Gord smiled as his friend Cherie the thrasher flew into his home. His smile quickly disappeared as he noticed the distraught look on her face.
“Why, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she unconvincingly replied, her head down.
Gord knew better. “Come now. You can tell the silly old bear.”
Cherie smiled a little at Gord’s referring to himself with what she often called him. “Well… oh, it’s really nothing. Especially to you.”
“Why, nothing bothering a friend is nothing to me. Please, what’s wrong?”
“It’s not something I can do anything about, but… well, winter’s almost here. I imagine you’re glad for that, but it’s hardly my favorite time of the year.”
Gord smiled. “Actually, I don’t like winter either.”
Cherie looked up at Gord with a start. “But you’re a polar bear!”
“That I am,” replied Gord. “But you see, winter reminds me of where I’m from, and even with my friends here there are times I’d much prefer to be back there. Why, winter here is long and dreary, with everyone hiding or doing nothing the whole of the time. It’s much better during the spring and summer and fall, when people are about and active. Then we can all get together and share… well, whenever the zookeeper isn’t looking.”
Lowering his voice, Gord continued, “I must tell you, whenever I see him trying to shoo you away for being a common bird, it makes me quite upset. I fear one day I will completely lose my temper and address him directly about this matter, even if it means ignoring what I was always taught about not letting the humans know I can talk.”
“It’s not just me, you know. He’s rude to even the others that live here, even the birds.”
Gord nodded. “I know.”
Cherie smiled. “You know, except for those noisy bears next door, all the other animals think of you as something of a leader.”
Gord stared at Cherie, a stunned look on his face. “Why, that’s preposterous! I’m no leader. I’m just a bear.”
“A bear who defends his friends and speaks his mind.”
Gord uncomfortably shuffled his front paws. “Why… well… I don’t know. I’m just me. But if others take something worthwhile from that… why, I’m glad.”
“I’m glad too, silly old bear.”
Gord sat back on his haunches for a moment, lost in thought. Then suddenly, he smiled. “Why, I have an idea. We’ll beat those winter blues.”
“How?”
“We’ll dance them away.”
With a puzzled look Cherie replied, “Dance?”
“Yes, dance. You and me. We’ll dance them away.”
“Silly old bear. How are we supposed to do that? I’m not exactly nimble on my feet, and even if I were you and I aren’t exactly built for ballrooms.”
“How? Like this.” With that Gord scooped up a startled Cherie in one of his front paws. Cradling her gently, he gently swayed his paw back and forth, occasionally bobbing it up and down while softly singing as Cherie laughed.
“You’re not a silly old bear. You’re the absolute silliest old bear ever.”
“Why, that I am,” Gord replied. “Yes, that I am.” With that he resumed dancing with his friend as he sang:
Your imagination’s having puppies
It could be a video for new recruits…
