chapter 3 TO PULL OR NOT TO PULL When Dan got home from school, the house was quiet. He went into his room and put on one of his CDs. He sat in his chair and looked at his posters. There were national champion wrestlers and pro-football stars and top climbers and kayakers all over his walls. He wondered if those guys had ever lost as often as he had. After a while, he heard his father come home. Dan found him in the kitchen getting a snack. “Sorry I couldn’t make your match today,” said his father. “How’d it go?” Dan shrugged. “Dad,” he said, “you’re always talking about the power of positive thinking and focus and working hard. ‘Whatever you can dream, you can do.’ Right?” “That’s right.” “Yeah, but—I’ve been really trying hard. I really have. And I—I lost the match today. I’ve lost a bunch this season.” For a minute Dan’s father just stared at him. Dan was afraid he was mad. But when his father finally said something, he didn’t sound mad.
