Highlight of the Season so far . . .

Yesterday one of my players mentioned that I looked like one of the writers on the cover of this year's student planner. The writer happened to be John Steinbeck (not an insult at all).

I told him if he could name me even one of Steinbeck's novels, he could get out of conditioning for the practice. He nearly drove himself insane trying to figure it out (Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men is written next to his portrait on said cover).

Finally, another player came to his rescue: "He wrote The Pearl!" he called out.

Now how did he know that? Out of all of Steinbeck's books, I would not have guessed that one.

"I got it," the first player finally said, "Of Mice and Men!"

"True. But since it took you so long, you don't get out of any conditioning. Unless, you can name me his most famous book."

That stumped them, so I gave in, "The Grapes of Wrath."

And we continued on with practice.

However, just before we prepared for conditioning, I made a deal with the team - as those two players who I had talked with earlier were off at the end of the field under the goal post shagging extra points - "if you can name me three of John Steinbeck's books, you will get out of conditioning.

Suddenly, and I don't know how they heard me, the two players under the goal posts shot their hands into the air.

Coach Loe, a history teacher, was quite impressed (though he didn't know about our little conversation prior to practice).

The players called out "The Pearl" and "Of Mice and Men"

Loe's mouth hung open in shock while I just smirked.

"What about the third?" I called.

One player proudly called out "The Wrath of the Grapes!"

Ha. I could live to be 150 years old and never have thought of that.

Loe and I doubled over laughing.

Now that is a book that would be interesting.

Of course, when we were done with practice, Loe wondered how they knew those novels. I had to confess that I told them about Steinbeck's works earlier.

"Ah. I see. I was wondering why they didn't say The Jungle."


That is almost as funny as The Wrath of the Grapes.





(. . . Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle)