Right he said again and asked if the death had been expected. You never know with very elderly people I said.

Isn’t katarina there. She lives round the corner after all. She is best placed to deal with the funeral and so on. It sounds a bit selfish but mum and I haven’t been in touch recently. Not for the last twenty years to tell the truth.

His voice tailed off. As if he were holding the phone bit away from his mouth.

Stefan could you possibly come down to smalånger. If you don’t drive yourself I’ll pick you up off the bus. Come tonight and you’ll be able to see your mother for the last time.

By now he was sobbing openly. Snivelled up snot and said he’d phone me back.

He called ten minutes later when I was in the car driving to göstagrönlund’s.

The bus arrives at twenty past nine if you have a chance to come by. Of course I said. See you there.

One more thing. I’ve tried to phone katarina but it seems the line is closed.

I said she might have changed her number. We hung up. I called the nurse to say the son was on his way.

Was that necessary she said. We’ve called nordin this minute.

Göstagrönlund waited for the homevisit in the hall. He was leaning on his wheeled zimmer frame. At ninetyseven his hearing was poor but his mind was as lucid as the coldwell water.

Our jana is it he said. It’s good you’re on tonight. I have set up the chessboard. Let’s take a glass of port too. He put one arm around my back and patted my head like a loving dad. 116

I emptied the contents of the evening compartment in the pill dispenser on a flowery saucer and poured us a glass of port each. According to the list of medications he was bipolar. Just a silly word in his view.

In the past we called it manicdepressive he said. Bipolar sounds like the shortcircuit after you’ve connected a car battery’s black wire to the red one. Besides I’m hardly ever really downhearted and only a bit excited now and then.

What are you like when you’re excited I asked. A little merrier than usual and wittier with it he said. He was waiting impatiently by the table with the chessboard.

Now that you’ve learned the basics we should try a proper game he said and peered shrewdly at me. You start.

You know I’ve never played chess I reminded him. You have just taught me the moves. Of course I know he said but it’s in your blood I can tell.

My childhood training in strategy defence and attack was transferring into a polite board game. I found I could think ahead and stay cool.