Punkinhead, Teddy and Rabbit

I wrote this a few years back, as part of a creative writing assignment for a university course.  The assignment was to discuss items from our childhood that we fondly remembered. 

Punkinhead, I believe that was his store bought name, was a favourite hand-me-down stuffed toy.  Whether or not he was new when my oldest brother loved him, I cannot say.  A rusty brown bear, he had an indelible grin etched on his hard rubber face.  While I thought he was wonderful, my daughters to this day, declare him to be scary!

Teddy, unlike Punkinhead, was mine from the start.  A gift from two spinster aunts, Teddy was a green and white teddy bear.  At least he was green and white when he was new, but as he was loved, he became more of a faded green and grey bear.

Rabbit was another gift from generous aunts.  It's funny I always assumed he had been a hand me down, because his hard plastic body was always very stained and aged looking as I remember him.  However in going through the old albums I came across this photo.  There sits Rabbit amid the other new toys and wrapping paper, obviously a Christmas gift for the little toddler, yours truly.  I want to say the tractor in the photo was mine too, but alas, I don't recall it.  Either it wasn't mine, or was destroyed before my days of recollection arrived.  Rabbit however did survive into my youth, although I don't recall ever seeing him since.

The toys were about a foot in height and stayed with me long after nursery days were over.  As most children have imaginery friends, so Punkinhead, Teddy and Rabbit became very real, if unseen companions.  While their physical bodies lay abandoned in the corner of a bedroom, their spirits roved the farm with me, listening to my childish prattlings and generally being an integral part of my boyish adventures.

I know the bears were somewhere in the house, into my teen years.  But a few years ago when my daughters were born, I asked my brother if I could search the farmhouse for them, hoping the next generation might get some further enjoyment from them.  Punkinhead appeared in all his dilapidated glory, but alas Teddy had disappeared.  Perhaps he'd gone to the Great Teddy Bear Picnic in the Sky, but I prefer to think he is just off wandering through the hundred acre wood with the little boy who loved him years ago.

And that is all I have to say for today.

Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.