The Bear at the Door Exercise

 

One extremely hot day in July, a couple of Arizonians, Walter and his eight year old daughter Clara were fishing in the Oak Creek canyon, since they couldn’t afford to travel much due to their lack of money.  Still Walter liked having a weekend to spend with his daughter. As the two went floating smoothly on the river, stopping at times to fishi with their poles, Clara spotted something about ten yards away. At first she thought it was a long fish, but as slithered closer to them, she knew it was something, something slimy, something reptilian-like.

 

“Dad!” said Clara in a slightly frightened sounding voice. Walter while trying to keep his focus on the water, replied, “Yes Clara dear, what is it?” “I think there’s a snake in the water.” “A snake, honey there are no snakes in the northern part of the Oak Creek canyon, the guy who owns the cabin said so himself.” As the two kept arguing, the creature was getting closer and closer to their canoe. And the closer it got, the faster Clara’s heart started to pump. In no time, Clara began shaking Walter’s arm to try to get his attention while saying, “Dad, I’m telling you, there’s a snake in the water about five feet away from our boat!” Walter, who had just about enough of this complaining finally raised his voice, “FOR The Last time honey, there are no snakes in this part of the water, and to prove my case, I’m gonna wave my pole across the water and the stick will fall down and stay there.”

 

As Walter kept waving his pole left and right, the stick fell below the water.  “There I told you there are no snakes in these waters it was a stick”.  “Besides you know how much I hate snakes ever since I was kid in Kansas.  I was clearing out the firewood bin for grandma and a rattler as big as my arm was coiled at the bottom of the pile, ready to strike!” “I’ve hated snakes ever since.”

 

At that moment Clara’s eyes became like saucers and she pointed to the water.  “Dad!” “Walter turned his head but missed seeing the snake slither its way right under their canoe to the other side. For a moment, there was a silence between the two, as if they were suddenly struck dumb. Then Walter faced his daughter saying, “There you see Clara, there’s nothing to fear, now let’s get back to fishing.”

To prove his point, Walter grabbed the stick.  When he did, he felt something he never felt before. It was smooth and wet and scaly, and revolting. When he turned around, Walter could see what he was holding. “Oh, hello Mr. Snake. Ahhhhh, Snake!” With a mighty scream, Walter tossed the snake about a mile or two away (or so he hoped) and started paddling with his daughter as fast as they could back to shore.

 

The two paddled like they were trying to avoid a hurricane. While this was happening, the snake slithered in hot pursuit. As Walter and Clara kept on paddling hard, Clara turned her head slightly around to see their follower, and sure enough, the snake was gaining on them. “Come on Clara Honey.” Yelled Walter. “I can’t get us out of here alone.” Clara joined in the paddling as the reptile was getting closer and closer to them. Just then, Clara while chuckling her teeth, said. “It’s no use Daddy, we’re going to have to ditch this boat and swim for shore.” But Walter did not comply with his daughter’s idea. He responded, “Now listen here young lady, we are not getting out of boat and making ourselves more open targets.” “But Dad, we can’t paddle faster than that creep can slither.” Seeing more resistance in his daughter, Walter began to raise his voice and his finger, saying “Now Clara, you listen here, we are not abandoning ship and swimming in the river where a vicious reptile that can strike faster than a bullet is waiting for us.” As Walter continued lecturing Clara, she started noticing the snake about five feet away and was getting closer.

 

Finally, having heard enough, Clara got out her paddle and swiftly swung it into the snakes face as it swept out of the water in their direction, knocking it unconscious. Walter with quite an amazement in his eyes said, “Wow, did my little girl just vanquish a terrifying creature?” Clara responded, “yes, you did.”

 

As the two reached, Clara began hugging her father, and he embraced it and hug back. “Boy!” Clara said, “I don’t know about you Dad, but I think I want to stick to land more from now on.” Walter replied back “For once Clara, you get no argument from me.”