No More Dead Dogs

After the team loses a second game, a couple of Wallace’s football teammates, Rick and Feather, write book reviews for Wallace to give Mr. Fogelman. They’re convinced having Wallace back on the team will make them win. Wallace refuses both, saying his presence doesn’t do anything for the team. His friends argue that even Cavanaugh said having Wallace back would help, which makes Wallace suspicious.

Wallace visits Cavanaugh to demand an explanation. In a too-pleasant voice, Cavanaugh tells Wallace to relax because their school has bigger problems—like whoever keeps vandalizing the play. Cavanaugh states the vandal is likely someone who “doesn’t like Old Shep, My Pal, has a grudge against Mr. Fogelman, and spends a lot of time in the gym” (50). Enraged because Cavanaugh’s spreading the idea that Wallace is behind the vandalism, Wallace slips extra weights onto Cavanaugh’s bench press and then leaves.

After school on Monday, Trudi shows Wallace a survey she took of the drama kids. Most of them believe he committed the vandalism, but many don’t care because Wallace’s dialogue suggestions have made the play so much better. Wallace doesn’t understand why the kids are so grateful when he’s doing something so easy, and he thinks that if Zack Paris had done what Wallace did, then “Old Shep, My Pal wouldn’t be such a lousy book” (52).