CHAPTER 7

NO FUN

On Monday afternoon Willy didn’t go to wrestling practice. He hadn’t told the coach he was quitting yet. He thought he’d tell him tomorrow.

Willy went home instead. He went to his room and played a computer game. In the game he could be big and strong. And he could win—most of the time.

But Willy knew that he was really only moving his fingers. The rest of his body wasn’t doing anything. He wasn’t being an athlete.

When he got tired of the game, he did some homework. Then Willy went into the living room and looked at the old pictures of his parents.

When Willy’s little brother Joey got home from a friend’s house, Willy and Joey wrestled on the carpet for a while. But it wasn’t much fun wrestling with Joey. Joey was too small. It was too easy.

Willy was bored. It was no fun going to wrestling practice. But it was no fun not going, either.

After dinner Willy and Joey watched part of an action movie. The movie was exciting. But Willy knew he was just watching. Willy wasn’t having an adventure. Somebody else was. Willy wanted to be the action hero himself.

The next afternoon Willy went back to wrestling practice.

“Good to see you, Willy,” said Clint.

“Oh no,” said Biff. “I was hoping we’d gotten rid of you for good.”

“Thanks for coming back,” said Rufus.

“We’re going to have some fun, right?” said Dan.

“Fun, nothing,” said Willy. “We’re going to kick some butt! That’s what we’re going to do!”