Post 6: Bingo the Bear

Whilst in the Desert of Africa I got sunburnt on my nose and needed a few weeks remedial in order to nurse myself back to health. I was bored...

So it was with great serendipity that whilst in the depths of my ennui I began browsing my local newspaper for a happy-ending massage parlour and I happened across an advert for the:

 ANIMAL CIRCUS WITH LOADS OF ANIMALS IN IT

coming to town this very weekend!

Suddenly I was faced with the opportunity to study all manner of exotic creatures at close range and I didn't even need to leave town!

 I was so delighted I ate a celebratory waffle.

The weekend couldn't come fast enough, and when the Circus arrived I awoke at the crack of dawn and went straight to the animal enclosure. It didn't open until 6pm so I went back home and watched four episodes of House M.D and a Movie that was set in Spain and had Spanish subtitles.

I went back later on and had my first Circus-NATURE encounter. With Bingo the Dancing Bear.

For many of you the image of a dancing bear is probably one of exploitation but things were different with Bingo, he loved to dance! In fact he had even auditioned to join the Circus, in doing so liberated himself from his snowy existence in Vladivostok.

One of Bingo's favourite things was to fuse two different dance styles, as you can see from my detail drawing he has mixed Travolta-esque disco with the Can-Can.

He was quite the clever big bear.

BUT 

Things weren't quite as happy as they seemed in Bear-World!

A life on the road had taken its toll on Bingo and a sort of insanity had gripped him as every two-bit motel he stayed in merged together to form some sort of Muzac and Magnolia inspired terror-mind-crush.

Every day Bingo would dance happily to his adoring audience, but every night he would retire to his hotel, knock back 1.5 litres of Stoli and let the madness grip his powerful face.

Bingo would locate the Bible kindly left behind by the good people of Gideon's who just want to peacefully spread the word of God...

And he would nick it. 

Brazenly. 

Barebearfaced. 

Without a single moments consideration to the washed-up duster Salesman on the cusp of a nervous breakdown who would occupy this very room the next night.

The Salesman who would probably be spared by the soothing words of Mark's Gospel.

The Salesman who would be given perspective on his own problems by the sorry plight of Job.

The Salesman who would now believe that God had Forsaken him.

The Salesman who would end his lonely existence, electrocuted in a bath, in a Travel-Lodge, on the A5 just outside Leighton Buzzard.

I dare not scold Bingo for this, he was a bear after all and I was just a decidedly squashy member of MANKIND.

 In fact after twenty seconds of watching him dance I completely forgot what I was upset about, that Bear sure had some moves!

WARNING

Always stay at least 15 feet away from a bear, and stay within its eyeline. Even dancing bears are FEROCIOUS BEASTS and will crush your skull at a moments notice.

 And most important of all, never butt in when he is shakin' his thang!

Bear. Dancing