Don't...poke...the...bear
By JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
March 10, 2016 10:33am CST
People still astound me.
They'll 'poke the bear' and expect the bear to turn around and politely engage in discourse with them.
He's a damn bear, okay? 
If he's doing something, and minding his own business, and you come and insert yourself into his business, why would you appear to think he should suddenly be a lamb? 
Especially when you know he is a bear. 
Expect him to turn in your direction and still be a bear. 
And bears are known to bite. 
Know your animals.
If bears bother you, don't bother the bear.
That is all.
If he's doing something, and minding his own business, and you come and insert yourself into his business, why would you appear to think he should suddenly be a lamb?
Especially when you know he is a bear.
Expect him to turn in your direction and still be a bear.
And bears are known to bite.
Know your animals.
If bears bother you, don't bother the bear.
That is all.36 people like this
34 responses
@Mike197602 (15517)
• United Kingdom
10 Mar 16
sometimes it may be fun to poke one with a loooong stick
11 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
10 Mar 16
Yes, and sometimes, maybe he is a cuddly teddy bear...but he's still a bear.
And bears are fast...be prepared to run. 
7 people like this
@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
10 Mar 16
We have a saying here "Don't poke the alligator in the head with a stick". I think that probably applies to bears as well.
@GardenGerty (164896)
• United States
10 Mar 16
Grrr. Is someone agitating you today?
6 people like this
@andriaperry (118738)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Mar 16
@JolietJake or maybe a nice kitty:)
2 people like this
@Scindhia (1906)
• India
11 Mar 16
@GardenGerty Someone is agitating the bear often
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
10 Mar 16
Someone evidently thinks I am still a Lamb or something
6 people like this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
10 Mar 16
My ears are burning.....AND SOMEBODY KEEPS POKING ME!
5 people like this
@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
14 Mar 16
I am sure that he would much rather that you bear all than bear your mind.
2 people like this
Oh my! The bear sounds like he can be beary naughty then! 
@JolietJake (50190)
•
10 Mar 16
@purplealabaster said something about a 'honeypot'
4 people like this
@celticeagle (177374)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Mar 16
Really! Bears turn around and usually stand up on their back feet and BECOME VERY BIG!
4 people like this
So, how can we appease the bear ?
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
10 Mar 16
Yes one would do well not to mess with bears.
But I would because I can handle them.
But I would because I can handle them.4 people like this
@vandana7 (102193)
• India
14 Mar 16
@purplealabaster ...yeah..I so love bears provided they are smaller in size than me.
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
11 Mar 16
If you bring bacon, I'm usually easier to get along with
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
11 Mar 16
Maybe they think the bear is Pooh Bear, lol
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
11 Mar 16
@JolietJake or paddington bear, or Yogi bear! :-P
3 people like this
@Scindhia (1906)
• India
11 Mar 16
@Jessicalynnt I thought of winnie the pooh too
3 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
11 Mar 16
I'll rip their heads off and 'pooh' down their necks.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (359224)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
@JolietJake So prod you at our peril! Or with a loooong stick - as @Mike197602 suggests - and be prepared to run fast! Anything else we need to know?
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
11 Mar 16
@JudyEv If you bring bacon, I'm usually fairly tame
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
11 Mar 16
Someone prodded me and became surprised when I was me about it
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45942)
• United States
10 Mar 16
Unless it is a stuffed bear, don't try to cuddle it either.
3 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45942)
• United States
10 Mar 16
@JolietJake ouch, that would be painful.
4 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
10 Mar 16
Even if it is, be careful, sometimes they have pokey wires sticking out of them
4 people like this
@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
14 Mar 16
I don't know why either, and I certainly would never dare to poke the bear.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (44987)
• Preston, England
11 Mar 16
Read a piece by Bill Bryson noting that most bear attacks are on people dumb enough to approach bears offering food or to get photos and then wondering why they get mauled - they seem to think real bears are like Yogi Bear rather than wild creatures
3 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
11 Mar 16
You need a nice, relaxing massage @JolietJake . Get Scar to stand on your back and get with it.
3 people like this
