The Birthday Awakening

For those Bear & Mousie fans out there who haven’t been following our social media posts, my Extended Torpor has officially come to an end. Sometimes, one thing just leads to another, and that was certainly the case in 2020–what began in December 2019 as a routine hibernal period of rest and recuperation, ultimately extended into 2021, as a personal ‘hibernation best’. Between the unbridled virus raging outside, and relentless news reports on our democracy under siege, suspended consciousness just seemed like the most appealing option.

(Above: 'Brown Bear in TORpor'–Image with Haiku, from Mousie's 'Torpor Time!' series.)

Now, however, with a functional government in place and country-wide vaccinations underway, few ‘legitimate’ excuses to prolong my contented absence remain. What’s more, I’d be remiss if I failed to stay awake long enough to properly honor the birthday surprise that successfully roused me from my abnormally long slumber.

Last March, in response to Dr. Fauci’s social distancing recommendations, Mousie instituted Cave Lockdown, which meant indefinitely postponing all social gatherings in her ‘Very Social Activities Planner’. Since then, the majority of her time has been reallocated to the extra-special care of little buddies, indoor vegetable sprouting, and arts and crafts, with the latter item culminating in a body of work our resident mouse has dubbed her ‘TP Art Period’. Artistic expression has also manifested in jumbo-sized birthday confections, seemingly commensurate in size to the void left by cancelled parties with ‘teddy bear friends’.

(Above Right: 'Ceci EST un TP!', from Mousie's 'TP Art Period'.)

With that said, Mousie’s perception of our continued isolation seems to have intensified in 2021, as the birthday surprise she concocted this year ‘took the cake’. That is, what could be more gratifying to a groggy bear with depleted fat stores than awakening from hibernation to a colossal brownie monolith at the foot of his bed? When I first beheld the mysterious tower of chocolate Mousie left before me on my birthday, I was overcome by what seemed to be a gift from benevolent, unearthly beings. Its enormous presence filled my room. Its delectable aroma flooded my snout. Its appetizing essence awoke The Beast Within...

Once the feeding frenzy of that morning had passed, I came to. Lying on my cave floor, I scanned the dimly lit perimeter to discern an overturned red wagon, peppered in colourful sprinkles and brownie crumbs; vanilla ice cream dripped steadily from the capsized dish beside it. I now reasoned, in my awakened state, that only Mousie would deliver a monolith–an edible chocolatey one–a la carte, and a la mode. Regardless, whoever had left the brownie structure in my midst certainly knew me well enough to stand clear.

(Below Left: The red wagon, pre-feeding-frenzy; Below Right: The dish of vanilla ice cream, pre-feeding-frenzy.)

When I finally emerged from my torpor chambers, fully renewed and prepared to face a post-pandemic era, I found Mousie at my door, awaiting the perfect moment to enquire about my indulgent awakening. Upon reflection, I could equate it only with nirvana; It was as close to religious transcendence as a hungry bear could ever experience; It was... truly cosmic. I marveled at the way in which Mousie, armed only with Little Debbie brownies and a ladder, had catapulted a sleeping bear back into functional consciousness. Her work was inspiring... but the jolt of sugar undoubtedly helped. That which nourished and fueled me for the beginning of another spring season would also serve as a potential symbol of rebirth. One that hopefully, could mark a new age of collective freedom from the confines of a shadowy, ancient cave, and a seemingly endless slumber...

Mousie listened intently to my elaborate contemplation with wide, sparkling eyes. After taking a moment to process what I had shared, she replied sweetly, in her usual squeaky tone, with “Mudita.”

The requisite ‘pizza party for one’ followed. Mousie called in the order, so naturally, the crust was heart-shaped. With no other hungry teddies around to fend off… I mean… to share in the fun, I was obliged to consume the entire pie myself. On the upside, I'd already eaten my chocolatey monolith, so Mousie could ‘watch me enjoy’ this course of my birthday meal in complete safety.

As March 2021 draws to an end, I now look forward to other delicious surprises that Mousie’s creativity might bring. And, as for the initial informational intent of this blog, I think it’s safe to conclude that Mousie has put my Extended Torpor to rest... that is, until winter comes.