The Goodie Life

I had just put my head on the pillow. Nap time. Or rather, that was my intention. But barking happens. The ten-month-old Collie Puppy started barking, a funny little bark, right next to the bed, right next to my ear. “Woof!” Pause. “Woof!” Pause. “Woof!” On and on like this. She barked and she barked and she barked. She paused and she paused and she paused. I tried to dream it would just stop. No joy. I finally got up to see what’s up. The Collie Puppy ran out of the bedroom. I followed. The Big Collie was sitting in the living room, smiling, waiting. His look said: “This should be a real goodie!”

I proceeded to the back door and opened it. The Collies bolted out onto the deck and commenced a most fearsome bark-fest. Their snouts were pointed toward the woods at the base of our hill. My eyes followed their snouts. And there stood the reason I was standing on the back deck instead being plunged into a pleasant afternoon dream: A baby bear waddling along the edge of the woods. And lo! Another baby bear. This was getting interesting, a real goodie all right. And then: Mama! At least she wasn’t monstrous in size, not to the degree anyway that I had imagined, having seen the enormous rocks she’s been flipping over in the woods these last few weeks, looking for grubs–not to mention the orogenous heaps of scat the Collie Puppy has been rolling in. Yup, a real goodie!

After the bears ambled away up the hill, in no great haste, the Collies each gave a big yawn and resumed their afternoon routine. I dug out the can of bear spray to carry on our walks henceforth.

Now, back to sweeter goodies.

©John P. O’Grady