Rambling Friday: When Mr. Bear Meets Mr. Hubby

 "Grandma, come NOW! There's a bear outside!" 

Jonathan, our youngest grandson, came bursting into our bedroom of the cabin we were in, last week. His excitement was so real, so vibrant, it was like an ocean wave hitting an unsuspecting person wading in a creek. Of course, I went, rather quickly! 

We gathered on the upstairs porch area, and gazed over the rails, hoping for a glimpse of the bear who'd been raiding our closed trash can. 

Hubby had stepped out the back door for a breath of fresh air and heard the growling. Before he could do anything else, a large, shiny black bear came around the corner of the cabin--around ten or eleven feet away, stopped, glared at Hubby as only a real live bear can do...and then he growled.

With no time to take a picture or to run, Hubby threw out an arm and growled back emphatically--in human talk. "Get!"

Now, I'm not sure if Mr. Bear knew what Hubby meant or if he figured it wasn't worth the argument with this guy, but he glared a second or two more, turned and got! Oh yeah, he did take a minute to renew a short interest in the trash can's contents. But whether he decided there wasn't anything more interesting in the can or whether he didn't want to tempt fate with this crazy human, but he made his ado by turning his back and walking nonchalantly away. 

What his story was to his friends and family, we'll never know, but I'd bet it was a bit different than mine. Most assuredly, he told it in terms that favored him and his actions, in that he almost--almost--today fought and won another battle with a human, but decided it wasn't worth the effort.

 I mean, really? They're tough and beautiful, living a free life in a gorgeous state. What more could a bear want? Well, maybe we'd better not answer that one! :) 

A Bagpiper Tale . . .

Warning! If you hate to laugh, DON'T read this tale. :)  If you're needing a laugh today, read    on . . .

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave-side service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back-country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a typical man I didn't stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.

There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down, and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around . . . I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, and we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car.

Though my head hung low my heart was full.

As I was opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "Land of the living, I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for over twenty years!"

Quote: Wouldn't it be nice to have this said about you? Consistent and persistent!
 
Blessings