Rooster Helps Bear Get a New Perspective

Chapter 5

Bear’s cave was looking a little shabby. It was spring, and he had been through a lazy winter of mostly sleeping, except on some of the warmer days that had come along near the end. He had kind of walked around in a daze, caught some fish and ate them, and had just sat outside to enjoy the sun for a while. He didn’t have the energy for cleaning back then. But now, the sunlight shone through the doorway and just made the cave seem, well, lived-in.

The fireplace was full of ashes, and the couch was in need of fumigating*. (* Here fumigating means to get the stink out of something by leaving it outdoors in the fresh air.)

In fact, he thought, the whole cave could use a freshening up, and maybe he could even change the furniture around a bit.

Pretty soon he was on the phone with Rooster, wondering if he had any time to help out.

“I’ll be right over”, Rooster said. He’d been waiting for a call from Bear. In fact, he had been kind of bored and looked forward to seeing his old friend. This could be fun! He already had some good ideas.

Bear hung up and surveyed the room.

“Let’s see, he said, talking to himself, I could take that couch outside and air it out. Then I’ll get rooster to shovel out those ashes, and spread some of them on the garden. Then, I’ll replace the pine needles and leaves with new fresh ones, and move my sleeping corner to the other side of the cave, just for a change of perspective*.” (*Here perspective means that if you are sick of your room you can change it around so you’re not sick of it anymore.)

By the time he’d gotten only half way through his mental list, Rooster hopped through the open door, rubbing his wing tips together in anticipation.

“Nice day out if it doesn’t rain”, he announced. I’ve got some great ideas, want’a hear?”

“Nope, I’m all set, I just need some help with the heavy lifting.” At that Rooster got a little worried. He didn’t have big muscles. He just wanted to plan things out, and didn’t think that he could be any help moving furniture.

“I think we ought to take that couch outside and air it out, then shovel out those ashes, and spread some of them on the garden. Then, clean up those old pine needles and leaves, and move your bedding to the other side of the cave, just for a change of perspective. What do you think?”

Bear shrugged. “Good idea, Buddy”, and he smiled in a mildly amused way. Then he smacked his paws together and said, “Let’s get started.”

Rooster got on one end of the couch, and Bear got on the other. Bear grunted and bent his knees, because if you lift with your back you might injure yourself. He curled his claws around the bottom of the couch and stood, lifting his end.

Rooster clucked and bent his knees, but because he was a bird, they bent backwards and his knees went up behind his bottom. He turned his tiny head to the side, slid his tongue out of the side of his beak, and tried to get hold of the bottom of the couch. His feathery fingertips slipped and slid on the surface. His bright red comb* wobbled and began to sweat. He really couldn’t get a good grip. (*Here comb means that red rubbery thing on top of a rooster’s head.)

“Uh-oh.” Rooster whispered, and his little yellow eyes bugged out as he tried and tried again.

Bear sighed, and lowered his couch end.

“Why don’t we just get on the same end and push?” ventured Bear. Rooster obediently trotted to the other end and positioned himself. But when they reached the doorway, the couch seemed a lot bigger, and it wouldn’t fit through.

“Well”, said Bear, “either the door’s too small, or the couch is too big.”

“Brilliant”, Rooster added, sarcastically*.

When Bear turned to say something equally sarcastic* to Rooster, the little bird had already disappeared into the kitchen and Bear could hear drawers and cupboard doors being pulled open. “Didn’t you have a saw in here once, Bear?”

(* Sarcastic here means to say something that means the opposite of what you really feel.)

“A saw? What do you think you’re doing?”

“I have a GOOD IDEA! I’m going to saw the legs off that couch, that’s what.” And that is exactly what happened. Before Bear could list his reasons why that would NOT be a GOOD IDEA, Rooster had those legs sawed clean off.

The couch slipped right out the door, no problem. The sun and the air did their work, and soon that sofa smelled and looked a lot cleaner. But, without the legs, it was a lot shorter too. *

(*Later, it was discovered that the legs could have been unscrewed, but we’ll just ignore that.)

At the end of the day, Bear and Rooster had washed the sheets, shoveled out the ashes, put some on the garden*, and moved the bedding to a different and spot.

(* Just in case you were wondering, here is an interesting fact: If you put wood ashes on the garden, it acts like a kind of fertilizer and helps your plants grow.)

Bear had gotten his new perspective, and Rooster was exhausted.

“Thanks for all the help, Rooster. I couldn’t have done it without you, little buddy.”

(end)