Daddy and Me

Last evening, while my Mommy slept, my Daddy and I had just a lovely conversation. Daddy and I talk all the time. When I wake up in the morning, he say, "Hello, Wee Too! Good morning!" When I go to sleep at night, he says, "Goodnite, Wee Too! Sleep tight!" and he is always singing to me, or reading me stories, or telling me all sorts of interesting things about stuff.

Well, last night he was talking to me about teddy bears. He has read me the story The Teddy Bears Picnic many times, and I always enjoy hearing it again. Being an Insider, I have not had the opportunity to see such a sight as a teddy bear, so I asked Daddy all about them. He told me fantastic tales about himself, when he was a little boy, and his teddys. Then, he started to speak in a whisper.

"Wee Too...can I let you in on a little secret?" he asked me in a low tone.

"Oh, please do!" I whispered back.

"Well, when I was a little boy, I lived near a very nice forest. I used to walk down all the paths through the trees, into clearings, by rivers and ponds, and all over the place. Well, this one day, I saw a new path; one I had not taken before. I walked down it for a few minutes, and soon began to hear lots and lots of laughter."

"Oh my, Daddy! Whoever could be laughing?" I anxiously piped up.

"Excellent question, my dear Wee Too! I walked a little further, making sure my step was light and silent. The laughter grew evermore cheerful and loud. A red balloon soon floated by me, and up into the big blue sky. I was getting really excited, but was cautious not to be heard. It sounded like someone was having a party..."

"A party, Daddy? No! It couldn't be the teddys, could it?"

Daddy smiled at me (I can feel happiness, even though I cannot directly see his smile). "Yes, my little Wee Too. Yes, it was the teddy bears. I came to the edge of the trees, and found myself looking out on a small clearing in the middle of the wood. I ducked down under the low hanging branch of a tree, and hid under the leaves. In the clearing, hundreds of teddys ran about gleefully, laughing, playing tag, eating all sorts of goodies, and having ever so much fun!"

"Oh, Daddy! What a thing to see! If only I could see it too! I wish I could see the teddy bears, Daddy!"

"Ah, but there is more to tell, my precious child! Make yourself comfy, and I will continue. When I was under the tree branch, I saw one little teddy running around in circles, making himself dizzy. He was having a grand time! Soon, he began to wobble. 'Wooooooooo' went he as he toppled this way and that. 'Ahhhh!' he exclaimed as he fell right on his little teddy bear bum, right into a big cherry pie! All the other teddy's stopped and looked at this dizzy little guy sitting in a pie! What a sight! I could not contain myself, and burst out laughing! Well..."

"Oh no! But the teddys must have heard you!"

"Did they ever, my smart little Wee Too! Yes, all the teddys heard me as I rolled around on the forest floor, laughing as hard as ever I'd laughed. A baby teddy began to crawl toward where I was hiding. He poked his head in under the leaves, and his little bear nose tickled my tummy. I laughed even harder, and rolled out from under the branch, into the clearing. All the teddys gasped a mighty gasp at the sight of a little boy! I was still laughing, and the baby teddy bear joined in, laughing himself. The look of shock vanished from all the other teddy bears faces, and they all joined in the laughter, even the poor teddy who was still sitting in a pie."

"How delightful!"

"The laughter passed, and we all settled down. The teddys gathered round me as I sat on the ground. They asked me many questions, and we all got along splendidly! They invited me to stay, to join in the fun of their picnic! What a time we all had. We laughed and ate, and played with balloons, and played tag, and sang songs! The sun soon began to set. The teddys rubbed their eyes; it was sleepy time. I was tired too. We all hugged and smiled at each other before saying goodbye. I walked home through the woods, as happy a boy as ever one would find. That night, when I lay in bed, I felt something warm snuggle next to my feet. I lifted my blanket, and do you know what I saw?"

"What did you see, Daddy? What did you see?"

"That baby teddy bear who found me under the branch was peacefully sleeping next to my foot. I smiled as my eye lids grew heavy. I took the tired teddy in my arms, and hugged him tight to my chest. We slept so soundly together. For the next few years, we were inseparable! He was my teddy. And do you know what? Well, each year, my and my teddy went back to the clearing, on the day that the teddy bears have their picnic. We laughed, and ate, and sang, and played with balloons, and played tag. I grew older, and soon, I forgot when the teddys had their picnic. I returned to the clearing, but never heard a single teddy bear laugh. But, something marvelous happened just this morning. I woke up, and was giving your big brother his bottle. He was drowsy, and falling asleep on my chest. I heard a stir in the corner, and what did I see coming toward me? Why, it was your big brother's teddy bear! He handed me a card, yawned, and fell asleep. In the card was an invitation to the teddy bears picnic, to be held next June. What a delight!"

"Oh, Daddy! Oh...but how wonderful it all is!"

"And that day next June, you and I, and your big brother will all take out teddy bears in our arms, and together we will walk through the woods. We will walk down that path so familiar to me when I was a little boy. We will hear the laughter, and see the balloons. And into the clearing we will go. All the teddys will be there!"

I did not know what to say! Daddy and me and big brother would all go see the teddys! Oh my! I can hardly wait. But at the conclusion of Daddy's story, I started to yawn. He quietly hummed me the Teddy bears Picnic song, and into the land of sleep I fell, happy and content. I dreamed of teddy bears, of balloons, of pies and tag; of songs and laughter, and running, and so much fun. What a wonderful time it will be.

Sleep is nearly upon me again. My eye lids are growing heavy. I wish you all the happiest of days. I go to sleep with a smile, and hope that you all wear one too. Until tomorrow.