A Teddy Story

I call myself a writer. Well, what else does one need to become a writer? Do I need to convince you? Okay, then.

An imaginative writer can write a story from anything. He can create anything out of nothing. So, now, I have a teddy bear in front of me and that’s what my story is about. I did not think this up before. This is spontaneous. Trust me.

The teddy bear sitting in front of me is pink and fluffy and has a cute snout. It’s like a button. You can’t resist pressing it.

You may not know that teddy bears are living things. They may not seem so, but then, things are not what they seem. This particular teddy bear, called Teddy by its owner (how imaginative!) had a bigger brother called ‘Big Teddy’. They are very creative names, aren’t they?

This owner has an obsession for teddy bears. She pinches them, hugs them, sits on them, hits them, and plays with them and what not. It’s nothing to worry about, it’s absolutely normal for kids. She’s just 18 after all.

Now, the teddies always put up with her sometimes violent fun because the girl always pets them later. Teddies will do almost anything for love. Tell them they are the cutest in the world, and they are yours.

The girl has two teddy bears. ‘Teddy’ and ‘Big Teddy’. Did I already say that? She loves them both equally. She sits on big teddy while playing with small teddy but she always hugs Big Teddy.

Days went by and the girl and the two teddies continued to have fun.

One day, the girl was gifted with a medium sized teddy.  No, she did not name it ‘Medium Teddy’. It had by far, the chubbiest, cutest and fluffiest face, with round black eyes and round snout. She absolutely loved it. She forgot all about Teddy and Big Teddy and was always playing with the new Teddy. Yes, again, the same name. Old Teddy was infuriated.

Soon, Teddy was the life for her and Old Teddy and Big Teddy were thrown into a dusty corner, uncared for, left to starve and no one gave them so much of a smile. They became thin due to lack of love and soon began to fade color. They became what they always hated: Old, sick, starving, unused teddies. Depression engulfed them.

Now, the new Teddy was not like all other teddies. Due to a small mistake in its making, it was made extremely beautiful, but it doesn’t care. The maker forgot to add it the potion of dependence and love, so this Teddy could live, forever and ever even if no one looks at him!

How ironic! The Teddy that doesn’t need love gets lots of it and the teddies that need it are thrown and forgotten!

One day, the idiotic girl’s mother was cleaning her room and she put Teddy beside Old Teddy and Big Teddy. They soon started talking in Teddish (Teddy language). Since I am the only known person who can understand Teddish, I will translate it for you.

‘Hey guys! You look so weak and tired! What’s wrong?’ asked Teddy.

Big Teddy put on a cold look.

‘Don’t you know what is wrong?’ asked Old Teddy sadly.

‘Don’t talk to him Old Teddy! He’s not one of us!’ said Big Teddy.

Teddy was confused. It said: ‘I am one of you, aren’t I? I am a teddy bear like you.'

Old Teddy was weeping now.

‘What? What did I say wrong?’ Teddy was confused and upset that he hurt Old Teddy.

‘Don’t cry, Old teddy. This is our destiny. You, Teddy, do you have to make us say it? We are not loved! Are you happy now?’ even Big Teddy seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Teddy was so confused and upset. Not having the potion of dependence in it, it did not understand what Big Teddy was saying.

‘So what if you are not loved?’ it asked timidly.

Old teddy wiped its tears away and stared incredulously.

‘What if… what if you are not loved? What are you saying? You don’t care if we live or die? Oh! How could you know about it, pretty teddy always loved, always adored, no fear of death…’

‘How has this got anything to do with death? Of course I do care if you died. Why are you acting as if this is my fault?’

‘It is! Don’t try to act dumb. You know that a teddy will die if it is not loved. Get away from us, you filthy teddy!’

Teddy was astounded. So many memories reeled back at him.

His maker was worrying that teddy has to be disposed of, but a buyer loved him so much that he paid extra.

Then at the store, many girls pinched its cheeks but then walked away after getting no reaction.

His seller got worried when he wasn’t sold. He was murmuring, ‘a loveless teddy, shouldn’t have bought it, not worth the stress…’

After remembering all the horrifying memories, Teddy realized that he was a Loveless teddy. He told Old teddy and Big Teddy. Old teddy didn’t comprehend but Big Teddy did, and he looked shocked.

‘Big Teddy, what is a loveless teddy?’ Old Teddy asked.

‘It’s a disability, little one. Some teddies are born with a birth defect. They can live without love. Their life has no purpose or meaning, it’s a miserable life.’

Teddy was shocked. It fell silent. Now they pitied him.

He did not sleep that night. If he can live without love, does that make him disabled? He is able to live without anyone loving him. Isn’t that ability? His life doesn’t depend on a person’s mind. Isn’t that a gift?

Why are then loveless teddies branded as disabled? He was devastated and depressed. He wished he were never made. Never existing is better than existing and shunned by all.

He wondered how life would have been if he had never known about his abnormality. He wished he could be like one of those normal teddies. Then he thought about it once again. Rest of the teddies lived only for the love their owners. They have no other point in life.

Well, what point do I have? He thought and was again depressed. Teddy life was hard.

Days passed and he was still depressed.

His owner, the stupid girl, grew worried as Teddy started to fade away. Some stitches were coming apart. She decided to take him to a tailor and get him fixed up.

Teddy was shocked. Stitch him up? He was perfectly alright! He looked at his right hand. Some stitches were falling apart and the sponge inside was showing. He was more depressed.

He observed that Big Teddy and Old teddy were steadily getting cheerful. He now hated them. Not only they are vain and useless, their happiness entirely depended on someone else. He wondered what they would do if they were made loveless.

He realized that he was indeed blessed and gifted because his life is not bound by others. He is free to do what he likes. He has no one to answer to. So what if he has no point to live? What if other teddies hate him? What if everyone hates him? He is not made to please them. He has no bounds or obligations. He could do whatever he wants with the time he had.

From that moment onward, he was blissful again. He never cared for the girl then and didn’t care now. Old teddy and Big Teddy grew jealous and depressed at his happiness. But he didn’t care, because there was nothing he could do about it. He was not resentful towards them and was always polite. Gradually the two teddies became terribly ill. He felt sorry for them. It was a terrible idea to create a default in teddies so that they have no life outside being petted.

But then, he had an idea. A very small number of teddies were born gifted like him. But they were branded as disabled. He can talk to them, tell them to not care. Suddenly, he realized the purpose of his life.

He would liberate all the teddy bears that were born gifted. May be, if they were convinced, they could make a deal with the teddy makers so that the potion of dependence would be banned. Then all teddies will be freed.

The world of teddy bears will be revolutionized.

Relieving in those happy thoughts, he planned his next day. One thing was sure; he would never feel useless again.