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Janice Anne Wheeler's avatar

Hey, Paul! Wish I'd met your Grandpa. Truly do. Such characters are fast disappearing, if not gone altogether.

I commented in Matt's bear recollections that I had never encountered a bear who was dumb enough to not run. But as I look back, I did meet one who knew, somehow, that I was not a threat. June 7th to tell the tale? .... What time does the 🚐 Caravan pull out!? J

And how does one TAG?! Please.

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Janice Anne Wheeler's avatar

Treasure those memories. Will you hike Okie mountain again?

Oddly, my brother just sent photos of my own grandpa's 'camp' on the Sacandaga Reservoir in ADK NY. Total disrepair and looking so dismal. It's a heartbreaker. Haven't been back in years....

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Paul Corman-Roberts's avatar

Yeah, I'm worried if I did I would either a.) get shot (I really don't know anyone up there anymore) or b.) discover that they've opened a housing tract up there.

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Janice Anne Wheeler's avatar

Well ,shit ,I wish neither of those fears were real.

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Holly Starley's avatar

Paul! I ❤️❤️❤️ this variation on a bear. The structure is fantastic. The imagery too. I can just see Gramps and his bear and his hill and you climbing that mountain one last time. Plus your teddy bear you and your claws. Beautiful.

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Holly Starley's avatar

Yes! Can’t wait to read about that tale, Janice!

No tagging allowed in comments unfortunately. Elsewhere, the @ button is where it’s it. 😍

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Paul Corman-Roberts's avatar

We've got a few things going on June 7th...here's the first write in of our illustrious organization's first steps (9 AM Pacific, 12 PM Easters): https://caravanwc.thinkific.com/products/live_events/saturday-drop-in-workshops-first-free

and my seriously edged out writing class (very warm and kind folks but DAMN hard writing):https://caravanwc.thinkific.com/products/live_events/threads-breaks

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Paul Corman-Roberts's avatar

Thank you so much Janice! Honestly I don't know how to tag other than to copy and paste other people's tags and add links. Gramps passed in 1994 and I probably think about him almost every day.

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Marya Hornbacher's avatar

YES!! sorry to butt in here, but join us June 7th for the Write-In - we can't wait!! @HollyStarley, how do you tag? ;)

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lyw's avatar

I love the meandering, non-chronological, path that this story takes; all sub-paths leading to bear.

Favourite quote: "All my life I had teddies. The not-so-secret talisman of childhood safety and comfort.

At some point though, people started thinking of me as a teddy bear. I began to think I was a teddy bear. I began to think this was going to be the defining totem of my life.

4b.

Then someone who cares about me very much reminded me that Teddy Bears also have claws"

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Paul Corman-Roberts's avatar

Thank you so much L!

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