Deb Kaufman has been an owner of the historic Polebridge Mercantile for fourteen years. Before moving to Montana from Idaho, she was a geriatric social worker. Her avocations include writing poetry and songs, painting and dreaming possibilities. The poem, "The Boy and the Great Bear" was written to commemorate the life and death of her first grandchild, Danny Deras, who died at the age of 18 months.