All three men looked
happy. Doug hoped it was because they had tallied up the pledges and found that they’d collected enough money to complete
the bike path.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Jimmy motioned for Doug and Billy to join him. So the boys stuffed the rest of their
sandwiches in their mouths and tramped down the bleachers.

Jimmy produced a microphone that squealed when he turned it on.

“Well, at least I got everyone’s attention,” he said with a laugh. “I’d like to thank you all for being here today and for
your generosity. Because of your donations and the combined efforts of the cyclists from both schools, we raised more than
enough money to get that path finished once and for all!”

He held up his hand to quiet the cheers that followed.

“We’ll do what we can before the snow flies, so anyone who wants to lend a hand, please see me over there”—he indicated
a booth under one of the goalposts—“after the picnic. But first, here’s a word from the fellows who made this whole thing
possible.”

Jimmy tried to hand the microphone to Billy. But Billy hurriedly pushed it into Doug’s hands, then took a step back. Doug’s
mouth turned dry, but he faced his expectant audience squarely.

“Uh, I just want to say thanks, too,” he mumbled. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Red Roberts cross his arms over his
chest and grin. And suddenly the words just started flowing out of his mouth. “But it
really wasn’t me who made this happen. In fact, five months ago I would have laughed if you had told me I’d be standing here
right now. Back then, I wasn’t too interested in cycling—or anything besides videos and what was for dinner.” The audience
laughed warmly. “But thanks to someone, and he knows who he is, I got off my duff and found a whole new person inside of me!”

“So
that’s
why you were so huge! You were two people the whole time!” Pepper Meade’s unkind words rang out. Doug wasn’t bothered by
them. Pepper would always be Pepper until he decided to change. And until then, Doug decided he just wasn’t worth worrying
about.

“All I know is, you’re looking at someone who’s ready to follow a dream now. So here’s to making dreams come true!”

The cheers echoed loud and long as Doug handed the microphone back to Jimmy.

Billy clapped him on the shoulder and said quietly, “That dream you were talking about, it wasn’t just the bike path, was
it?”

Doug shook his head. “You know it wasn’t. In fact,
I think you know
exactly
what I was talking about, don’t you?”

In reply, Billy stuck out his hand, Doug shook it solemnly.

By now, Red was bearing down on them. Doug looked up at his teacher, coach, and friend and said, “Who says everyone can’t
have an Olympic dream?”

  Baseball Flyhawk

  Baseball Pals

  The Basket Counts

  Catch That Pass!

  Catcher with a Glass Arm

  Challenge at Second Base

  The Comeback Challenge

  The counterfeit Tackle

  The Diamond Champs

  Dirt Bike racer