"S>CREATIVE WRITING FEATURE

"OVER THE EDGE
__ danuary 30, 2008 |

SASQUATCH

By Deanna Proach

Once, far, far away in a cave in the deep woods of the Sun-
shine mountains there lived a family of Sasquatches. There
was father Albert Sass, mother Lynn Sass, and their three
young children, Casey, Susie and Joe Sass.

The Sass family was a very happy family who spent much of
their time with each other, and with all other animals in their
community. Every living creature who knew the Sass family
would agree that they were the most loving, caring and gener-
ous family of the Sunshine Mountains.

But there is one grave exception. Casey, the eldest son of
the Sass family, had a problem. He liked to be bully younger
animal children, even his younger sister, and especially, his
younger brother Joe, the youngest Sasquatch child in the fam-
ily.

For reasons, which are unknown, every animal of the Sun-
shine Mountains overlook Casey’s nasty behaviour. Perhaps
they were so overawed by the Godly manners this family por-
trayed that they were willing to ignore the one thing that made
them imperfect - Casey’s malicious treatment of younger ani-
mal children.

Both father Albert and mother Lynn were not aware of their
son’s terrible behaviour because every time they were at work
with their chores - father Albert catching fish for the family
dinner, and mother Lynn, gathering fruits and vegetables ~ Ca-
sey was at his worst.

One day in the clearing behind the garden where mother
Lynn worked, planting vegetable seeds, the three Sasquatch
children played a common game called the Fort competition.
This was where each child would build a fort that looked
much like a tepee with several sticks bound together to form
a point at the top, with an opening fo fit visitors at the base.
The child to gather sticks and finish building his or her fort be-
fore the others were finished won the competition. However,
there were alternatives to this game. The Fort to be completed
before the others also had to be the biggest. If not, then the
child Sasquatch who finished before the rest would not win
the competition.

This often created much confusion and conflict between the
Sass children, especially since Casey always had to be the
winner, and would get very angry if he wasn’t. On this day,
in particular, Casey was in a very foul mood. It was a warm
and sunny day so there was no reason for Casey to be angry
when the rest of his family, and all other animals in the woods,
were happy. It was too bad Susie spoilt Casey’s jovial mood
when she accidently stepped on his toes, but it was more un-

Oh you, sparkling so fair

What are you doing all the way over there?
For it is over here that I insist

You come and visit, please be quick;

A date comes later, a suitor if you will

And I’ve got to look good for this man Bill.
So you, my friend, all a sparkle,

Should come join me so we can marvel

At how good we look, both myself and you;
For we are one, through and through.
Although you’re trapped and it’s a pain in the ass
Having my twin in a looking glass,

I’m never alone when you’re around

For when I’m happy you never show a frown.
One in likeness and in size

You appear before my eyes.

In shimmering silver, you are known to show
With strong conviction, that we are both

One and the same you and I,

Only I am here on the outside.

If anyone asks who has my affection,

I'll never tell it’s just my reflection.

Reflection, Not an Ode
By Tabatha Lundholm

fortunate for Casey to stay angry at his
sister, especially since she had not hurt
him on purpose.

So after each child completed their
forts, they gathered together to de-
termine who would be the winner. Of
course Casey was the first child to com-
plete his fort, so he insisted that he was
the winner. Susie, not completely trust-
ing her older brother’s claim, stepped closer to the forts and
examined them.

“ Actually, Joe’s fort is the biggest,” she exclaimed. “So you
are the winner, Joe,” she said looking at her younger brother.
Joe smiled with happiness at his success, but Casey was angri-
er than ever. In his mind, he deserved to win the competition.
After all he was the first to complete his fort. So there was no
way he was going to let his younger brother rob the attention
from him.

“T completed my fort first, so I should by right, be the win-
ner,” Casey scowled.

“But mine was bigger than yours, Casey, and so I win. Those
are the rules,” little Joe-insisted.

“Stop it you two before I tell mother,” cried Susie.

“T will not,” Casey shouted. “I won the competition fair and
square and it is no right for you, Susie to tell me other wise.”

“Susie is right though, Casey. I looked at the forts when she
looked at them after we finished building them,” Joe shouted.

“Yes, why do you always have to be the winner? Why can’t
you let one of us win without getting angry, and making us feel
bad” Susie questioned.

“Me, what about the two of you? You are both young and
stupid,” Casey fumed.

“Well if you were not such a beast all the time, maybe we
would like you better,” said little Joe, feeling the thick fur of
his body stand on end.

Casey walked over to his younger brother and
smacked him across the face. Poor little Joe ran
crying’ to his mother in the garden. Susie fol-
lowed him. But mother Lynn did not have to
hear her son cry. She saw everything from her
work.

“Casey, how dare you hit your little brother
like that,” she exclaimed, horrified at her son’s
unexpected behaviour. “That is no way for a
little gentleman to behave. You will apologize
to your brother at once and then spend the rest
of the afternoon in your room.”

Casey sheepishly apologized to little Joe and
then walked into the cave, hanging his little
head, and spent the rest of the day sulking while
everyone else enjoyed the sunshine.

Later that day father Albert brought dinner to
Casey’s room and found Casey lying on his bed
still pouting.

Sep start

“Look son,” he said sitting down beside the young Sas-
quatch. “Your mother and I are terribly shocked at your be-
haviour today. We did not know that you treated your younger
brother and sister so cruelly.”

Casey did not respond.

“Well, son, I know it is tough not being the winner all the
time, but it is not right to get angry at others when you do not.
That is no way to make friends. Other animals will see you as
a cold and uncaring Sasquatch who is jealous of others’ suc-
cess. Son, I only want the best for you. I do not want to see you
grow up to be lonely and unhappy, because that is not what
life is about. Life is about loving and giving while expecting
nothing in return. If you give to others and treat them as you
would like them to treat you, then you will be blessed with
many friends and happy days. If you are jealous, conceited
and uncaring then you will never find true happiness.” Father
Albert left Casey with those words.

That evening Casey did not leave his room. He stayed there
slowly eating the fish and vegetables his mother made, pon-
dering his father’s words and taking them to heart. This was
when he realized and regretted his actions towards his younger
siblings, and his mistreatment of other animals in the past. He
knew his father was right and being nasty to others was terribly
wrong. So the next morning he apologized to Susie and Joe.
The rest of the day, the week and the year, they laughed and
played with one another in harmony. Anytime Casey found
himself mistreating another animal, including his siblings, he
always apologized for his actions and worked harder on him-
self to be kinder, gentler and humbler.

Casey grew to be a well-known, loved and respected Sas-
quatch adult amongst all the animals in the Sunshine Moun-
tains because of his devotion to giving and caring for those in
need.

THE END

UBC DAP
The gateway to accounting

Aecalerate your future with tha Diploma In Acrounting
Program (DAP) at the University of Brith Columbia.

DAP prepares university graduates with inlted or no
training in accounting for entry inte a professional
Accounting designation (CA, GGA, OMA or CPAIn the US),

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Moy ster §=Mar 1 (international applicants)

Apr’ (Canadian applicants)

Jul 1 ¢internetional applicmis)
Aug 1 (Canadian applicants)

Find out how DAP can accelerste your future.

Yisit www.sauderube.caldap

SAUDER
Scene] af fain

THE UNIV ERASTY OF RAST C31 Le A