Robert P. Herbst
07-18-2008, 11:40 AM
ROADSIDE BEAR
Written July 15, 2008 Fiction 1021 Words
Copyright © 2005 Robert P. Herbst. All rights reserved.
by
Robert P. Herbst
Yesterday, as I returned from a doctors appointment at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in Tallahassee, I saw a live bear on the side of the road. Obviously the bear had just come out of the swamps along the side of the road and was as surprised to see me, as I was to see the bear.
This was the very first time in my 73 years I’d ever seen a wild bear. Naturally, I hit the breaks and rolled to a stop near the bear. I wanted to see more of this wild creature. The bear stood still, watching my every move I made. To me, the bear seemed just like the cuddly brown Teddy Bear, I had on the shelf in my home.
The fur was a dark color and the ears were rounded and upright. The face was round and except for the eyes, appeared to be the same kind of friendly bear I’d read about in children’s books as a youngster.
I sat an my car looking at the bear and the bear was looking at me, we were both transfixed with the sight of each other. The bear seemed curious about this strange evil smelling thing stopped so close to the safety of the woods, yet, I guess the bear felt I was not a threat.
Slowly, I opened my car door and stepped out. The bear didn’t move. I moved to the rear of my car and stood watching the creature as the bear looked back at me with obvious curiosity. At the rear of the car, I could see all of the bear, standing there on all four legs. This was definitely a bear, of this, there could be no mistake.
The bear was dark brown in color and looked fuzzy enough to be cute. I thought to myself, “I wonder if the bear is friendly, like the bears I have read about for so many years in children’s books.” These are the books we all know from childhood in which all animals are friendly and would immediately come to our aid if we were injured.
I reached out with my hand toward the bear, while making a friendly noise kind of like the noise one makes to attract the cat’s attention. The bear remained motionless, although I did notice a movement of the eyes, at the bear followed the motion of my hand.
Due to the high price of gasoline, the road was deserted, the bear and I were alone to make friends. The bear looked me over quite carefully and began to sniff the air in my direction. I made no threatening movement, but neither did I back up. The bear, apparently satisfied I presented no threat, took a step toward me.
I took a step toward the bear. Once again, bear and man eyed each other over about thirty feet of common ground. The bear took another step and I slowly matched the move. There was no sound between us and there was a clear sky above. OH, how I wished I’d brought my camera to photograph this wonderfully friendly creature.
Once again, the bear sniffed the air, I realized I was up wind of the bear and the bear was trying to figure out just what I was. The bear looked so curious I was tempted to speak and reassure the bear my intentions were only to be friendly.
Time lingered on as we stood there watching each other with great interest. I again made the kind of noises I make to attract the attention of my cat, the bear continued to silently observe me, but my new found friend did take one more step slowly toward me.
I was encouraged. The bear liked me. I had made a new friend there along the side of the road. There were not only twenty or so feet of common ground between us. I stared deep into the bear’s eyes and the bear stared back at me. I began to think how nice it would be to run my fingers through the fuzzy hair on the back of the bear’s head.
Naturally, my fantasy included the bear purring at my side as I drove home with the bear sitting there in the passenger seat of my car. Just how I intended to get the bear into my car was a problem I had yet to consider.
The bear took another step toward me and I took another step toward the bear. There was now only a few short feet between us. The thought crossed my mind, “The bear is not smiling.” In all the stories I’d read as a child, the bear would smile and make cute purring noises. This bear apparently had not read the same books.
However, the bear did appear to be grinning at me as I could now see all of the bears bright white teeth. Unfortunately, the noise coming from the bear was not like any purr I’d ever heard before. The bear stood up on it’s hind legs and much to my horror, I realized the bear was much too large to ever get into the passenger seat of my car.
I don’t remember much about what happened next. The doctor tells me I’m lucky to be alive. He also said, I’d be in traction for about a week while the various broken bones healed. He then went on to ask what the Sam Hill I thought I was doing outside my car with a rather large “Black Bear”?
When I told him I was trying to make friends with the bear, I was immediately moved to the Mental Health Wing of the Mount Perry Hospital. There in the Mental Health Wing, I found lots of books about how the happy children play and frolic with the wild animals of the forest. I read them because there is little else to do in this wing of the hospital, but I’m not so sure any more.
Written July 15, 2008 Fiction 1021 Words
Copyright © 2005 Robert P. Herbst. All rights reserved.
by
Robert P. Herbst
Yesterday, as I returned from a doctors appointment at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in Tallahassee, I saw a live bear on the side of the road. Obviously the bear had just come out of the swamps along the side of the road and was as surprised to see me, as I was to see the bear.
This was the very first time in my 73 years I’d ever seen a wild bear. Naturally, I hit the breaks and rolled to a stop near the bear. I wanted to see more of this wild creature. The bear stood still, watching my every move I made. To me, the bear seemed just like the cuddly brown Teddy Bear, I had on the shelf in my home.
The fur was a dark color and the ears were rounded and upright. The face was round and except for the eyes, appeared to be the same kind of friendly bear I’d read about in children’s books as a youngster.
I sat an my car looking at the bear and the bear was looking at me, we were both transfixed with the sight of each other. The bear seemed curious about this strange evil smelling thing stopped so close to the safety of the woods, yet, I guess the bear felt I was not a threat.
Slowly, I opened my car door and stepped out. The bear didn’t move. I moved to the rear of my car and stood watching the creature as the bear looked back at me with obvious curiosity. At the rear of the car, I could see all of the bear, standing there on all four legs. This was definitely a bear, of this, there could be no mistake.
The bear was dark brown in color and looked fuzzy enough to be cute. I thought to myself, “I wonder if the bear is friendly, like the bears I have read about for so many years in children’s books.” These are the books we all know from childhood in which all animals are friendly and would immediately come to our aid if we were injured.
I reached out with my hand toward the bear, while making a friendly noise kind of like the noise one makes to attract the cat’s attention. The bear remained motionless, although I did notice a movement of the eyes, at the bear followed the motion of my hand.
Due to the high price of gasoline, the road was deserted, the bear and I were alone to make friends. The bear looked me over quite carefully and began to sniff the air in my direction. I made no threatening movement, but neither did I back up. The bear, apparently satisfied I presented no threat, took a step toward me.
I took a step toward the bear. Once again, bear and man eyed each other over about thirty feet of common ground. The bear took another step and I slowly matched the move. There was no sound between us and there was a clear sky above. OH, how I wished I’d brought my camera to photograph this wonderfully friendly creature.
Once again, the bear sniffed the air, I realized I was up wind of the bear and the bear was trying to figure out just what I was. The bear looked so curious I was tempted to speak and reassure the bear my intentions were only to be friendly.
Time lingered on as we stood there watching each other with great interest. I again made the kind of noises I make to attract the attention of my cat, the bear continued to silently observe me, but my new found friend did take one more step slowly toward me.
I was encouraged. The bear liked me. I had made a new friend there along the side of the road. There were not only twenty or so feet of common ground between us. I stared deep into the bear’s eyes and the bear stared back at me. I began to think how nice it would be to run my fingers through the fuzzy hair on the back of the bear’s head.
Naturally, my fantasy included the bear purring at my side as I drove home with the bear sitting there in the passenger seat of my car. Just how I intended to get the bear into my car was a problem I had yet to consider.
The bear took another step toward me and I took another step toward the bear. There was now only a few short feet between us. The thought crossed my mind, “The bear is not smiling.” In all the stories I’d read as a child, the bear would smile and make cute purring noises. This bear apparently had not read the same books.
However, the bear did appear to be grinning at me as I could now see all of the bears bright white teeth. Unfortunately, the noise coming from the bear was not like any purr I’d ever heard before. The bear stood up on it’s hind legs and much to my horror, I realized the bear was much too large to ever get into the passenger seat of my car.
I don’t remember much about what happened next. The doctor tells me I’m lucky to be alive. He also said, I’d be in traction for about a week while the various broken bones healed. He then went on to ask what the Sam Hill I thought I was doing outside my car with a rather large “Black Bear”?
When I told him I was trying to make friends with the bear, I was immediately moved to the Mental Health Wing of the Mount Perry Hospital. There in the Mental Health Wing, I found lots of books about how the happy children play and frolic with the wild animals of the forest. I read them because there is little else to do in this wing of the hospital, but I’m not so sure any more.