Login   Sign Up 



 

Your Loving Teddy Bear

by tusker 

Posted: 29 September 2008
Word Count: 414
Summary: Week 222 challenge


Font Size
 


Printable Version
Print Double spaced


Big brown eyes glinted warmly as I snuggled my head against his hairy chest. A soft touch brushed my cheek; a soothing touch that eased my loneliness when you were away on one of your business trips.

I was never quite sure why you had to go away so often. Something to do with your work in advertising you told me. But you swore that your present employment was just a stepping stone on the road to better prospects.

You used to say that from Mondays to Fridays, you sat at your computer dreaming about me instead of working on bright, catchy adverts for some major industrial giant. You claimed that during high powered meetings with important clients, your thoughts often strayed to our nights of passion.

On my last birthday, you gave me Freddy, the size of a two year old child with a Stieff tag behind one floppy ear. 'Hug him tight when I'm away,' you wrote on the gift label. 'From your own loving Teddy Bear.'

You went abroad quite often and I sympathised when you said you hated hanging around airports. But then you added that thoughts of our cuddles, kisses and making love kept you going until your return to my ever ready embrace.

I never doubted you. I truly believed until I read one of your emails sent a few days ago. 'See you in Paris,' it read. 'With much love and hungry kisses from your very own, sexy Golidlocks.'

Today, I returned Freddy to the shop where you'd said you'd paid an arm and a leg for him. The assistant couldn't hide her amusement when I asked if she could buy him back.

'It's a fake,' she told me. 'Made in China. The tag reads Stoff not Steiff.' Then she showed me how expertly you'd added the 'e' and 'i'.

I brought Freddy home and hid him behind the curtains but tonight, drawing the curtains shut, I caught his brown eyes glinting up at me with malicious intent. His smug smile reminded me of what a fool I'd been. That uplifted nose seemed to sneer his disgust.

Grabbing the bear by his scruff, I ran downstairs and on opening the back door, I hurled him on top of the blazing bonfire that greedily engulfed all your belongings.

Once, his fluffy arms lifted, like a final wave, before his fur sizzled and his body melted over all the photographs we both took on our recent holiday in Crete.






Favourite this work Favourite This Author


Comments by other Members



V`yonne at 15:02 on 29 September 2008  Report this post
I'm not sure there isn't a law about burning teddy bears, you know Jennifer. If the police find this on your computer there could be major repercussions. First otut of the bag this week and what a goody I can see I'm in for a real treat of a week.

(I won't let honey-bear read this one...)

tusker at 15:43 on 29 September 2008  Report this post
Glad you like it. Don't tell me it's not PC to burn teddies? No, don't let him read it. I think he might have bad dreams.

Jennifer

Prospero at 18:03 on 29 September 2008  Report this post
I used to have a couple of Steiff reproductions they sold for a princely sum.

Great story, Jennifer, with a sad, but not entirely unexpected ending. None the worse for that though. Well done.

Prosp.

tusker at 18:19 on 29 September 2008  Report this post
Thanks John.

I've a few teddy bears in different rooms. Love them. All cheap but have fond memories connected with each one.

I had a Victorian china doll as a small child given to me by a great uncle.Our Bull Dog chewed her wedding dress and cloth hands. Find out, years later, she'd be worth quite a bit these days. Never mind.

Jennifer

Bunbry at 18:21 on 29 September 2008  Report this post
A good tale Jennifer, which as usual I enjoyed.

But have I got confused by the challenge - did it not have to contain an element of the supernatural? [I hope not as I find those hard].

Finally, I'm not sure if Crete is important to the story, but if not I wouldn't mention it - just say 'holiday' as it's a funny word to end the story on.

Nick

tusker at 07:49 on 30 September 2008  Report this post
Thanks Nick for your kind comments. Must have missed the supernatural bit. Maybe, Freddy will come back to haunt her.

Jennifer

Bunbry at 09:21 on 30 September 2008  Report this post
Jennifer, I think the supernatural thing is my mistake, as Oonah's didn't go in that direction either.

Nick

Jumbo at 23:34 on 30 September 2008  Report this post
Jenny

Burning bears - we need more of them! The world would be a warmer place.

And so much for reading other people's emails. Is there no decency left in this world.

A neat take on the prompt - and a fitting end when there's trouble bruin!

Thanks for the read. Most enjoyable.

john

tusker at 07:22 on 01 October 2008  Report this post
Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it.

Jennifer

tusker at 07:24 on 01 October 2008  Report this post
I'm relieved, Nick as I'm always getting things a tad wrong. Sometimes more than a tad.

Jennifer

Elbowsnitch at 12:20 on 01 October 2008  Report this post
A very grim non-fairytale, Jennifer! Matches the challenge to a T, I'd say. Love the Goldilocks reference and the bear's melting fur!

Frances

tusker at 16:03 on 01 October 2008  Report this post
Thanks Frances. Glad you picked up on that Goldilocks's mention.

Jennifer

Forbes at 16:58 on 04 October 2008  Report this post
Jennifer - I loved this! One nit:

very convenient to have a lit bonfire, and unattended too! Perhaps you could throw the poor bear into the boiler in the cellar instead? Or purposely ignite him?

But it seemed to match all the hot buttons for the challenge. Nice one!

Cheers

Avis

tusker at 09:20 on 05 October 2008  Report this post
Thanks Avis. Never thought of a boiler being an old one myself.

Jennifer



V`yonne at 16:13 on 05 October 2008  Report this post
You've got another 36 words to play with too, Jennifer. You could set up the bonfire with that.

tusker at 16:23 on 05 October 2008  Report this post
Thanks Oonah. Will start gathering the wood.

Jennifer

V`yonne at 16:57 on 05 October 2008  Report this post
Drift out and along the beach eh, Jennifer ;

tusker at 19:12 on 05 October 2008  Report this post
Lovely if the sun is out and the tides are high so there'll be a plenty.

Jennifer


To post comments you need to become a member. If you are already a member, please log in .