Bears in the Hood

K’s dream:

My son and the neighbor girl were in the front yard playing and I decided to check on them. I went outside and it was in the early glow of twilight. As I walked towards them, I noticed movement in the corner of my eye and looked over towards my neighbor’s yard. I saw a very large bear foraging around. I quickly estimated that if it were to stand on its hind legs that it would measure well near 8 feet tall. It was brown with lighter brown molting fur about its back, although I was unsure if it was a brown or black bear. Either way, a bear of any kind less than 20 yards from my house, with kids out in the yard, was a definite call for alarm!

I immediately called to the kids to come inside. They didn’t seem to hear the urgency in my voice and continued playing, so I pointed out that a bear was in the yard and that they better come in quickly! They reluctantly agreed. After I saw that the kids were safe in the house, I noticed that the majority of my neighbors were across the street, sitting in lawn chairs, enjoying cold drinks, and facing the on- coming bear. Everyone seemed entertained and not the least fearful by the bear’s visit. I looked back to see the location of the bear and realized that the one bear had now turned into five and they were all headed my way! I ran back into the house to check on the kids, but I couldn’t resist looking outside just one more time.

I stepped out on my porch and noticed that a large white big rig and consession van had suddenly set up shop. They had already erected tables, chairs, and umbrellas, like a food court in my driveway. There were cooks and bakers dressed in white and busily going about their work. The rig was opened on its side and shelves with every kind of meat and pastry filled my view. I couldn’t imagine what this was all about, but I set about warning anyone who would listen that bears were coming! No one seemed to care. I looked over to where the bears were, and they were just beginning to climb into my yard. I knew that the food would be a major attraction and yelled out one last shriek of warning before hightailing it inside my house! The last thing I remember is locking the door and closing the curtains. I didn’t want the kids to see how it would all turn out…