This is the last scene before we reach the final chapter of The Healing Horse. Young Karen now has students and a studio of her own, and she hasn’t even graduated from high school! Enjoy! (And that is Al Gilbert’s voice in the video!)

Scene 6: Setting Up Her Studio

Morning came, and the daytime celestial canopy shone through Karen’s bedroom window, as if to say, “Today’s the day!”

She awoke and donned her grape-purple leotard, violet tights, and lavender leg warmers. They matched the colors of Pegasus’ saddle. These colors held such fond memories, and she wanted her dance attire to have significance on this special morning.

She ate a bowl of hot oatmeal with butter, cinnamon, and raisins in the kitchen and then sealed some fruit and cheese in plastic wrap and popped them into a brown bag for later. The wall clock said Rocky was due to arrive. Karen picked up her tape player and the brown bag.

Outside, the friendly sun floated above puffy white clouds. She basked in the radiant light as she waited. After a few minutes, Rocky’s truck turned off the road and stopped in her driveway. The door opened, and he hopped down with a big grin on his face. Karen grinned back and pointed through the front door. They were both too happy to speak.

Rocky nodded and hurried in. In a minute, he came back, carrying the barre in one hand. He wrapped it in a blanket from the back of his truck and placed on the truck bed. Off they drove to her new hangout.

At the barn, Pegasus and the white-haired Mr. Hellweg waited with radiant smiles, as authentic as Rocky’s.

Karen, Rocky, and Mr. Hellweg went inside, and Pegasus put with his head through the Dutch door to watch the two men bolt the ballet bar to one wall.

With it in place, Kitten walked around the welcoming studio. It was her very own sanctuary, and it symbolized her new attitude.

“Have a great day dancing, and enjoy your new studio,” Mr. Hellweg said.

He and Rocky left Karen and Pegasus to practice her dance routines.

Karen felt waves of contentment and peace pass through her body. She walked over to a wooden table against the eastern wall, set down her cassette player, and selected the music she was going to use.

“Come on, Pegasus. We gotta practice.”

The music began. Recorded over the tunes, her dance teacher’s voice boomed from the speakers.

“Shuffle, front, side and back. Right leg… ready, begin! Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, front. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, side. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, back. Ball change, turn.”

Karen’s body was well trained. The tap warm-up came with ease now.

Pegasus smiled. “I don’t think I could do that.”

Karen finished her bar exercises, walked out to the middle of the floor, and began doing step shuffle ball changes to help her improve her balance.

The afternoon flew by, and Pegasus thrilled with her. She was no longer a caterpillar, but had become a beautiful butterfly taking flight. As she danced, her wings spread wide with grace.

Pegasus and Karen returned to the red barn every day they could. They talked and laughed while Kitten practiced, practiced, and practiced, when she was not teaching or developing her chair aerobics method.

Original text ©2023 by Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved.