Teddy Bear

I have a teddy bear that my mother gave me before entering college. He has scruffy golden fur, a red knitted sweater to keep him warm, a loving, moldable body, and innocent eyes. I feel very close to this teddy bear, whose name shall not be revealed for anonymity purposes (he is quite skeptical about blogs, and is in fear of attracting stalkers). Anyway, as you can tell, this teddy bear has quite the personality. Sometimes, when I make my bed, I tuck him in with the comforter and he waits patiently, alert and ready for my return. Other times, when I am in a rush, he lies, contorted and hurled across the room, sometimes on the floor, sometimes hidden under crumpled sheets. But nonetheless, he is always there. My teddy bear meets my friends, especially the special ones...you know, the ones who sleep over. He tells me which he likes the most. It is a kind of a ritual, with my special friends, to make my teddy bear dance before bed time, move his limbs around whilst listening to a random shuffle of music. It is a fun game I like to play with my pals. I like to observe how they treat my teddy bear. It says a lot about their character. Some friends are crude with teddy. They sexualize him and force him into uncomfortable and inappropriate positions, for a laugh. We don't think it's funny. Teddy and I. Well...sometimes I do. Other friends go more along with Teddy's persona, making him dance awkwardly and out of sync with the music. This is how I think my teddy bear would dance. He doesn't really have a good sense of rhythm. Sorry, Teds. But, it's true. My teddy bear is an extremely good nuzzler. NOT cuddler, but nuzzler. He fits perfectly into the neck/shoulder crevice. I like to put him there. I like to force other people to put my teddy bear into their neck/shoulder crevice and see how they respond. If they think I'm strange and refuse, that is a check minus in my book. If they oblige and find my attachment to my stuffed animal endearing, we have a winner! Once, I was lying in bed with someone, and we were playing with my teddy bear and he told me that it smelled like me. It doesn't sound romantic, but to this day, I find it one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said. Up to that point, I didn't even know I had a "smell". I do not wear perfume, nor do I shower with any fragranced body wash or shampoo. For him to recognize my smell, and then to notice it on my teddy bear was something so intimate. It meant he cared. It meant he felt close to me. Whenever I nuzzle with my teddy bear, I think about that moment. I put my nose up to his soft fur, sniffing intently, hoping to get a whiff of my "smell". But to no avail. I smell nothing. Well, not nothing, per se. But I don't smell anything distinct. I wish I could speak to that friend again, ask him what my smell reminds him of, so I would at least have some vague idea. Teddy misses him more than I do, actually. He told me so. My teddy bear has favorites, just like you and I do. That boy was his favorite. He hasn't really liked the others.