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Writer's pictureHeather & Mike Pasley

Bear With Me Heart Gallery Patrons

What do bear spray and summer have in common?


It was an audible growl. A gutteral utterance of the primal sort.


Mike and the dog were in one tent and the girls and I slept in another. I was fairly certain the terrifying sounds rattling the fabric of our tent were the evening vocal stylings of Mike and the K-9, but the girls were not so sure. Only an investigation followed by an "all-clear" would put our hearts at ease.


Thankfully, Mike had tossed an unopened, expired can of bear spray into our tent prior to going to bed as a gesture of good will. I reached under my cot and grabbed the heavy packaging and attmepted to pry it open to reveal the hardcore wildlife deterrent. I read the directions briefly and made sure the canister was pointed away from me. Sadly, I did not confirm that the safety mechanism was properly in place.


I reached for the zipper to release myself into the wild, and then it happened...


It went off like a rogue fire extinguisher, putting out our fear and replacing it with searing pain. Kenna, Kiama and I fell to our knees, breathing in fire and coughing out bear spray while we crawled out of the compromised tent; tears streaming down our suffering faces. Chaylee, who had slept through the phantom menace, awoke abrubtly, gagging, coughing and wildly confused.


I had bear sprayed my family.


So what does summer and bear spray have in common? They both really know how to clear a room.


Business is slow. The AC is on. Wanna paint?

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