PORTLAND, OR — In what experts are calling a flagrant misuse of language, local woman Melanie Carter shocked colleagues Wednesday by saying “bear with me” despite the glaring absence of any actual bear.

“It was misleading, to say the least,” said Carter’s coworker, Daniel Hughes. “I fully expected her to produce some sort of bear—perhaps a small cub or at least a stuffed one. But there was nothing. Just empty promises.”

The incident occurred during a team meeting when Carter, attempting to navigate a minor technical difficulty, uttered the now-infamous phrase. Witnesses report looking around expectantly, anticipating the sudden appearance of a large, furry mammal. When no such animal materialized, disappointment set in.

“I felt lied to,” said marketing associate Rachel Nguyen. “She could have said, ‘hold on a moment’ or ‘give me a second,’ but she chose to invoke a bear. There are consequences to that kind of word choice.”

Linguistics experts have weighed in on the phenomenon, stating that while the phrase is commonly used to request patience, it remains frustratingly misleading.

“The English language is full of figurative expressions, but ‘bear with me’ is particularly problematic,” explained Dr. Jonathan Reed, professor of semantics at Portland University. “It suggests a bear-related scenario that never comes to fruition, leading to unnecessary emotional turmoil.”

Carter has since addressed the controversy, issuing a half-hearted apology via email. “I understand now that my words may have led to confusion and misplaced excitement,” she wrote. “I regret any distress caused by the lack of an actual bear.”

At press time, Carter’s coworkers remained wary of her speech, particularly after she was overheard saying, “I’ll let the cat out of the bag.”