So funny that my concern about bears hanging
out in our neck of the woods is dead on.
My lips twitch into a half-smile as I remember the look Yvette and I shared
when Shane told us about Baby bear having a nap in the birch tree. It might be funnier but I can tell Shane and
his dad, Sam, are really uneasy ‘cause they don’t know where Momma is.
Yvette
and I had decided I should go on ahead since I walk quite a bit faster than her and Sofie, to try and see if my car was okay.
It would be awkward to get home without it. My spirited walking pace slows a bit as I get
nearer the spot where I think Shane and Sam spotted Baby bear. I’m not too sure exactly where Baby is, since
there are a heck of lot of birch trees in these woods. As I start around the curve in the trail, I
hear a low growl. My heart is in my
throat and my breath takes a hitch … luckily it’s the silver truck inching its
way down the path toward me and it’s packed to the rafters with Yvette, Sofie,
and a young couple, who are all crammed into the back seat of the silver
pick-up. The winter tires have been
wedged in between all the stuff in the bed and are quite secure there ‘cause
there isn’t much wiggle room for them to move.
Shane’s driving now. Dad Sam has look-out duty. I was never so glad in my life to see that
silver bullet come to a stop between me and the birch trees. The back door flings open and everyone squishes
together a little more to make room for not-so-slender me. Sofie is panting up a storm on Yvette’s lap, spit
dripping from her little pink tongue in a rivulet. Yvette does not look too impressed with the
dripping but the alternative would be worse – walking and taking her chances
with Momma bear finding her on foot.
It isn’t too much further to the parking
area and I heave a sigh of relief when we get within eye-sight and I can see my well-seasoned 12-year old Toyota Echo
is unscathed. Apparently Momma and Baby
bear preferred the forest’s fare to the delectables in my car. Thank goodness. I’ve heard about people’s cars being torn
apart by a determined Makwa (bear in native Algonquin).
Exactly what I’m afraid of!
We finish jouncing and bouncing our way down the trail
about another half mile (about a kilometer) and finally pull into the grassy parking
area. I waste no time opening the door
and all but tumble out. The young couple, who have introduced themselves as
Carrie and John, locals who frequently visit The Tree Museum, heave a sigh of
relief as they peel themselves out of the wedge. Yvette manages to get the door on her side
open and has a tenuous hold of Sofie as she gingerly tries to keeps from
touching the side of the truck to keep her outfit clean. I did mention that she’s a bit of a Diva,
yes? Even when fleeing from bears.
Carrie & John
Our heroes, Sam & Shane are camera shy!
Finally
we’re all out of the truck, stretching and searching pockets to find tissues to
wipe our sweaty faces. It’s warm today
and excitement has amped up the temp, along with all the body heat generated by
being wedged together in the back seat.
Now I know what a sardine feels like. We all start talking at once, as
an adrenalin rush kicks in, now that we know we have out-witted the Shash (Navajo
for bear).
As we calm down a bit, we introduce all of
ourselves to each other and share a little about why, where and how we all came
to be there and phew! isn’t it great to be alive?
Then, weirdly, the unmistakable haunting
strains of a bagpipe drifts down the path towards us, trailing on the warm
autumn air. A preternatural calmness
falls over the 6.5 of us (the half is for Sofie, The Wonder Dog), and I’m
thinking in balloon words, ‘Huh? A bagpipe? Where is the hell is that coming from and
more to the point, who in the hell is playing it?’
We all stare with astonishment, as a man
dressed in full Scottish regalia, comes striding out of the very same trees we
had just fled from, a bagpipe being pumped vigorously and belching out a
melody which reminds me of the opening bars to Copperhead Road.
Pat The Piper
All of our mouths drop open simultaneously,
our eyes riveted. The piper realizes he
has company and he takes his lips from the mouthpiece of the blow pipe and
stares right back at us. It’s a
Gravenhurst stare-down!
It seems Pat (who lives in a town Down
Below) arrived at The Tree Museum after Sam and Shane started bouncing their
way down the trail looking for the people from two parked cars. No one knew about Pat until we heard the
music. It turns out that he is piping at
a local wedding and took some time to walk the beautiful woods and practice a
little before his gig. Maybe, just
maybe, the wailing music spooked Momma and Baby and they skedaddled deeper into
the forest to escape what surely was the freakiest noise they’ve ever heard.
And, hmmm, I wonder what Pat’s wearing
under that beautiful kilt?
And yes, I still want to know how many
berries it takes to fill up a bear, even if it’s just a Baby bear.
