NEGATIVE LEADERSHIP — THE NEW KID
The city block and the nearby playing field form the universe of the story, which opens with the choosing of sides for baseball. This ritual is a humiliating one for Marty; he is always chosen last and relegated to the outfield. Here he prays fervently that no ball will leave the infield, much less come his way. But, as it happens, at the crucial moment the ball soars toward Marty who, sprouting extra arms, fails the chance and costs his side the game. As he trudges in from the field his teammates heap abuse upon him. We get the impression that this is not only an awful experience for Marty, but a rather common one. He isn’t Willy Mays. Then one day a new kid appears on the block. He’s little. His clothes are too nice. His socks match. There are buckles on his shoes. All bad signs. In other words, he may be more of a wimp…
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