Tabatha and Ted E. Bear

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Tabatha, a four year old is not a mean child, but, a rather curious child. As a matter of fact, Tabatha leaves nothing unturned. She, being the inquisitive
child is, most commonly referred to, as a tyrant.

"Tabatha, please stay out of the dusting powder, I will be so happy when you are enrolled in school. Why..... why Tabby, did you get in to Mommies dusting powder." Her mother asked, still trying to reserve the sanity she had left.

"Mommy, I wanted to bake a cake on my little stove. I needed the white stuff like you use in your cakes."

"Alright, let me explain. The powder is not what I use in the cakes. What I use is called flour. Now, let me dust this off you, daddy will be home soon.

"I am being nice to you today Tabby. It is daddy's birthday and I want everything to go well for the occasion. But Tabby, you must learn to stay out of things that are not yours. Do you understand?"

Of course Tabatha understood. And of course, her understanding would not change a thing.


Tabby, as she was called by family, bounced off down the hall way. She was happy that her mother had made the decision she made, and also very happy that it was her daddy's birthday. Otherwise, she would be standing in the corner.

Tabby had been told time and time again to stay out of the closet under the stair well. Not because it held any danger, it was dark and dusty inside. Tabby's mother told her the closet was off limits. However, being a nosey child, she simply could not refrain from sneaking into that closet.

Tabby took her favorite doll with her into the closet. She called her doll, Miss Beans. Quite an appropriate name since the doll was stuffed with tiny beans. Tabatha, Miss Beans, and of course the old brown teddy bear, Cuddles got invited to join in the fun in the, "forbidden" closet.

The noseless teddy bear had been with Tabatha since the day she was born. Her daddy bought the bear, and named him Cuddles. He was Tabatha's "going home from the hospital" gift.

Tabby always slept with Cuddles. She was a thumb sucker, a habit her mother tried endlessly to break. Tabby lay on her bed sucking her thumb twisting Cuddles fur, until she fell asleep.

"Tabby, time for your nap." Her mother said, nearly rejoycing at the thought of peace and quiet in the house. Tabbys mother needed a nap herself. Tabby had been in trouble all day. She had gotten into the tooth paste and proceeded to use the pasty,sticky substance to clean the coffee table. Tabby's mother was furious. Tabby had to have time out and stand in the corner for thirty minutes. After she was set free from her punishment,she was ready for her nap.

"Where is Cuddles Mommy?" She asked, not wanting to go to bed without her favorite bear.

"What did you do with him ? Her mother frowned, expecting an outburst of tears.

"He was right here on my bed, now he's gone." Tabby began to whimper, as expected.

"Honey, sleep with Miss Beans. She needs a nap to. I will find Cuddles for you while you sleep." Her mother said, coaxing her to nap.

Tabatha went to sleep holding Miss Beans instead of Cuddles. She slept peacefully, with an angelic expression on her pretty little face.

Her blond curls bouncing, Tabby ran into the living room after her nap.

"Did you find my Cuddles Mommy? Did you find Cuddles?"

"No, Tabby I have no idea what you did with the teddy bear." Her mother shrugged her shoulders.

With the forbidden closet in mind, Tabby tip-toed from the room, whispering to herself, "I know where he is." She skipped down the hall to the closet.

Quietly opening the closest door, she pulled the string hanging down from the light. The dim light reflected in the closet.
She checked the floor where she, Cuddles and Miss Beans had their tea party. Cuddles was not there.

"Where is that silly bear." Tabby whispered. With a frown on her face she continued to serach the closet.

"I left Cuddles here, where did he go?"

Disappointed that Cuddles was not in the closet, Tabby reached for the string to turn off the light. She caught sight of Cuddles lying next to a shoe box.

"There you are Cuddles, how did you get up on the top shelf?"

"Ah-oh, I bet daddy put you there. He must know I have been in the closet. I bet I am in trouble again." She pulled a chair across the hall into the closet, and climbed, very carefully on the chair so she could reach the shelf, and rescue her prized bear.

"I 'm tired of you Tabby. Leaving me here alone. It 's dark and cold in here during the night." Came the voice from the top shelf.

Tabby put her hand over her mouth indicating surprise. She giggled. Her daddy must have come home early," he's hiding in the closet to play a trick on me." She thought.

"Teddy bears don't talk." She said in a low voice.

"Cuddles, did you say that?" She asked still giggling.

"Yes, I did! Who do you expect said it? And one more thing, stop calling me Cuddles! Cuddles is not an appropriate name for a boy. For your information my name is, and down through time, always been, Ted E. Bear." He crossed his furry arms across his flat chest.

"And one more thing, say the name as I say it, elaborating on the E please. No more of this Cuddles stuff, how insulting."

"Oh-ooo," Tabby still looking up at the bear was amazed to say the least.

"You really can talk, Mr. Ted E. Bear. She sounded out the E.

"I must tell you," the bear said as as Tabby reached on tippy-toe to assist him off the shelf, "you are the only one that can hear me talk."

Tabby, totally amazed that her bear could talk pulled the raggady bear off the shelf.

"Come on Ted E. Bear, we have to get out of here." She tugged on the bears arm.

"And that is another thing Tabby. How would you like to be dragged around all day by your arm or leg. Carry me in your arms." Ted E. Bear said frustrated.

"Okay, I'll carry you. But, why can't you walk if you can talk?

"Because I have not been taught to walk. I mean, with my head bouncing off the floor all the time, how could I learn to walk, I am surprised I can talk. Now, pick me up and carry me."

Tabby picked her bear up in her arms and ran down the hall way squeeling, "Mommy, Mommy I found Cud....I mean Ted E. Bear, and he can talk."

"That's nice dear." Her mother shook her head, astonished at the things her little girl could imagine.

As Tabby grew into a young lady, she and Ted E. Bear remained friends. However, Tabatha, now in junior high school, spent less time with her bear. She no longer found it necessary to sleep with him. She recently had placed him in a box that was going with her mother to a Church sale..

One morning Tabby was in her room getting ready to go to school. She just simply could not find the right out fit to wear that day. She pulled different outits from her closet, tried them on, took them off, and tossed them on her bed. While in the closet, she noticed the box was still there that she had gotten together for her mother to take to the Church auction. She moved the box out of the closet and placed it in the corner of the room, reminding herself to tell her mother it was ready to go.

"Uh-hummm. Hey! Tabby, over here in the box where you tossed me." Came the muffled sound from the box in the corner.

"No not now Ted, I have to go to school. We can talk later."

"I want to go to school with you. Just for today. You can hide me in your book bag. I feel...., he cleared his throat, "so uneducated." Ted E. Bear said.

"What? No, of course you can't go to school with me. What would my friends say? I am much to grown up to carry a teddy bear to school with me. No! you can't go. Sorry!"

Tabatha closed the door, leaving Ted E. Bear in the box. She felt bad that she had been so sharp with the bear, but reminded herself that he was, just a stuffed bear. She had fully convinced herself that he could not talk. It was all her imagination.

Tabatha thought about Ted E. Bear during the day and when she arrived home from school, she went to her room to find the him. He was still in the box. She picked him up by his arm and pulled him out.

"There you go again, pulling on my arm. One day you are going to pull it off."

Tabatha took him and sat down on the bed, holding him close.

"Ted E. Bear, tell me you really can't talk. Tell me that it is truly, my imagination."

"First you tell me that you are afraid of what your friends will think if I go to school. That hurt Tabs. Nearly broke my furry heart. Now you want me to lie to you. Of course I'm not a figment of your imagination. I am a talking bear. And let me ask you this, why am I, Ted E. Bear, being put in a box for an auction? How degrading Tabs. What am I, swiss cheese?" You do know how to hurt a friend." He dropped his head to his chest. He wanted her to feel ashamed.

Tabatha was bewildered.

"Now Tabs, we need to talk. You see. The only reason that I talked in the first place is because you needed me to. You being the only child in your family, you got lonely. You always talked to me and that dumb doll you called Miss Beans. What ever happened to that bimbo? I don't recall seeing her in the box. Oh well. Anywho! The only way I will stop talking is if you say the magic rhyme. And, while we are talking here, Miss All Grown Up, please tell me you are not going to keep that old bean bag of a doll and discard me, the honorable, Ted E. Bear."

I don't even know where the doll is Ted. My gosh, she has not been seen for quite some time."

"So you say. Now, are you ready for the magic rhyme?

"And what might that be Ted?"

"All you have to do is close your eyes and say,

Little bear, little bear, bought at a store,
Ted E. Bear, Ted E. Bear,
Speaks no more."

Tabatha, ready to release herself from the demands of a talking teddy bear, did as the bear said. Before she closed her eyes to make the wish, she held Ted E. Bear at arms length and looked at him. He was a sight. His nose was missing, his fur falling off his body, and under one of his arms the stitching was tearing loose. He had been her friend for as long as she could remember. For an instant, she nearly changed her mind.

"I'm going to miss you alot Ted, but I do hope you understand." She then closed her eyes and said,

"Little bear, little bear, bought at a store,
Ted E. Bear, Ted E. Bear
Speaks no more."

Tabatha slowly opened her eyes and looked at the teddy bear.

"Ted, can you say anything?"

Silence!


The bear had stopped talking.

"Ted, can you hear me?" Tabatha tried the second time to make sure the rhyme had worked.

Again, silence!

Tabatha Took Ted E. Bear and placed him back in the box. This time she did not toss him, but placed him there with tenderness. She then walked across her room. At the door she stopped. With a tear glistening in her eye, she kissed the palm of her hand and threw Ted E. Bear a kiss.

"I'm sorry Ted."

She walked out and closed the door.

"Silly girl! Of course I can talk." Came the muffled voice from the box in the corner.

"And might I remind you Mr. Ted E. Bear, I resent being called an old bag of beans. Furhermore, I am certainly not a bimbo." The voice echoed from the closet.