The old teddy bear was almost un-recognizeable, a blob of cloth and stuffing without enough form to suggest that in his glory days he had been the cream of the crop, favored by children and grownups alike.  He now lay, very undignified, atop a pile of old tires, sole-less shoes, holey blankets and burned out appliances.  Nearby, he could faintly smell through his nearly gnawed-off nose, the remains of someone’s festive weekend – it was the black plastic bag over there with the rotting potato salad, moldy bread, and empty chicken bones.  What a place for the prince of cuddly to be.  Ah, but his cuddly days were over, he’d been loved, quite literally, to death.  All that was left now was a blob of cloth and stuffing, and lots of wonderful memories.

Once upon a time, before Katherine was born, the teddy bear was lovingly sewn and stuffed by an old doll-maker.  The marvelous teddy with the glossy black eyes and soft leather pads was a gift for his unborn grandchild.  He was assembled with the finest joints money could buy – the newest technology in stuffed animal joints, imported from Europe, and as yet unavailable stateside.  Nothing was too good or too expensive for the first baby of the doll-maker’s only child.  Each part – the eyes, nose, pads, and even a pink felt tongue – were stitched with extreme care, so that they should not come off for many years.  A pink silky ribbon with a huge bow was tied around his neck, doubled-knotted, of course.  The bear was indeed handsome!  He was as soft as kitten fur, as fluffy as one would imagine a cloud to be.  His modern joints allowed him to stand, sit, and reach his arms out for a hug, and his black eyes shone with radiance and pride.  He was the finest of bears, one of a kind, and incredibly valueable.

After he was finished, he sat in the shop awaiting the birth of the doll-maker’s grandchild.  Each day, new visitors to the shop would fuss over the bear, admiring the craftsmanship, caressing the fur, squeezing the belly or a paw.  Each day, customers would leave the shop disappointed, for the doll-maker made it clear that this bear was already spoken for.  The bear’s little heart (for the doll-maker had given him one) swelled with pride that he could bring joy to so many by doing so little.  He loved the attention and seeing new people, but he anxiously awaited the day when the baby would be born, and he could love completely, and be completely loved in return.  Teddys are very loyal, you know.

In the evenings, the old man would close the shop, light a hurricane lamp, fix a cup of tea, and sit down at the table, placing the bear across from him for a bedtime chat.  This was truly his finest achievement, he had done well.  “Soon, little bear”, he would say, “Soon our baby will be born, and you shall be the crowning gift.  The prize jewel from the proudest grandpa in all the world!”  The bear was in the perfect vantage point to watch as the man would cross another day off the calendar, bringing the big red X’s ever nearer to the blue and pink circle around the 25th of May.

Seven days, Five, Three, One… finally the magical day arrived!  The shop didn’t open, the dolls weren’t stirred, the coffee wasn’t made, for the doll-maker and the bear were on their way to the hospital to meet the new baby.  A girl!  A miraculous 7 pound, 5 ounce bundle of squeaks and yawns with the tiniest fingers and biggest brown eyes this side of Heaven.  Katherine Michelle, Baby Katey, was the new owner of the one-of-a-kind bear.  “Oh, if her grandmother could only see…”, said the old man wistfully.  “You’ll be pleased, my Kate.  See?  I have made the bear of our dreams for the child of our heart, and our daughter has named her after you.”  He wiped away an escaped tear, and with a gentle kiss, laid the bear in the crib beside the sleeping princess.

“Amazing…”, thought the bear, “she’s smaller than I – can I truly belong to such a tiny thing?  And yet, she is so treasured by the doll-maker, I owe him no less than to be her faithful friend.”  And with that, the bear settled in for a nap and the beginning of a long relationship.