School holidays · Gate Check

Last stretch of autumn holidays. Suzy called a gate check. Spike called it a mission. Both were right.

They walked the farm the long way: coop latch, sheep yard slip, goat climbing temptation rail, quail-net corners, cattle paddock main gate, neighbour fence where Manila stands.

Spike found a stick in a latch — not sabotage, just wind and luck. He removed it like a hero of small things.

Suzy found a gate that looked shut and was not quite. Almost shut is open, she said. Spike felt professionally humbled.

Canberra approved of order. London queued at a gate that was not even in use. Little Thunder watched calmly, orange poll bright in autumn sun.

Denver on the high ground seemed to survey with them. Nairobi checked two gates in her mind. Manila’s side still needed neighbour respect — no pushing through wires.

Holiday ending lesson: school returns, farm standards stay. Gate check is how you leave holidays without leaving mess.

They sat at the first gate at the end, bookends of the break.

Put gate check in your folder. Next holidays will thank you.

Almost shut is open. Check again.