MOTHER BEAR

by

Lanin D. Thómasma

I tell you, I've never been so scared in my life.

I was just amazed to hear it. Tell me about it from the beginning.

It was just the most frightening thing.

Tell me!

Well, all right. Randall and I decided to go biking in the Redwoods. You know, out in California?

Oh, yes, I've been there. That's a beautiful area.

Isn't it, though? Well, we rode for what seemed like hours, and finally stopped in the middle of nowhere for a rest.

And when did you see the bear?

Well, not right away. Randall saw something in the trees a few yards from the road, and called me over to see it. We thought it might be a raccoon or a ferret. Something like that. But when we got to where he heard the noise, we saw two of the cutest little baby bears you ever saw.

Baby bears?

Oh, they were adorable! Running and wrestling around. We were so amused watching them that we forgot to look out for their mother.

Mother bears can be very dangerous.

We'd been warned about that! But by the time Randall remembered that, it was too late. There she was. One very angry mother bear!

What did you do?

What could we do? We turned around and ran back to the road as fast as we could. Let me tell you, it scares me to even remember it now.

I should say so. Well, I must admit, I am amazed. I mean, I knew you were fit and all, but I never thought you'd be fit enough to outrun a bear.

Oh, I didn't have to outrun the bear.

No?

No, silly. I only had to outrun Randall!

THE END