51�Թ�

“Pissant,” Mr. Dacus had said, “it isn’t very often you come across a holy man. But you have. And this one has a genius for teaching pissant. So go on back to his class and I’ll accept your apology later after you decide that Og is the best teacher you’ve ever had.”

“He looked like he was hurting pretty bad. The bone was sticking through the flesh when we put him in the police car with Doc Ratteree to go down to the hospital. You messed up bad, pissant.”

“No, pissant. I’m not going to do that. But you are never going to participate in another varsity sport at Calhoun High School. You have four games left in the basketball season. You will not be playing in any of them, nor will you be allowed to play baseball this spring. Do you think that’s fair?”

Before he went back to watch the final quarter he turned to Ben and said, “See you in school, pissant. It isn’t the end of the world.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, pissant?”