In The Mountains—DAY
My Impala putters through a narrow pass in the mountains in the snow and the car sways dangerously on the growing ice and I almost lose it completely when, coming down slope and around a bend, I spy two little girls on bikes. Managing to screech to halt without flying off the mountain, I catch my breath and rolls down the window to scold them. But decide against it. The car now chugs down the road, back uphill.
At the summit, I find the village ahead seems empty, deserted. And, getting out to look around, I make eye contact with a large black bear in the distance, hovering just beyond the house row. As the bear and I spot each other, he takes off after me. I run back to the Impala. But the bear catches up before I get there. I scoop up a branch from the ground and turn to swat at him. But it is no use. And the car is too far, I continue, now barely making it to the ranger station which I spy nearby.
Inside, I bar the door and turning I am surprised to find Iris sitting on the lap of a rather handsome Park Ranger. Very cozy by a potbellied stove. She jumps up as I enters, panting, “Oh! Here’s Frank now! We were just talking about you!”
The Park Ranger feigns interest, and coughs, “Yes, yes. Your work sounds fascinating. Just Fascinating. Perhaps I could get a picture with you for posterity?”
The bear continues to growl outside the door. I collapse in the chair as Iris and the Ranger move off. Iris returns to sit on my lap rather dutifully as the Ranger sets up a shot of us, but then pushes my head out of frame to get a shot of her coyly batting eyes at him.
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