Huggy . . . Bear
eighth in the Savior series
He'd lost bad at Monopoly, but in the morning Starsky found he was feeling a lot better. He wanted to get some pictures of the farm before the weather went crazy again. He'd almost forgotten about monster summer thunderstorms. And humidity.'
The sky was clear to the east over the mountain, but if he pointed the camera west, he had to stop up a little and change to a slower shutter speed.
"I keep thinking that chicken looks familiar," Starsky said, focusing his 2X.
"They all look the same to me." Hutch pointed. "That one, though . . . that looks like Huggy."
"That's the one I was talking about. That is who it reminds me of." He lifted the camera. "Go stand next to her."
"I think it's a he, Starsk."
"Whatever. Go make it smile or something. Say 'cheese'."
"Cheese is cows, Starsk."
"Bear!" Starsky lowered the camera and started to back up slowly.
"I said I agree. It does look like Huggy."
Huggy might call himself a bear, but he didn't really look like one. Not like that one, anyway. It was a pretty small bear, for a bear, and while Starsky might not have country smarts, he knew when to retreat. He could hold off a trapped and frightened raccoon, but a bear? And where was its mama?
He could move fast most of the time, but he was pretty sure he beat some record in his flight from the middle of the meadow to behind the fence surrounding their cabin. He did watch over the gate, though, casually snapping a few pictures, in case the mama showed up before Hutch could get to safety. Only later did he wonder what he thought he could have done about it if she had.
He felt bad, of course, when Hutch finally made his way to safety, hair on end, mouth grim.
"When the coast is clear," Starsky said by way of a peace offering, "we can go up that trail and check out the view Sophia told me about."
"You're on your own, pal. Moose is one thing. Bears is another." Hutch flopped into an oversized chair on the porch and tried to hide his hands. Starsky was pretty sure he could see them shaking a little.
So much for Nature Boy. Starsky decided on the spot to retire the epithet. He moved in close and made a show of fussing over Hutch. He even tried to smooth his hair down, until he got his hand whacked and got sworn at.
"I'll go myself then. You can send out a search party."
"I'd find you, Starsky. I'd just listen for the whimpering from up in the tallest tree."
"Nice," Starsky said. "I always know I can count on you."
Hutch muttered something that sounded like, "Wish I could say the same," but when Starsky said, "What?" Hutch pulled at his belt so that he overbalanced and landed right on top of him in the big soft chair.
"Ooof."
"Exactly," Starsky said.
Huggy . . .
Bear 
Feed the critter: racric@verizon.net