May 16, 2007

Can't bear to say goodbye...


I cannot throw this bear away!

Try as I might... no matter how many times I trip over this fleabound critter... I cannot put it in the trash!

Heaven help the soft hearted parent clinging to memories past. I never even really liked this stupid bear. It was given to my first-born by my old college buddy as a grand gesture. It's hardly got much personality even... it's just big, that's all. I tried to stuff it in the trash, but it hurt too much to bear.

Instead it will sit the garage and be a lucky bear. After all those years in the basement, it's like a part of the family, only it's always in the way and takes up half a cupboard. I learned my lesson when I tried tossing out a baby carseat once. That was a mistake.

It was like one of those slow motion movies, with every detail singed into my memory. I was at the dump... there were two rough day-hire workers taking in garbage... I handed them the baby seat.

"Hey Rufus, You want a baby seat?"
"Hell no! I ain't havin' no damn baby anytime soon!"
"Well it looks okay to me!"

(at this point I regretted having decided to part with it. It only held perfect memories of sunlit afternoons & sleeping cherubs with peachy cheeks. I desperately wanted it back! But too late.)

"Here... you take it!", said Rufus.

And then the magic car seat was abruptly tossed onto the trash heap to my everlasting regret. I wanted to go scrambling up after it, but was too embarrassed.

I cannot toss out this bear!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I hate to admit to it... but I have far too many bears that I cannot part with. I get feelings of guilt if I even think of giving them away, as if I have no right to decide they need other homes.

I see personalities in each of them, I can't help but do that!

It's probably due to the same creative part that enables me to make drawings look like believable characters (to me at least).
Not sure if this is a curse or a gift... but I have to live with it, and consequently, I live with a lot of bears too.

I shall remain anonymous.