Latoya Watkins in JOYLAND SOUTH

Waiting

Vashti read the bear policy posted at the start of the trail twice before she decided to walk with us.  She made one command. “If we gone do this shit, y’all can’t pull out no snacks, no water, no nothing. Ain’t no bear bout to fuck with me. Y’all asses gone follow these policies.”

I think she came along because she’s curious about the nature of bears, but her fear is what drives us. She’s almost ours in this place. In these mountains, so near where I hunted with my father as a boy. She’s been our girl for the past couple of days. It’s been nice. It’s a change. We’ve been her boys for such a long time. But now, on this mountain, things are right in the universe as long as she fears the bear.

Read More Here:  http://www.joylandmagazine.com/stories/joyland_south/waiting