Guys Read: The Meat Grinder: A Short Story from Guys Read: The Sports Pages

At five-foot-six and a hundred twenty-seven pounds, Devin is hardly built for the gridiron. Although Coach Bull Shuster will draft anyone who fogs a mirror, surviving practice in Sherman takes more than showing up.

When the whistle blows for the meat grinder drill, Devin must square off directly across from Rich Saxon. Unless he can outrun an All-Conference star thirty-five pounds heavier, Devin has to lower his helmet and take the hit.

This short story from the collection Guys Read: The Sports Pages is a winner.

• Unlikely Hero: Devin relies on his brains and sharp humor to endure, saving every penny from his late shifts at Hugo's Little Store for his planned escape after graduation.
• Small Town Setting: Sherman, Idaho, is an isolated mountain community of 867 residents where the midnight bus to Boise is the only link to the outside world.
• School Drama: Tensions peak off the field when varsity star Rich Saxon steps between Devin and his abusive father during a confrontation.
• Identity and Self-Discovery: Before the final whistle blows, Saxon pulls Devin aside to teach him tackling technique, urging him to aim below the numbers and hold on like a life buoy.