Bits of life

F-17 Words-500

the events of the previous day. He was happy that Johnathan was going to see Ashley and he offered to come with us. He too knew Ashley from our school days.

“If you are free you can join us. Otherwise, I have no problem in taking him to her as we agreed last night,” I said.

“In that case, buddy, I will run off. I have a presentation to make this morning regarding a new building project,” he said, sliding off the chair and putting on his jacket. He kissed his mom and my mom good bye, patted his brother on the shoulder and started off soon afterwards.

At nine in the morning Johnathan and I started off to Ashley’s clinic on the main street. It was easy to find. It was a small clinic but well spruced with her name plate clearly visible from the road. We parked the car in the underground parking lot and got in her place. She came forward from her table where she was examining a little girl with her hand in a sling.

“Hello Jim, Hi Johnathan! Come on in. Give me five minutes and I can finish with Rosy. In the meanwhile make yourself comfortable on the settee,” so saying she went off to her work.

Johnathan was happy to see Ashley and was a bit impatient by the end of five minutes. I was looking at a small but pretty flowerbed outside the door through the glass door. Those colors of the flowers such as roses, daisies and lilies were a pleasant sight. It appealed to the mind as well and set the mood to face tough situations in life.

A little later, Ashley came out of her consulting room and asked us in. We went in and she nodded to us to sit in the chairs facing her. A large table, the kind we see in a consultation room separated us. Then she asked Johnathan,

“Please come here sit,” she pointed out a stool by her side. Johnathan walked to her hesitantly and sat by her. There was a visible leaning on the right side, as he walked. She took his right hand into her hands and splayed his fingers, which curled up again. She tried to stretch them again, but the same thing prevailed. She then made him stretch his right leg. She tried to lift it off the ground. I could see it felt heavy and wouldn’t come off the ground at once. She did the same thing with his left leg and hand. Both limbs were normal. She made him stand and went around the room with him. I could see that he lent more to the right and thus there was no balance in his gait. They sat in their chairs after another round of walk.

“Has he always walked like this?” she asked me.
“No. He had no problem till he was fourteen. One day, he came from school complaining of a sprain in