KASE STUDY 

By Tessa Harvey

    The old man teetered on the steps. Agonised, he could feel himself falling, centre of balance altering irrevocably. He swayed and crashed down on the wooden planks, his head hitting each one. He landed in a crumpled heap, shocked and dazed.

    Slowly, memory coalesced. His son had pushed him. No, he thought. Never. He is annoyed with us, but not actual bodily harm - yet his son swung lightly around him, using the rail they had made together to vault over Kase.

    Without a word, and without a glance, he headed to their old home over the wooden bridge.

    As the elderly man tried to roll and stand, a voice hissed: "Get up, old man. Your grandchildren are coming. Do you want them to see you crawling like a dog?" The brown face of his daughter-in-law swan into focus.

    Then Kase heard a car draw up, skidding slightly on the gravel. Despite his pain and discomfort, he grinned. He thought - Belle always racing like the Flying Dutchman of old. Quick footsteps hastened towards the new house they had built together. "Hi Kase, I got a great bargain today!" ""Yes, yes, always the great bargain," her husband exclaimed, reaching for her hand.

    But Belle stood there, shocked. He could sense her thinking, then "but the frost has gone. Why did you slip?"

    "Bad balance," he quipped. "too much beer, too early." She laughed, uncertainly. Together they struggled back into their lovely home. A wonderful mural of woodland summer birch trees scattered with green undergrowth and bluebells pooling in the sunlight streaming through the trees. A mosaic of different hues of blues speckled the top tree branches.