It was that time of year again. Ito, the strawberry sharecropper, did not smile. It was natural. The peak of the strawberry season was over and the last few days the workers, most of them braceros, were not picking as many boxes as they had during the months of June and July.
Coaching Brian Reading Content Health Peter Michelmore Getting Ready to Race Gusts of wind whipped across the high school football field that chilly spring afternoon But Charlie Kane buttoned his old military topcoat higher and kept his eyes fixed on the scrawny kid in red shorts running the track His stride was too long for his size “Brian loves to run,” the woman standing next to him said There was just a trace of pleading in Sue Boyett’s voice She was looking for a strong man to coach her 11-year-old son A friend had introduced her to Kane The stocky man in his late 50’s with sandy gray hair tied at the nape of his neck didn’t look like a coach any more than Brian looked like a natural runner In fact, he was now a proofreader at a printing plant and hadn’t trained a runner in years After finishing his laps, Brian sauntered over to his mom, glancing at Kane out of the corner of his eye “Your mom says you like running But you really want to be coached?” Kane asked But Kane wasn’t settling for a halfhearted commitment He kept probing until Brian met his gaze and said, “Yes!” “Yeah, I guess,” Brian said, avoiding his eyes Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections How does Brian react to the coach’s question? How would you have reacted if you were Brian? ✓ Reading Check “Then I’ll train you,” Kane said Recall facts What does Sue Boyett want for Brian? scrawny very thin stride long steps trace very small amount pleading asking for help nape of … neck back of neck sauntered walked without hurrying probing searching or exploring with questions Infer What did Charlie Kane before working as a proofreader? Unit • Chapter 375 Perfect Match Charlie Kane was 58 years old that spring afternoon in 1994, and he had lost a sense of purpose His two older children were out of the house, and his youngest, also named Brian, was about to leave to join the Marines 10 Kane had served a hitch himself in the late ’50s His ambition, however, was to be a high school teacher and track coach Eventually he earned a master’s, and he put in 13 years at schools in New Jersey doing what he loved best—teaching young people how to read and how to run 11 But in the ‘70s, Kane moved to California to make a fresh start For two years, he was a coach at a junior college Needing a higher salary, however, he then signed on as an editor of technical manuals Homesick for the East, Kane eventually returned to New Jersey in 1994 and took a proofreading job It paid the bills but didn’t give him any deep satisfaction Coaching was what both he and Brian needed 12 Yet, Brian resisted his new coach Soon after they started working together, Brian entered two distance races at a recreational meet in his hometown of Parsippany Hills Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections Charlie left coaching and realized how much he missed it What is something you enjoy that you would miss if you stopped doing it? 376 Unit • Chapter sense general feeling or awareness hitch length of service ambition desire to succeed master’s academic degree satisfaction pleasure; contentment meet athletic competition 13 “I want you to go out easy,” Kane told him, “slowly pick up speed, then hammer home on the final lap.” 14 When the gun went off in the 800 meters, Brian tore out like it was a sprint In the last 100 meters he ran out of power and was beaten Kane was furious “Are you going to it my way or yours?” he demanded Brian didn’t answer 15 In his next race, the 1,600 meters, Brian again charged to the front, but then, either tiring or relenting, he dropped to the rear of the pack On the last lap, with power in reserve, he overtook the field—and won 16 Panting, he trotted over to Kane and announced with a smile on his face, “Your way!” 17 They met at the track every day after work Days became months, and then years When he was 13, Brian won junior cross-country events with fast, finishing kicks “Hammering it home” is what Kane called it “Someday,” he told the boy, “you’ll be a contender for the U.S Olympic team.” To show his pride, Kane gave him a running shirt with bold letters reading “The Hammer.” 18 Brian’s self-confidence grew, but Sue still worried that she wasn’t doing all she should for her son and daughter, Jennifer, a year older Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections Charlie shows that he is proud of Brian How people close to you show that they are proud of you? ✓ Reading Check Recall details What kind of work does Charlie love to do? Draw conclusions What can you conclude about Charlie’s way of running a race? Calculate About how long was Charlie away from coaching? hammer drive with force in reserve kept for later use contender someone who takes part in a contest Unit • Chapter 377 Coach and Tutor Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections What is something you once had to even though you didn’t understand why? Did you learn the reason later? 19 In 1997, Brian shot up seven inches and entered high school Now he looked like a runner—lean, long-muscled, with a smooth, disciplined stride He was a less proficient student, however 20 Freshmen had to read The Iliad, but Brian didn’t see why Kane did One night he was waiting at the kitchen table with a translation of Homer’s epic about the Trojan War 21 “What’s this all about, Coach?” Brian asked 22 “It’s about life!” said Kane, motioning Brian to sit down 23 While Sue and Jennifer made meatloaf, Kane read the ancient verse in his best dramatic voice Brian listened with amazement, until Kane insisted he try it Embarrassed, Brian finally began to read and soon got wrapped up in the story describing heroism, cowardice, loyalty and deceit 24 They kept at it night after night for weeks Track in the early morning and afternoon, The Iliad after dinner Subtly Kane was coaching Brian about something else—being a man 25 disciplined controlled proficient capable deceit dishonesty, trickery impervious unaffected by something doomed headed to an unhappy ending 378 Unit • Chapter The two read the passages in which the Trojan hero Hector meets the stronger Greek warrior Achilles in hand-to-hand combat At first, knowing that powerful gods favor Achilles, Hector panics and runs But courage, Kane told Brian, is not being impervious to fear It’s being afraid, yet confronting fear— as Hector does He stops his flight, and though sensing he is doomed, turns to face his enemy to uphold his honor 26 The daily track practice and the nightly readings went on, and gradually both exercises began to pay off Brian’s bedroom shelves started filling with books and with trophies from state and county races 27 But then came the fall of 1998 Brian developed a stress fracture of his thighbone that put him out of competition And Kane had been suffering from muscular weakness, for which he’d been hospitalized a year earlier Doctors were puzzled, but suspected he’d had a minor stroke First he had to use a cane and then a walker 28 In time, Brian gained strength in his legs again, but Kane did not He had trouble walking, even standing Brian emptied his savings account to buy him a three-wheeled scooter so Kane could still go to the track 29 In March 2000 Brian entered a two-mile event at a national scholastic indoor track meet at the 168th Street Armory in New York City The best distance runners in the country were there Sue brought Kane in a wheelchair 30 At the starting gun, Brian burst into the lead, but then strategically dropped back Halfway through the race, he moved up to the middle of the pack There was still a big gap between him and the leader, but as he turned into the final lap, cheers, stamping feet, and the word “hammer” ringing in his brain drove him on 31 From his seat near the finish line, Kane watched Brian surge to the lead with the greatest finishing kick he’d ever seen him make—and win Build Your Knowledge The word fracture is derived from the Latin word frangere meaning to break Words in English that come from frangere have the Latin root fract / frag Use the meaning of the root to figure out the meaning of fracture in this passage What you think the words fraction, fragile, and fragment mean? Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections What drives Brian toward the finish line? What kind of encouragement helps you accomplish a goal? ✓ Reading Check Recall details What is Charlie’s definition of courage? Infer Why does Charlie want Brian to read The Iliad? scooter motor vehicle surge push forward Unit • Chapter 379 “I’ve Had a Good Life” Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections Why does Brian want to help Charlie? What would you say to Charlie if you were Brian? 380 Unit • Chapter 32 A month later, Kane began losing his voice and choking on his food Finally, doctors made a new diagnosis: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Lou Gehrig’s disease Kane, a strong man who’d molded athletes, was losing all muscle function His spinal cord was degenerating He would soon learn he had only months to live 33 “Don’t feel bad,” Kane told Brian in a faltering voice “I’ve had a good life, and I’ll be coaching you for a while yet.” 34 Sue took over all of his care She drove him to the track, shaved him, cut his hair, diced his food, helped him with personal hygiene But his big battle each day was with the stairs 35 There were nine blue-carpeted steps from his basement room to the kitchen Every day he struggled to make it on his own Soon he could not Even with Sue’s help, they took ten painful minutes to climb, and each day it was harder 36 Then Sue had to leave In August, Jennifer was heading off to Arizona State University, and Sue needed to help her settle in 37 “Go ahead, Mom,” Brian told her “I can look after Charlie.” On the first day after she left, Brian put in two early hours at his summer job as a recreational camp counselor, and then raced home He found Kane, still in pajamas, sitting in a chair in his small dark room, crying 38 Brian tried to get him up, telling him he had to get dressed so they could go to the track Kane refused diagnosis finding or conclusion Lou Gehrig’s disease common name for ALS, named after a famous baseball player molded formed degenerating getting into a worse condition faltering speaking in a weak way diced cut into small pieces 39 Late that afternoon Kane’s son arrived from his Marine base in Virginia Together the two Brians urged, cajoled, prodded, and finally got him dressed and out of his room 40 Now he faced the stairs Brian could see that he was daunted Just nine steps— which this once strong man could have taken effortlessly—had become a mountain for him And Kane let out a cry of protest when they lifted him under his arms to help him climb He pleaded to go back to bed; he wanted to quit 41 You can it, Brian kept urging him, and finally he saw a firm resolve gather in his coach’s eyes 42 Leaning upon their arms—feet stumbling, legs throbbing— Charlie Kane hammered away One step at a time—all nine Until he stood breathless on the kitchen floor, held up by the two sons he loved 43 That evening when they returned from the track, all three men sat down together at the kitchen table where Kane and Brian had read the Greek epic aloud And then Brian reached out and took his coach’s hand “Everything I am, Charlie, is because of you,” he said 44 On June 6, Brian won the 3,200-meter run at the New Jersey State Meet of Champions Kane watched from his wheelchair, stopwatch clutched loosely in his hand The next morning he was totally paralyzed Sue and Brian cared for him at their home until the end Charles Kane died on June 23, 2001 Reading Strategy Make Personal Connections How does Brian feel about Charlie? How you feel about Charlie? ✓ Reading Check Recall details What does Charlie say to Brian when Charlie realizes he is not going to get well? Infer How does Charlie follow the same advice he gave to Brian? cajoled persuaded gently prodded urged strongly paralyzed unable to move Unit • Chapter 381 ... proofreading job It paid the bills but didn’t give him any deep satisfaction Coaching was what both he and Brian needed 12 Yet, Brian resisted his new coach Soon after they started working together, Brian. .. Iliad, but Brian didn’t see why Kane did One night he was waiting at the kitchen table with a translation of Homer’s epic about the Trojan War 21 “What’s this all about, Coach?” Brian asked 22 ... after dinner Subtly Kane was coaching Brian about something else—being a man 25 disciplined controlled proficient capable deceit dishonesty, trickery impervious unaffected by something doomed