Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: OVERLOAD (10/06/16)
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TITLE: Dad�s Best Friend (the Polar Bear Story) | Previous Challenge Entry
By M. C. Syben
10/13/16 -
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“Well, before you were born, I worked at the bottom of the world with other men. Since our arctic food supplies had dwindled, I declared, “I’m going fishing.”
Everyone laughed. “How are you going to fish in the frozen lake, Henry?” The cook asked.
So, I told him. “I’ll make a hole with a pick and chain saw, Chef. You can expect fish for dinner.”
“But no one believed me, son.”
I wore boots and a parka and slung a powerful rifle across my back. My armpit clamped down on the fishing rod as I carried the equipment. With snow shoes on, it was an easy walk. The icy pond glistened like a mirror. I knew fish beneath it would bite my hook.
First, I chipped out a hole with my pick. Then, I sawed around the opening so big fish could fit through. “Ah, you know how I love to catch huge ones, son.”
I was careful and kept my rifle close for any dangerous bears or wolves. But, I was excited to drop down my special lure. When I did, bam! Something hit right away. I set the hook and reeled in an angry, flopping fish.
“It was big as a toilet seat, son.”
Then I realized that I forgot a container to store my catch. So, I threw the fish by a snow bank and got back to work. Boom! Another one latched on. I knew it would be a good fishing day.
I piled up over a hundred fish when, suddenly, I felt I wasn’t alone. You see, a polar bear had sniffed the air and found my fish heap. He had eaten most of them when I wasn’t looking. Thank goodness, the overload of fish he ate burped out, long and loud.
I spun around. “Hey, that’s my fish,” I screamed.
The white bear roared and stood up on his hind feet.
I lunged for my rifle but slipped on the ice. Next thing I knew, I fell into the frigid water.
“Oh, it felt like knives piercing my skin, son.”
When I surfaced, the bear had fallen on his back. I heard the bear laughing as I tried to pull myself out of the abyss like an old seal.
I pulled up to the top of the ice and grabbed my rifle. “You can stop hooting and hollering, Bear.”
Caught by surprise, he struggled to stand, with his bloated stomach.
“Give me your coat,” I said.
“Don’t shoot,” he cried. He unzipped his fur from around his neck and threw it to me. I quickly warmed inside it. But, the poor bear’s pink bulging belly showed the biggest goose bumps I ever saw.
Then I told him, “I need your pants, too.”
“I’ll be naked,” the Polar bear hollered.
“Just until I change out of my wet clothes; I’ll give them back,” I said.
He stared at my rifle, while he dropped his trousers, kicking them over to me. I stepped inside the giant, warm pants relieved I wouldn’t freeze to death.
“Now move away from my fish,” I told him. “You hogged enough.”
Humiliated, the naked bear trembled with every footstep. I filled my new coat with the remaining fish, and tucked it inside the pants.
Then I said, “Best if you walk ahead of me, Bear. No funny stuff,” I told him. “By the way, I’m Henry.”
“I’m Pol,” the bear said.
Pol followed my tracks back to camp. Everyone watched as the embarrassed bear appeared.
“Look at the bare bear!” They hollered. “Henry is right behind wearing his fur!”
I jumped inside and left Pol to shiver outside. But, I kept my word, and returned his fur quickly.
“Don’t ever steal from me again,” I warned him while he jumped back into his fur.
But, I left two fish in his pockets. When Pol sniffed them, he said, “Since you shared your fish, we can be friends.”
From then on, my friend, Pol, watched out for wolves and thieving bears, protecting me as I fished. Always, we split the catch equally.
The agreement worked great until the men complained. “Henry, enough already. We’re tired of fish.”
I laughed as Pol patted his bulging belly. “What?” he said. “I can never have too much fish!”
“I agree,” I said. “Let’s go fishing.”
That’s how I became best friends with a polar bear.
“Goodnight, son.”
“Goodnigh...zzzz…”
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