I asked my dad what his favorite toys were growing up. The first ones that came to mind were his stuffed bear and stuffed dog - named aptly "Dog" and "Teddy". Now, he said when he was 4 or 5, he didn't yet have a bear. Only his older sister Judi had one. But, a family in the church sadly were killed on their way to the church by a drunk driver and he received some of their young boy's toys. In the box of stuff were the bear and dog. Now dad, with the imagination he had, truly believed these animals were alive. They had a REAL dog at the time named Jett, who was a black cocker spaniel and he ate the eyes off teh dog. They were little screw eyes and amazingly Jett didn't seem to have any ill effects from eating them. Anyway, since Dog didn't have eyes any longer, dad considered him blind - thus needing special treatment. You know, as truly blind dogs often do. Every night when he'd go to bed, he's place Teddy on his right and Dog on his left, to make sure they both knew they were loved equally. If any other stuffed animals slept in bed, they would be placed around Teddy and Dog, since they were the leaders. Now, dad had a bit of a bed-wetting problem (I believe this lasted until he was about 24 and regrettably returned earlier this year - it's been a bit awkward actually....). As I was saying, with this bed-wetting problem came washings and over time the washings would make them end up losing an ear or their nose or something. Each time he'd cry over the loss of these appendages. Grandma sewed much of it back on, but even today, as you see above, these friends have seen better days. They were well loved and I always remember as a kid seeing and sometimes playing with these animals. Just as Millie and Janice were his invisable friends, these stuffed friends were faithful companions for many years. Good 'ole Dog and Teddy.
***By the way, he doesn't currently have a bed-wetting problem. I added that for a laugh. But let's be honest, it's just a matter of time, right? Maybe a year....... two tops. ;-)
Yeah, the bedwetting is coming up fast for him. So far I've avoided that old-age problem, but I can see it being a problem in the not-too-distant future. I already have a handy supply of Depends. I'm not adverse to wearing diapers to bed so that I don't have to change the sheets in the morning.
ReplyDeleteRegarding me having a teddy bear. I don't recall that I had one. I had dolls, and I had a couple of cloth dolls. I don't remember having a bear until I was in my late teens and collecting stuffed animals from boyfriends was what was in vogue at the time. But if he says I had a bear, maybe I did. I'm getting fuzzier and fuzzier in remembering things.
I still don't remember Jett.
Lori, you seem to be getting your own back on the parents embarassing the kids issue. I'm sure your dad reeeeeeeally appreciates some of these stories. Heehee. Now, what can I tell about Mama... (just kidding, she'd smack me upside the head if she thought I was going to do that to her.)LOL
ReplyDeletelove ya!!
jen
Judi - you should ask Debbie if she remembers Jett. Maybe it's dad who's imagining stuff!!
ReplyDeleteJenny - I had to live through my dad threatening my dates to bring me back "pure", singing the Brady Bunch theme song in every public place possible and in front of as many PEOPLE as possible on a regular basis, AND wearing a velvet cowboy hat with a feather sticking out of it to walk me to school when I was in middle school. Yeah. He deserves a little payback. ;-)