The runt cub bear trembled as he looked up at his caretakers. He had spilled some cereal. He knew it didn't matter what he said or did. He knew he would get a paw to the butt. He got more than one, both his female and male caretaker beat his little butt. Like many other nights he lay in bed and cried himself to sleep. Suddenly Grizzle Bear awoke in a cold sweat. His Mate was awakened by his trembling.
Lovalot turned on a light and held the trembling Grizzle tight. At times like this he reminded her of a little hurt boy. It was one of the things that had made her pity for him turn into love. The other Bears thought of Lovalot as a nut case for having taken in Grizzle after his floating castle had crashed. If only they knew the rest of the story.
"It's alright honey, it was just another bad dream. Those stupid Bedtime and Sweet Dreams Bears are supposed to protect you. But they say they can't stop nightmares based on real memories. Knowing that the other Bears should have more pity and tolerance for you. I wish there was some way I could get them to understand you better."
Grizzle sighed as he snuggled up to Lovalot. "It would dish up too many painful memories. Plus I have some things I'd rather others not to know about. Then there are your own secrets. To help me means you may have to reveal some embarrassing things about yourself." "What others think of me is not as important as to the truth of what was done to you as a cub. What was done to you was a crime. The other bears of Carealot who ignored what happened are guilty too. The truth should be told for your sake and that of future cubs." A week later Lovalot lovingly gazed at Grizzle as he held their daughter Miracle Joy. Grizzle was an amazing Father. No Bear could deny that. The Bear that had grown up unloved and unwanted desired his Mate and his Cub to have the good things he never had. Lovalot tapped his butt with her paw. "So are you ready to give a deposition to Cheer and The Care Council?" Grizzle put his cheek against Miracle Joy. "Yes I am" he said in a quivering voice. "The time has come for truth and consequences. Let's drop off Miracle Joy with Best Friend Bear. I hope we're doing the right thing."
The Care Council Chamber was packed with on looking Bears. The gossip mongers had passed the word that Grizzle was finally going to tell all. They were curious as to what had made Grizzle a juvenile delinquent and a misbehaving adult. Some of his past antics had been downright dangerous. Others had been funny, like his passion for dressing in drag as Busy Body Bear. Every Bear was curious as to what made Grizzle tick. This hearing had all the makings of a "trial of The Century".
Cheer hit the table with her gable. "This official hearing is now in order. This is not a Court of Law. The purported offenders are now deceased and cannot defend themselves. Their names shall not be mentioned. They will be referred to as the Male and Female Caretaker. Grizzle will now be sworn in to tell the truth, Loyal Heart, swear him in." After taking The Pledge of Truthfulness Grizzle sat in a chair front and center just below that of Cheer's. Tender Heart and Obsessive Bear were to the right and slightly back of Cheer. As Lovalot watched from the gallery she had a hard time sitting still.
Cheer's voice sounded harsh as she began to question Grizzle. "Do you Grizzle Bear admit to having engaged in destructive acts in the past?" "Yes." "You were pardoned for those acts because of your heroic actions the day your Castle Crashed. You are here today to explain why you were so antisocial before that. Tell us about your Cub Hood."
Grizzle's voice was raspy, "My mother died shortly after my birth due to complications. My Father was killed a few months later when his Cloud car disintegrated. Two Bears were appointed to be my caretakers." Grizzle nearly spat out that last word.
"Did your Caretakers provide food and adequate clothing when the weather got cold?" Tender Heart asked. Grizzle cast his eyes down ward, "usually" was all he said. "Just say yes or no" Tender Heart said in a stern voice. Grizzle looked up with fire and hatred in his eyes, "NO!" A ripple of whispering could be heard from the spectators. Lovalot looked as if she were about to slug someone.
Obsessive Bear loudly cleared her throat and glared at the spectators. "Please refrain yourselves." She turned toward Grizzle. "Did either Caretaker ever strike you? You may elaborate." Grizzle's nose turned pale. He began to visibly shake. "Yes, both of them. No matter how hard I tried to be good they would always find a reason to spank me (sniff). When they weren't spanking me they were screaming at me. After awhile I gave up trying to be a good boy." A tear could be seen trickling down Grizzle's right cheek. Lovalot could be seen dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
Cheer had contempt in her voice as she said "you have pulled several pranks while dressed as a female. How did you become infatuated into becoming a cross dresser?" "One day to humiliate me I was forced to wear a dress. At first both caretakers laughed and taunted me. Then as the day wore on I noticed they were more gentle when they spanked me. The next day after getting scolded and slapped I put the dress on. I walked up to them and said I'm not a bad boy now, I'm a good girl. The girl laughed and said the little sissy boy looks good in his dress. She actually gave me a gentle pat on the butt. I learned that if I acted like a girl I could actually get a little affection. There was less screaming and less spankings."
Cheer's expression had softened, so did the tone of her voice. "You can sit in the Gallery. I want to talk to your Mate. Lovalot take the stand." Lovalot strode briskly to the chair Grizzle had occupied. She sat and glared at Cheer. Cheer said "you don't need to take an oath, you also don't need to look like you want to slug me. Speak your piece."
Lovalot was still glaring as she said "it wasn't just his Caretakers that harmed Grizzle. No adult Bear would intervene when they saw him treated poorly as a cub and teen cub. You are supposed to be Care Bears and Care Cousins. But you didn't care about Grizzle because he was a runt who couldn't earn a Tummy Tag. Even as a cub I knew he wasn't being treated like the rest of us. As his Mate I have seen his scars. I don't blame his misbehavior on him, I blame it on all of you!" A stir of voices came from The Gallery. Cheer's nose paled, she was now the one who looked uncomfortable.
Obsessive Bear put her paw to her chin and looked as if she were in deep thought. Then she looked at Lovalot. "How did you first become attracted to Grizzle? Most of the other girls viewed him as a pervert." Lovalot's nose changed color as she blushed. "I realized he was a Peeping Tom Bear. When I found out he was peeping in on me more than any other Bear I found it flattering. One day I flashed him when I knew he was spying on me. I actually found it fun, it soon became like a cat and mouse game between us. He would try to peep, sometimes I would do nothing. Sometimes I would wear suggestive clothing hoping he would see me. Every once in a while I would flash him if I thought he was there."
"In a way I thought of his behavior as that of a teen cub, and so I acted like one. After asking True Heart about Grizzle's past I sometimes thought of him as a boy cub who wasn't brought up right. The day his Castle crashed I was first on the scene. As I helped him I didn't see a bad adult Bear, I saw a hurt little boy cub. I still often see him as a hurting little cub. I had never found a mate and so wanted a Cub of my own. Fate had delivered both into my paws. I fell in love with him." Cheer's voice almost sounded mystified, "Alright, you may take a seat in the Gallery. Grizzle please retake the Stand."
As Grizzle sat down he could feel Cheer staring at him. She had a strange look in her eyes. "You have stated you were often spanked by both Caretakers. Were you ever given what could be called a beating?" Grizzle began to visibly shake again. "Yes! I do have scars that did not come from the crash of my castle. They came from the paws of my Caretakers!" There was a look of terror in Grizzle's eyes. Cheer visibly winced.
"I remember one night I spilled my cereal after I had just started eating. I got a walloping by both of them and then sent to bed. I was hungry and my tush hurt like hell. I cried until I finally fell asleep. The next day my tush still hurt so bad I could hardly walk. It wasn't the last time I would get a beating like that!" Grizzle started to cry. A stir of sound came from the Gallery. He looked at Cheer with those teary eyes and practically yelled "no bear would help me! Why didn't they help me!"
Cheer hit the table with her gable. Her voice was now shaky as she said "there will be a ten minute recess." She, Tender Heart and Obsessive Bear quickly left for the back room. Lovalot ran up to the Stand and put her arms around Grizzle. Her tear filled eyes were not the only ones in the room. The spectators had certainly gotten an earful and eyeful. The hearing was now more dramatic than any trial they had witnessed. The sobbing Grizzle was used to getting looks of contempt and disgust. Many eyes were wiped as they now looked at him with pity.
As the minutes ticked by the whispering among the gallery grew louder. More than ten minutes had passed. Every one present began to sense something big was about to happen. There was a loud buzz among the crowd as Cheer, Tender Heart and Obsessive re-entered the room. Bright Heart, True Heart, and Brave Heart were right behind them. As Cheer took her seat there was a look of grim determination on her face. She raised her gable and hit the table. "Everyone take a seat and be quiet. This is no longer a deposition, this is now a Formal Care Council Meeting."
As Grizzle retook his seat his nose was pale. His eyes were blood shot. Cheer turned toward Loyal Heart. "Could you please give a transcript of Grizzle's statements to the members who were not present. I will allow fifteen minutes for them to read it." As the members read the statements the captive audience tried to read their faces. Brave Heart remained poker faced. Bright Heart looked as if he were frowning. True Heart was visibly upset.
"Have you all read the transcript?" Cheer said to them. "Aye" they all replied. "Due to the serious nature of Grizzle's words we must be absolutely sure he spoke the truth. True Heart will you please verify what he said." True Heart walked up to him. "I have activated my Tummy Tag. I know you were sworn to tell the truth. Did you tell the truth in your deposition?" Grizzle looked up at her, the fire was back in his eyes. "I sure did!" True Heart had a look of pain as she turned towards The Care Council. "He is telling the truth!" She made her way to a seat behind the rest of the Council Members. She looked like she wanted to cry.
"Lovalot and Grizzle, come stand before me" Cheer said in an official tone of voice. As the two Mates stood before Cheer she stood and faced them. "Grizzle, I apologize if I sounded harsh earlier. The same to you Lovalot. You stood by your Mate through good times and bad times. You are also a good mother. As a mother my self I am pained to hear the truth of Grizzle's cub hood. We cannot undo the past. We can try to improve the future. As Chair Bear I cannot make a Motion. Does any Council Member have a Motion?"
Tender Heart stood and spoke loudly. "I make a motion that in honor of Grizzle Bear this date shall be hence forth called Hug a Cub Day. He has shown us the importance that love and care means to a little one. No cub should ever have to go to bed hungry, bruised, or beaten. This day will be used to teach the importance of preventing and reporting Cub abuse. Grizzle will be recognized as the Founder of this day."
Obsessive Bear spoke. "I second that and put forth that all present be allowed to vote." Cheer turned to the Council Members. "Does the Council Members agree to a public vote?" "Aye" they said unanimously. Cheer wasted no time. "Those present who agree to the Motion raise paws and say 'aye'. Paws shot up as a loud chorus of ayes resounded throughout the Chamber. "All opposed say 'nay'." There was silence except for the sound of some bear coughing. "The Ayes have it, the Motion is passed." Cheer slammed the table with her gable.
Cheer got up and strode toward Grizzle. She threw her arms around him. "Please forgive me for not being there for you in the past. I hope what happened here today makes for a brighter future for you, your family, and all of Carealot's cubs." The rest of the Council Members shook Grizzle's paw or hugged him. Many of the spectators did like wise. Lovalot also got hugs from many well wishers. After she and Grizzle rubbed noses there was cheering and clapping.
After a while the relieved couple were able to leave and pick up Miracle Joy. The little cub could sense the relief and happiness that her parents felt. "Did Daddy do a good job today?" the little cub asked. "He sure did. Your Daddy is a good Bear." "I know that!" she exclaimed as she jumped into Grizzle's arms. He held his daughter tight and rubbed noses with her. Her giggles were proof to the Care Bear world that this father could never harm his cub.
Lovalot and Grizzle could finally relax at home. Lovalot had just crawled into bed. As Grizzle got into bed beside her Lovalot asked "how is she?" "She is fast asleep. She and the bed are both dry." Lovalot put her arms around Grizzle and pulled him to her. She held his head to her chest. "And how is my sweet little boy bear?"
"Everything is alright now" he said as he pressed up against her. "Thank you for putting up with me." She rubbed his back very tenderly.
"You are who you are, and I love you for that. You gave me the gift of motherhood. You are a perfect father to our cub. Today you helped a lot of future cubs. I couldn't feel happier." Grizzle was soon asleep. As Lovalot listened to his breathing she very softly whispered "no bear will ever hurt you again. May you always have sweet dreams." She was soon asleep too. Sweet dreams did come to both bears.
...
Note: I once had neighbor who would beat and scream horrible obscenities at her toddler daughter. The authorities did not act after I reported it. Another neighbor who was a co-worker of mine also got no results. One day at work as we discussed it our boss could tell we were upset. After we told him the facts he swore. He said as a member of the Chamber of Commerce he would get them to put pressure on DHS. The authorities finally stepped in. The Mother was forced to take counseling. The screaming and cries of terror stopped. The last time I saw "Shawna" she was a basketball player on her High School team. I am glad I could help her. I hope this story inspires others to intervene when you know a child is hurting.