Toby Scares the Bear

Last night about 2:30AM I awoke to a bang and a scrawling noise right outside my window. I thought it might be some kids playing a prank or who knows what. I was pretty out of it. I happened to park the car out on the drive and so thought maybe someone was messing with it. When I looked out, I saw nothing and passed it off as the usual raccoon pranks. But then, Toby started barking. Very loudly. I got back up and looked down a little more, and there saw my trash bin tipped over and a very large black bear scrutinizing the contents up close and personal.

Toby was barking really loudly, and so I opened the blinds to get a better look and open the window to maybe yell at the bear and scare it off. By the time I got the blinds open, the bear was gone. This was a pacific northwest sized black bear. Not those little guys you see on TV that’s only 2 or 3 hundred pounds. This was a very large bear that was as long as my car is wide and probably weighted upwards of 5 or 6 hundred pounds.

I went downstairs to notice that the garage door was still open and the inside door was also open. My brave Toby faced down the bear.

Jenny came in from her bedroom and asked why Toby was barking. I told her the story. She climbed in on the other side of the bed and said, “Oooo, scary. I’m sleeping by you tonight Daddy.” Sarah slept through it all.