Story of my Favorite Pet

This week's writing prompt was to tell a story of life with your favorite pet - either one you own, have owned, or wish you owned. Now, I could tell about the German Shepherd I had - Sheba - for there are certainly stories there to be told. But I thought what might be more interesting is to talk about something that's been going on in my head lately that hasn't really gone on in there before. So, perhaps a little more "meet the writer" than "have the writer tell you a story."


The first part of this story happened early last year, and was likely the direct result of this blog. I was out walking a pipeline, alone with my thoughts as I often do; also as my brain often does, I started imagining a scenario - this particular one in which I envision myself suddenly seeing a bear off in the woods next to one of my pipelines. I start to let this scenario play itself out.

Obviously, the bear doesn't immediately charge at me and kill me, because the scenario would end. Instead, I freeze and ask God what I should do - run? (I know bears cannot be outrun if they are in earnest.) Stay put? I feel a peace inside, so I stay still and watch the bear.

It starts moving toward me. Again, I ask God what to do. I continue to feel peace, and so I stand. He closed the mouths of the lions for Daniel some thousands of years ago; he can close the mouth of a bear for this Daniel, too.

The bear keeps coming, and I keep feeling peace, until it comes right up to me. Asking God again what I should do, I feel Him move me to reach out and pet it. So I do.

At this moment, in my musings, I'm struck with the greatest desire to be able to pet a bear, to feel its thick fur and bulk, to smell it and interact with it as a pet. I've never really, really felt that before.

Don't worry, I'm not going to go out and try to pet a bear; I have a bunch of books to write, and I don't want to tempt God.

Fast forward to sometime last December or this January (I forget exactly when), I'm either reading a book or watching a movie (not Frozen), and someone mentions a caribou - and out of nowhere, I suddenly want to pet one of them too, to have the interactions with one of them that I did the bear.

I'm not sure what it means. I'm hoping it's a desire that can be fulfilled in eternity. But my mind can't stop thinking of different animals I would love to be able to pet, and hold, and just be among without fear - mine or theirs.

But not moose; moose are mean. They sit on your car, I've seen them do it.

So I guess life with my pet would be out in the wilderness with all the creatures of the earth, just hanging out.

We'll call that "flash fiction."