Write On!

              Berry Patch Incident - 9 -
and pick, but to keep talking to me so I would know he was all right and I'd
answer him so he would know I hadn't left him. He said, " Okay Daddy, but
what will I talk about?" I told him to tell me a story. One Mommy read to him
or make up a story. He started talking and I started walking. You know how I
do. Every few minutes David would ask ' Can you hear me Daddy?' and I
would answer. Boy! That kid must memorize every story you read to him I He
even adds expressions and voice changes when he tells a story! Is that how
you read to him?"
" Yes," I said, " I play the parts of everyone in the story. I've done that
since he was old enough to listen. He loves to be read to. Now, please
continue."
" Well, I tramped around in a circle and found that there were lots of
berries in that area. When I came back towards David, I was a little lower on
the hill." At that point Joe started shaking again, he could hardly hold his cup
steady enough to take a sip of coffee. I knew we were getting to the crisis...
whatever that was. I was tempted to say something, but held my tongue as I
knew it would just prolong Joe's story.
" I looked up the hill toward David as I asked him how he was doing
with his berry picking. Then I saw it. About fifteen to twenty feet behind him
there was a huge black bear, just chomping away on blueberries. It didn't
seem to notice David or else it was tolerating this little creature in his berry
patch." I sucked in my breath, putting a hand up to my throat.
Joe continued, " I knew if I walked up the hill to get David, the bear
might get angry. I wanted to yell at David to get up and run down the hill, but I
knew that would be wrong too. So I told him ' Daddy's tired David. Can you get
up and walk down the hill with your pail of berries? Then we'll go home okay?'"
" Okay Daddy."
" I thought he might hurry and cause the bear to get excited so I said,
' Don't run David, just walk so you don't spill your berries, okay?' As David
came down the hiil, I took a few scary steps towards him. When we met, I
grabbed him up into my arms, turned and ran all the way to the truck. I
strapped him in and took off. I dont remember being so scared in my whole
life!"
" Did David see the bear? Did you tell him why you picked him up and
ran?"
" Yes I told him and no I don't think he saw the bear. All the way home
I kept thinking what could have happened. Thank God I had the presence of
mind to keep him from running."
Thank God, the bear didn't decide to run after you", I gasped.
" I get all shaky every time it crosses my mind. I'd rather die than have
something happen to one of our kids." Joe quaked. " I can't seem to stop
shaking any more than a few minutes at a time. I'll never do that again. If I
take him with me, no matter if it's in town, in the bush or at the neighbours, I'm
keeping my eyes on him!"
I should have known that the berry patch incident was an omen of
things to come. That summer was the most eventful one we had, up to that
time in our lives together. But then, that's the way life was when you were
married to a man like Joe. O