The last Wrapper

Bears are not aggressive animals. They are rather gluttonous and have a very sensitive sense of smell. Since no one wants to be woken up in the middle of the night by a two hundred kilograms beast ripping your tent apart to eat your lip balm, it is recommended to tie up and away from the tent any odorous objects.

Every evening in areas where bears are numerous, I took care to put all my food and most of my toiletries outside the tent.

However, in the bottom of one of my pockets, always remained a Snickers wrapper, or half a protein bar, stuffed there at a moment of inattention, that I only found when I was slipping into my sleeping bag, making the rest of my efforts to not attract bears, vain.

I remember that evening. When I found that bar at the bottom of my puffyjacket after a more than exhausting day, I gave up. I opened the mosquito net and slid the bar just outside the tent. I told myself that it was my offering to the mountain’s spirit for a quiet night.

I slept peacefully, and as I regularly did before falling, I said my prayer to the mountain. If the bear comes, let him eat me quickly.