Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The bear

DSC_0372

Resting by the camp fire after the mornings exacerbating ( and insane ) run. Joy muses over the thought of telling Dan about the encounter she had with a little yearling brown bear. It wasn't like it was the first time they had an encounter with the bears..For the past two weeks the black bear and her two yearlings had come nearby the camp on what seemed to be their daily morning route. Usually far enough away not to be of a concern. Except perhaps for the brown bear, as he was more curious than the rest..and was beginning to become braver and closer the past few days..

Her thoughts were interrupted by the racket of the logging truck coming down the steep dirt road into camp. As Dan and Pat jump down from the truck they were greeted by Beth running towards them, arms outstretched and gleefully yelling "Daddy, momma made a bear run up a tree!"

As the three drew closer into camp, Joy could see the puzzled look on Dan's face as Beth was reciting what had happened earlier that day. "Hey Love, how was your day?" Joy asks, as Dan bends over kissing her cheek.... before Dan has a chance to say anything , Danny interrupts him with .."DAD, you should have seen what mom did." While Beth climbs down from her father arms, Dan looks over to his wife, then back again towards his son. At that moment Joy tells Beth and Danny to go and put some soda in the creek, so it will get cold.. Dan draws close to Joy and asks "What's going on?"..

Taking a very deep breath.. she starts to explain what happened. "You know that little brown bear that has been coming into camp? Well, we were still in the tent this morning when I heard some noise outside. I looked out, and there was that bear playing with the can goods.. I yelled at it.. and he started to run off.. but then stopped a few yards away. So I got out of the tent grabbed a stick and yelled at it again..he started to run off but then stopped and looked back towards me..I figured that yelling again would not do anything.. so..(taking another deep breath.) so.. I ran after it.. chased it across the creek before he stopped. Then the little bugger, puffed up, swatted his paws on the ground and grunted at me..THREE times!! he grunted.. so I puffed up, swatted my foot on the ground and grunted back.. he went up the tree.. I left...he stayed...that's all.." she said as she touches her tummy feeling the baby kick and slowly turns around.. looking towards Dan and Pat.. Pat shakes his head, states under his breath that he needs a beer and starts to walk towards the creek. Dan steps back a step, and the once peaceful forest explodes with the resounding words of "YOU DID WHAT?"

This is a true story.. "smiling".. what can I say

Essence of Hope©.2006 all rights reserved

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:56 PM

    Hi, Hope!
    I'm only now getting around to visiting my blogging friends, and I thought it was also time I paid a visit to you here.
    I thoroughly enjoyed your story!!
    I could see the trees, the hilly terrain, envision the folks living and working there, and the action between your characters played like a film in my head.
    I found myself observing a little irony: who was more bearlike--the brown, furry one, or the expectant mom?
    Well done, Hope; well done!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Montana women are tough! I watched a woman in Canada chase a full grown black bear from her cabin with a broom. I've never seen a bear look so scared.

    God bless,

    chris

    ReplyDelete

I delight in reading your comments, the warmth you leave me with and the smiles to great each day.. thank you.. soft hugs always Hope