"Shane and the Bear"

The song "Shane and the Bear" was written by my Uncle Randy Allred and his cousin Rob Burk. The incident that inspired the song occurred around in the late 1970s in a remote area of the White Mountains known as Patty Creek. We were attending a Burk Reunion, that was comprised of members of my Grandma Allred's family, when my Dad's cousin, Shane Kelly, went fishing at the crack of dawn with my Aunt Sharon and my cousin Trevor. While he was fishing, Shane heard some rustling and was startled to see a bear. He ran one way, and the bear ran the other. Shane met up with Trevor and Sharon, and the three of them quickly evacuated the area. When they returned to camp, they became instant celebrities as they shared their story over and over again. The adventure was soon put to verse by Randy and Rob, and the song became a family favorite to be sung around campfires at every family reunion for years to come.
When I was writing my book, The Narrows Escape, about my many cherished memories from past family reunions, the song "Shane and the Bear" was one of the first memories to come to mind. Over the many drafts of the book, the bear scene remained a constant - though the details evolved to fit the changing story. In an effort to limit the number of characters in the book, I assigned Shane's role in the story to Devin's older brother Dane. I later changed Dane's name to Shane since I wanted to use the song in the book without changing the wording used in the original song. I received permission from Randy and Rob to include the song in my book, and named two of the DTB cousins' uncles Randy and Rob to make sure that the intellectual rights to the material was attributed to the correct individuals. All other names in the book have been changed to emphasize the fact that they are fictional.

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day, and say "thank you" for all the lessons you've taught me over the years. In honor of my dad, I decided to post a few deleted clips that remind me of him.

clip 1:

“Just be glad it’s not Uncle Darrell taking the pictures," said Trey.

"Why's that?" Brady’s dad asked indignantly. "I take great pictures!"

"You do," agreed Trey. "It’s just that you take forever. If you were the designated photographer, Brady would still be in that sand trap while you were lining up the shot!"

Brady and everyone else burst into laughter. They had all endured the interminable wait that preceded one of his dad’s pictures, and could easily visualize the scene. His dad just harrumphed, though, and kept wading on.

clip 2:

As Darrell Allred led his Scouts from the chartered buses to the entrance of the camp, he felt a strong sense of excitement well up within his soul. “Okay, everybody … look sharp!” he ordered as they marched. “Head up, shoulders back, stomach in, chest out!”

Darrell was average height and trim; and very proud of the fact that he still fit in the uniform he had purchased when called for his first tour of duty as a Scoutmaster fifteen years before. His brown hair was now sprinkled with gray and was getting thinner each year. Due to the heavy winds projected in the weather forecast, he was wearing his full-brimmed scout hat to make sure his head was properly covered.

He had been involved with the Boy Scouts in one capacity or another for almost thirty-five years; since he himself had joined a troop at the age of eleven. He had attained the rank of Eagle, like his father before him, and had helped inspire three of his younger brothers earn the rank as well. Now, he was doing his part to pass the tradition on to the next generation.

clip 3:

Devin’s family was always the first to arrive at family functions. Uncle Arthur had somehow missed out on the family “late gene” that plagued the rest of the family. And although the other Allreds were also habitually late, Brady’s dad, Darrell, must have gotten a double dose of the gene – his own, plus Uncle Arthur’s portion.

Brady heaved a sigh as his dad ran into the house again to grab "one more thing" that they'd forgotten. At this rate, the party would be over by the time they got there.

I love you Dad!