I Was A Bear for A Day

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#534 I Was A Bear For A Day

 

“I Was A Bear For A Day”

was created especially for

 

Wayne  Alan Whiting

at the age of 6

 

With Love From,

Nana

 

April 10, 2001

 

Page 4

 

Wayne Whiting just loves to go camping!  Tonight, he will be with his favorite camping partner, Dad.

Wayne was so excited when Dad helped him set up the tent in his backyard in Roswell, New Mexico.  They made lots of sandwiches and picked out fruit and cookies to eat later.

 

“Camping in the backyard isn’t a pretend campout when you have a tent and you sleep overnight, is it?” Wayne asked.  “No,” agreed Roy, Phil, and Diane who helped Wayne and Dad.

 

Page 7

 

The next thing Wayne and Dad did was to get out all their camping gear.  They placed the sleeping bags in the tent and checked their flashlights.  Their canteens were filled with fresh water.

 

Wayne and Dad took turns with Roy, Phil, and Diane, looking through the new Bass Pro Shops catalog that had just arrived in the mail.  It was fun selecting all the things they could take on their next big campout in the deep woods.  New backpacks, a camp stove, hiking boots, and even a red canoe were chosen.

 

Page 8

 

Afterwards, Wayne and Dad stretched out in front of the tent with Roy, Phil, and Diane to eat their sandwiches and fruit.  They watched the sky turn yellow, red and orange as the sun set.  Soon it was time for Roy, Phil, and Diane to go home.  “Come back for breakfast,” Wayne said.

 

It got very dark.  Wayne turned on his flashlight.  Even though Dad was with him, Wayne thought it was scary being outside at night.  He really wasn’t sleepy, so they went into the tent and sat on their sleeping bags to play a game.

 

Page 11

 

When the game was finished, they were hungry again.  Wayne and Dad ate cookies and talked.  “What do you think it would be like to live outside in the dark woods, like a bear?” Wayne asked.

 

“The woods are home to the bears, just like we have our homes here in Roswell, New Mexico,” Dad explained.  Dad told Wayne about the homes and eating habits of other animals.

 

Wayne laughed when they talked about the different foods humans eat and whether a bear would like all of them.  Wayne decided he was not afraid to be outside in the dark anymore.

 

Page 12

 

Wayne didn’t remember falling asleep, but when he opened his eyes, something was very different!  It was now morning and everything had changed.  The tent was missing and all the camping gear was gone!

 

Wayne and Dad were in the middle of a forest, next to a river.  They were bears!  “This is even better than a campout,” Wayne said.  “Now the forest can be our home.”

 

Page 15

 

“If this is our home, where should we wash up?” Wayne asked.  “I suppose we could use the river,” Dad replied.

 

They were smiling as they walked to the river.  “Remember, feet first, first time,” they yelled.  They counted to three together and jumped in safely.

 

After swimming and splashing around, they looked at themselves and thought they were clean.  However, the water felt so good, they decided to swim a little bit longer.

 

Page 16

 

While in the water, they noticed that the banks on either side of the river looked rather empty.  “We could certainly use some more furniture in our home,” Wayne laughed.

 

“You’re right,” Dad said.  “We should get people to come and plant trees because bears can’t.”

 

Wayne knew that the trees make fresh air, protect the river banks and provide homes to birds and other animals.  A tree-planting party would be fun and also help everyone.

 

Page 19

 

After their swim, Wayne asked, “Where are we going to find our breakfast?”  He was one hungry camper!

 

Dad answered, “Right here in the river.  Bears scoop fish out of the water and eat them.  Have you seen pictures in books of bears fishing!”

 

The two used their paws to swipe at fish that swam by them.  They only took one trout each, so lots of fish would be left in the river.

 

Page 20

 

“How are we going to build a fire?” Wayne asked.  “Bears don’t cook fish.  We eat it raw,” Dad chuckled.

 

At first they took little bites.  It tasted good to their bear tongues and felt good in their hungry bear bellies.

 

Wayne and Dad ate breakfast, and talked about campfires.  “Humans need to be careful with fires, so they don’t burn down the woods,” Dad told Wayne.

 

Page 23

 

After breakfast, Wayne saw a log floating down the river.  “Come on,” he said to Dad.  “This can be a canoe for us.”  They grabbed the log and started to float downstream.

 

“This is a lot of fun!” Wayne exclaimed.  “I like being a bear.  I enjoy the swimming, fishing and floating.”

 

Dad replied, “If we were people in a real canoe, we would need to wear life jackets.  Always remember this safety rule.”

 

Page 24

 

When they had floated long enough, Wayne and Dad let go of the log and swam to shore.  Then they began to explore everything in the woods.  Wayne saw birds eating berries and squirrels playing in the trees.

 

He saw busy bees buzzing around flowers and a big, sleepy snake sunning on a rock.  All of these birds, animals and reptiles were his neighbors.  Wayne and Dad were careful not to bother them.

 

Page 27

 

“We don’t have to worry about getting lost in the woods because we’re bears,” Wayne said.  “That’s right,” Dad agreed, “but it is still a good idea to have a compass and a map when we go hiking.”

 

Wayne and Dad talked about the other things they would need on future hiking trips.  “We should take a first aid kit with ointment and bandages.  It might also be easier if we had fishing rods and reels,” Wayne laughed.

 

Page 28

 

Wayne and Dad were enjoying all the sights and sounds of nature.  “This is a great place to live,” they agreed.

 

Then they walked to a spot where some people had camped.  Cans, bottles and papers were on the ground.  Litter makes all the animals that live in the woods sad.

 

“This is just like throwing trash in somebody’s living room,” Wayne said.  “I’m glad we brought a garbage bag!  We can take this to the recycling center when we get home.”

 

Page 31

 

As Wayne started to pick up the litter, he heard someone calling his name.  “Wayne! Wayne! Wake up, Wayne,” the voice said.

 

Wayne opened his eyes.  He saw Roy, Phil, and Diane through the tent opening.

 

Outside the tent, he could hear Dad.  “Wayne, get up!  Your pancakes are almost ready.”

 

Page 32

 

Wayne realized he had been dreaming about being a bear!  He was so glad that breakfast would be pancakes instead of raw fish.

 

Wayne rushed outside to talk to Roy, Phil, and Diane.  “Do you think you can camp with us next weekend?” he asked.

 

“I sure hope so,” Roy, Phil, and Diane answered.  “I know you’re ready to be out in the deep woods and enjoy all the plants and animals!” Wayne said.

 

Page 35

 

During breakfast, they excitedly planned their next camping trip.  “We’ll have to be very careful when we build a fire,” Wayne said.  “Also, maybe we can plant some trees while we are out there.”

 

Wayne continued, “We should remember to bring some trash bags to pick up any litter that we find.”  It surprised Roy, Phil, and Diane to see that Wayne knew so much about camping.

 

Page 36

 

Dad smiled at Wayne and said, “I’m glad you know it is important to take care of nature.  If everybody helps, we can make a big difference.”

 

Wayne was pleased that Dad thought he would be a good camper.  He wanted to be the kind of camper that bears would invite to their homes.

 

Wayne Whiting knew how much fun it was to be a bear for a day.  Everyone should try it at least one time!