Grizzly: Ninety-eight...
Grizzly fixates on the target, visualising the end result. His loose-fitting denim shorts flutter in the gentle early morning breeze.
Grizzly: Ninety-nine...
The sweat trickles through his thick, dark eyebrows and seeps into the corner of his eye. It stings. Shirtless, his chest hair is a matted mess.
Grizzly: C’mon... you... bugger!
His fingers dig into the lumber, the veins in his neck proudly on display. Forcing his boots hard into the ground, Grizzly gives an almighty shove.
Grizzly: One hundred!
He steps back, deftly, dropping the wooden log at his feet. It rolls away, crushing field and flora in its wake. Grizzly rolls back onto his buttocks, leaving an indent on the soft grass. He feels his teeth chill as his breath races past it. Grizzly closes his eyes for only a moment, but it was a moment he could ill afford.
Grizzly: Not in the mouth, you silly boy!
Grizzly sits up and brushes Digger off of his face. The dog settles for licking Grizzly’s forearms instead. Grizzly chuckles at his pet’s exuberance.
Grizzly: That was one hell of a workout. Now it’s feedin’ time!
Next to the cabin, Grizzly grabs hold of a gargantuan sack of dry dog food and flings it over his shoulder. The pellets rattle as they crash into the stainless steel bowl. Digger laps it up eagerly and Grizzly shuts the door behind him, entering his home. The rickety table in the living room buckles under the weight of barbequed sirloin, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, two types of cornbread, Cajun quail, pickled eggs, a ten-gallon bowl of garden salad and a tub of ice cream. In the company of mounted hubcaps, a few empty bottles of beer and his own rhythmic heaving, Grizzly crashes down onto his wooden rocking chair and digs in.
*****
The doorbell rips Grizzly from his peaceful snooze. Rocking back and forth, it’s a small miracle that it’s ringing outdid his own snoring. Hazily he gets up and hastily he puts his hand on the handle. After giving pause for a quick, well-timed belch, he opens the door ajar by its brass knob. Peering with one eye and half a beard through the crack, Grizzly spots his new friend, Deedee.
Deedee: Hidey ho, pard’ner! Mind if I pop in?
The sudden bright light of early afternoon accentuates her honey-blonde hair. The shimmer in her clear blue eyes is only outdone by her gleaming set of teeth – a rarity in Grizzly’s part of the world. Everything about Deedee screams buoyant, from her warm, no-nonsense, can-do attitude to her full, round, bouncy, jiggling... attitude. In spite of trying to cover up his bare torso, Grizzly can’t help but grin at this spirited woman’s presence. Unbeknownst to him, however, a wayward sprig of spring onion protrudes from his two front teeth. Luckily, Deedee doesn’t notice as she is giggling at the patches of barbeque sauce on Grizzly’s beard.
Grizzly: Sure, c’mon in!
He tugs open the large plank door and hides behind it, already scanning the room for a shirt, a jacket, anything... Bingo! A faded white ribbed vest loosely draped over the telephone comes to his rescue. He reaches for it, fingertips it closer and slides it on seconds before Deedee comes through the door! Crisis averted...
Deedee: Somebody’s had their cup o’ joe today!
...but not quite. Grizzly didn’t spot the brown stains on the garment. He could only hope it was indeed coffee. Still, it would have to do.
Grizzly: Yeah, uh, ‘t’s been a busy day. Make yerself at home, I’ll be back in a sec...
Deedee: Oh, please, don’t change on account o’ me. I have to be back at work in an hour. I’d just thought I’d say hi. You know how those kids are, they’ll tucker a gal out!
Deedee lowers herself down onto Grizzly’s wooden furniture and crosses her legs. The laced-up straps of her leather sandals hugs her calves beautifully. Even her short, stubby little toes are adorable.
Grizzly: Yes, work... How are things at the day-care centre?
Deedee: Can’t complain, really. Some of the young ‘uns get homesick sometimes, but ‘round noon they have a snack and a nap and then they’re quiet.
Grizzly chuckles.
Grizzly: I can relate to that!
He starts cleaning up his leftovers. Bits of bone, splashes of sauce and a pile of plates get swept up.
Deedee: Say sugar, did you have company over?
Grizzly: Oh, this? No, I just felt like a treat today. Did a heck of a lot of strength trainin’ today and I need to get those carbs in.
Deedee picks up the empty, discarded tub of ice cream.
Deedee: And you really need a whole bowl of Rocky Road for that? Honestly, if you weren’t such a big eater, you’d have a stomach a lady can do her ironin’ on!
Grizzly looks her squarely in the eye. Slowly, a frown forms on his face. He shoots her a sideways glance.
Deedee: You know I’m just teasin’, snow cone, but it IS worth noticin’ how your gut almost cost you your match last week.
Grizzly: You saw that?
Deedee: ‘Course I did! What sort of folk would I be if I didn’t watch my grizzly bear on high-def HD?
Grizzly: Well, Daggershield put up a good fight and you know how much I love knockin’ heads in...
Deedee: And you reward yourself by eatin’ for five? All I’m sayin’ is maybe losin’ a few pounds isn’t the worst idea for a professional athlete...
Grizzly puts two and two together and a wry smile slowly creeps across his face.
Grizzly: How did you know I’m facing Wasabi Toyota this week?
Deedee: You really should get a cell phone, sugar plum. There’s a roster page, they covered that Matt Tastic incident and here’s the card. You think you have a chance at this guy? He’s been in the company a lot longer than you’ve been...
Grizzly: That may be true, but the Wasabi that came back isn’t the same Wasabi that left. Now, while I’m not the biggest, the fastest or the smartest guy in WZCW, I know who I am and I know where I came from. I’m never going to change. Wasabi went and changed and look where it got him? He’s LITERALLY half the man he used to be.
Deedee: But he’s a lot quicker now, not to mention healthier.
Grizzly: What I’m saying is that size matters. I proved it against Daggershield and I’ll prove it against Toyota. Just you watch me. He’s going to put ME in a bear hug, my own finisher? You CAN’T outhug a bear, Dee... I’m the only true bear and I’m going to squeeze the life out of that cub and I’m powerful enough to do it.
Deedee: But not powerful enough to avoid the Dee Squeeze!
Deedee jumps onto Grizzly and tickles his ribs. His face turns red with laughter and he tries in vain to swat her off. The floorboards creak as Grizzly wiggles out of Deedee’s grip.
Grizzly: Cut... cut it out, will you?
When she’s had her fun, Deedee eases up and the two share a look.
Deedee: You know, you can be a real grumpy bear sometimes.
Grizzly: I guess. I’m sorry.
Keeping each other’s gaze, their heads slowly drift toward each other.
[size=+2]BZZZT! BZZZT![/size]
The mobile’s alarm vibrates in Deedee’s handbag.
Deedee: Oh, crap, I have to get goin’!
Bob does his absolute best not to show his disappointment.
Grizzly: That’s too bad. I’ll walk you out.
They get up and Grizzly opens the door for her. Her sandals flip-flop on the wooden surface and Grizzly watches her get into her green little Fiat. The Uno zips away, leaving Grizzly behind with a scheme and a smile.
