Yogi Bear Master

Hullo bears and not-a-bears. I am sitting here reading my e-book reader, all by my lonesome. Yes... Mama went to Vancouver without me again!

She just got backed, but I am so miffed that I am giving her the silent treatment. I'm doing a beary good job too I think. (Don't make eye-contact...)

"Sandy, I have something to show you!"
Nope, not believing it one little bit... I am reading my book... la-la-la... not listening!

"Seriously, Sandy - there's something... SOMEONE in my backpack for you."

Huh??? Some-ONE??? Maybe it's Jerry or Ben or Hammie or Sullivan or Beanie or Bob or Buttons or Eldritch or ??? I'm all ears and eyes now!

 Mama flips back the top of her backpack and out comes... none of the above stuffies... no... this is...

This is... I don't know WHO this is! I've never met this bear before in my entire life.

"Ummm... Mama... who.. what... where... what the heck... errr... "

I am stunned... (This is my stunned, wide-eyed look)...

"Sandy," Mama says, "where are your manners??"

Oh er... right... Ummm... ah-hem...

"Hullo Mr. Bear, my name is Sandy, actually Alexander Mackenzie Bear. Pleased to meet you."

"Hallo Sandy, my name is Grizwälderchen Bär... but you can call me Griz for short!"

Wow... I fell back on my bum and sat down...

"Umm... Grizw.... Grizwa... Griz, who are you and where did you come from and how did you come to be in my Mama's backpack??? "

"Well Sandy, it's a beary long story.... I was visiting Vancouver and doing some shopping in a thrift store. But you know how it is with little bears... people don't think we are real so some staff-member picked me up, stuck a price tag in my scarf and threw me into a wall rack bin with a bunch of other stuffies! I was buried under turtles and seals and racoons and huge bears and... well... I was in a real pickle!"


 No kidding, I thought... that would be a real pickle... his story sounds a bit fantastic to me, but... sure enough... he has a price tag on his scarf... $3.99 (that's 399 pennies). Holy moly.

"But how did you come to be in Mama's backpack?"

"Well... I think your Mama can tell that part of the story the best!" giggled Griz.

 Mama said - "There I was, shopping around, looking for nothing much and I saw this cute little turtle in the stuffie bin and thought of someone who might like it. And I thought... I should look through the bins because you never know when you might find a lost little bear. And then I saw it... his little ear tag and then his jacket... and voila!! I pulled him out from under all the other stuffies. I was going to let him go loose but with that price tag in his ear, he wouldn't have made it out the door! So I paid 399 pennies and bought him!"

This is the Thrift Store!! (Thanks Google Streetview) Stuffies should stay out of this store... otherwise they get price-tagged!

"Yup, that's how it happened Sandy. And after we left the store, I heard all about you from your Mama and I thought... sounds like a really young bear who could use a mentor. I am a few years older than you after all. And I belong to the Flying Order of the Bearistas... so I come with lots of advice and wisdom! So I told your Mama that I'd come with her and be your Yogi Bear Master!"

Yup, he's got Bearista on his jacket... and some yellow wingy thing... wowsers....

And he's definitely older than me cause his hair is beary long!!

"Ummm... how old are you actually Griz?"

"Well... in human years, I'm 9 years old... but in bear years... I'm super old!"

 

 Well... that's settled then!!! Bears and not-a-bears... meet Griz... he's my Yogi Master... I'm going to learn all sorts of wise things from him... maybe I'll even learn how to fly! Or try on his cool leather jacket or...

Oy... what a day!!! I'm kind of glad Mama went to Vancouver... even if she did go without me!