Imagine a reddish bear.
I mean a tall, fat man, red hair, black nails, speaking out max 5 words at a time. The first contact was not exactly state-of-the-art communication. "What were you doing in Sudan, working?" "No, not exactly, I was here for a meeting" as a result the guy turns back with a grimace. Half upset... I answer: "What???" ... SILENCE "No, it's just that Sudan is usually not exactly the place for a meeting" "It sometimes happens!" SILENCE "And you why are you in Sudan?" "I'm working in oil refining, drilling, exploration but I resigned today and it's an happy day. HAPPY DAY! ... It's the second time I resign this year".
The guy is australian. He grew up in a farm. At the age of 18 he started to work in oil drilling and has been to 68 countries so far: last Sudan, before last one Doha (73°c under the sun), next one maybe China... About twenty years later, the bear is on a plane heading to Thailand. No home, married twice, divorced twice, 10 years of travelling extensively around in and out the worst places on earth, 28 days in, every day - 12hours shifts, followed by 28 days out for recuperation. The guy's resistance went up to 5 days in a row without sleep, and that I don't want to imagine. But I can feel a broken life, a lonely life, a no-hope life...
Being a bear doesn't mean you don't know how to behave. Bears sometimes offer you a glass of fresh water because you have poured your extra sugar ration in your old glass and then tell you a story about sweetness. In the end, bears have emotions, they are broken inside even if they say "it's a happy day". They want to look though but you can make them smile :) even though you might have no clue what has triggered it! Why does an observation on the taste of airplane food, made him smile???
I mean a tall, fat man, red hair, black nails, speaking out max 5 words at a time. The first contact was not exactly state-of-the-art communication. "What were you doing in Sudan, working?" "No, not exactly, I was here for a meeting" as a result the guy turns back with a grimace. Half upset... I answer: "What???" ... SILENCE "No, it's just that Sudan is usually not exactly the place for a meeting" "It sometimes happens!" SILENCE "And you why are you in Sudan?" "I'm working in oil refining, drilling, exploration but I resigned today and it's an happy day. HAPPY DAY! ... It's the second time I resign this year".
The guy is australian. He grew up in a farm. At the age of 18 he started to work in oil drilling and has been to 68 countries so far: last Sudan, before last one Doha (73°c under the sun), next one maybe China... About twenty years later, the bear is on a plane heading to Thailand. No home, married twice, divorced twice, 10 years of travelling extensively around in and out the worst places on earth, 28 days in, every day - 12hours shifts, followed by 28 days out for recuperation. The guy's resistance went up to 5 days in a row without sleep, and that I don't want to imagine. But I can feel a broken life, a lonely life, a no-hope life...
--There are really messed up lifes and places on earth --
Being a bear doesn't mean you don't know how to behave. Bears sometimes offer you a glass of fresh water because you have poured your extra sugar ration in your old glass and then tell you a story about sweetness. In the end, bears have emotions, they are broken inside even if they say "it's a happy day". They want to look though but you can make them smile :) even though you might have no clue what has triggered it! Why does an observation on the taste of airplane food, made him smile???
Last but not least, don't expect a bear to say goodbye...
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Don't be put off by bears, just learn how to tame them!
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