The Uber Chronicles — Episode 1 — Hello Bear!
“Where are you from?”
“Colorado Springs.”
“What are you doing in Texas?”
“Jobs, Jobs and Jobs”
I heartily agreed with my driver on the job situation.
“But the Rockies.” I inquired. “Don’t you miss them?”
“Kind of.”
“I spent some time in Denver. “ I said. “Tried a few hikes, but I couldn’t handle being alone in all that wilderness. Very worried about the Bears.
“Bears?” Jared smiled. “They are gentle souls. You can handle them easily.”
“Easily??”
“Depends upon the situation.’’ Jared paused, looking over his shoulder into the blind spot. “You can either run or play dead when you spot a Bear.”
“I see.”
“But first, you must shout out HELLO BEAR in a loud voice.” The car gently changed lanes. “The Bear might just ignore you and walk away.”
“And if he doesn’t walk away?”
“Well, if the Bear seems to be in a good mood, you crumple up in fetal position and play dead. “ Jared continued. “If he appears in a foul mood, you just cut and run.”
“And how will I know if the Bear is feeling like a Boy Scout or a serial killer?”
We stopped at a red light. Jared seemed to be relishing the role of a wildlife expert mixing in facts with animal psychology.
“You gotta go by your heart.” Jared looked back at me. “It’s a split-second decision.”
We were moving again.
“Huh. You are telling me that I greet the Bear and if he doesn’t reciprocate, I listen to my heart.”
“Sometimes, you gotta take a chance.” Jared shrugged philosophically.
Sure, my Uber driver turned life coach, I must listen to my heart when a Bear is sizing me up as a snack with his morning Latte.
“Makes sense.” That’s all I could squeak out, though.
“Thanks for the Bear tips,” I said, getting out.
“Enjoy your hike next time you are in Colorado.” Jared waved me goodbye. “The Bears are mostly in a good mood. “
