Ghost of Spirit Bear Read Online Free PDF Page A

else seems happy?” he said. “If you go in mad, everybody seems mad, and yet it’s the same people.”
    “I don’t see what you’re getting at. This isn’t a grocery store. Those jerks won’t be nice if I smile at them.”
    “Okay, let’s try again. If a semi truck roars past you on the highway, is that
your
reality?”
    “I suppose,” Cole allowed.
    “No!” Garvey challenged. “If you choose to step in front of that semi, you create one ugly reality for yourself. If you choose to wave to the driver, that creates a whole different reality. Either way the truck just passed by you. How you react creates your real reality. You’re not here this morning because of what some bully did. You’re here because of how you reacted to the bullies.”
    “Don’t you see, I
didn’t
have any choice,” Cole insisted.
    “By fighting back, you gave them the control and power they wanted.” Garvey stood. “Stand up. I want to show you something.”
    When Cole rose, Garvey shoved him back into his chair. “I’m pretty strong, aren’t I?” he said, smiling.
    “You just surprised me.”
    “Okay, stand up again.”
    Hesitantly, Cole stood.
    “Are you stronger than me?” Garvey challenged.
    Cole shrugged.
    “Let’s find out. Go ahead, push me.”
    “I’m not going to hurt you,” Cole said.
    “Believe me, you won’t hurt me,” Garvey said. “I’ve raised two teenage daughters. Go ahead, shove me.”
    Cole shoved. When he did, Garvey backed up and Cole hardly touched him.
    “That was lame,” Garvey taunted. “Shove like a man.”
    Angrily, Cole shoved harder. Again Garvey backed away, only this time he put out a foot and tripped Cole. At the same time he jerked on Cole’s arm, sending him sprawling to the floor.
    “Why did you do that?” Cole demanded, scrambling to his feet.
    “You tell me,” Garvey said. “You’re this strong macho guy who says he’s going to protect Peter. Shoot, you can’t even protect yourself. Look who ended up on the floor. Don’t you see, when I shoved you, you resisted me, which made me strong.”
    “So what’s your point?”
    “When you shoved me, I backed away from you, which took away your strength and threw you off balance. I could never have tripped you if you hadn’t tried to shove me first. I used your strength to beat you.”
    Cole stared sullenly at Garvey as he sat down.
    Garvey shook his head. “You know better than anyone that kids like Keith are the most insecure students in school. I didn’t make that up—that’s just a simple fact. They’re not stronger than you.”
    Cole rubbed at his neck. “So tell me exactly what I should have done this morning. I have to protect Peter, but if I fight again, the Circle won’t give me another chance.”
    “The Circle doesn’t mind you fighting, but don’t use your fists.”
    “I can’t just sit down on the ground.”
    Garvey shrugged. “Actually, sitting on the ground might have helped. What satisfaction would you get from kicking or beating up somebody who’s not fighting back? My guess is you wouldn’t be here right now.”
    “No, I’d be in the nurse’s office,” Cole said. “You’re dead wrong. I always used to beat up kids who wouldn’t fight back.”
    “When the bear attacked you, did you fight back?”
    Cole nodded.
    “Did it help?”
    Cole shook his head, remembering how fighting back had only angered the big creature.
    “When did the Spirit Bear let you touch him?”
    “When I was gentle. But here nobody trusts me.”
    “Trust has to be earned one person at a time, one day at a time. You’ve changed, but you have to decide what you’re going to do around people who haven’t changed.”
    “It’s hard without the pond, the totems, and our ancestor rocks. I feel helpless.”
    The weathered creases on Garvey’s face looked chiseled as he pointed to his head. “The real ponds, totems, and ancestor rocks are up here now. You have total control.”
    Cole gave up arguing. “So what