The Art of Racing in the Rain

by Garth Stein

rang. Since his hands were covered with sticky oatmeal goop, he tapped the speaker button on the kitchen phone.

Because we only can experience the story through Enzo's eyes, I couldn't let Denny have a telephone conversation that we couldn't overhear. So I gave him a job that made his hand sticky: baking cookies. Batter on your fingers, hit the speakerphone button, right? And that worked...see the end of the chapter...