April 2: Writing Prompt #92-Prized Possession

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a child. What became of it?

That would be, hands-down, “bunny.” This was a stuffed bunny (that I always thought was green, but I was told was actually pink to start with…) that I climbed up on my oldest brother’s Ethan Allen dresser/shelf (3 drawers below and three recessed shelves above-thank goodness for Mr. Allen’s good quality furniture as it didn’t even try to tip over when I climbed it-LOL) to “borrow” from him, and of course, never gave back. 

I loved this bunny so much that it went everywhere with me. I loved its smell; I loved its “fur;” I just LOVED it. I was always into stuffed animals (which is interesting because my youngest has the same obsession with having stuffies….they are all over his bed, taking up one ½ of it.)  I was so into it that my mom had to clean them out from my shelves when I wasn’t at home, and of course, I noticed right away, even though I never really played with them.  It was more of a collection…but no other stuffed animal ever was what “bunny” became to me.

I picked out bunny’s fur until she was practically bald….I sniffed her relentlessly, and I bathed her by holding her by her long bunny ears and dunking her in the toilet, which may explain why I remember her as being green in color instead of her original pink.

Unfortunately, one day my mom and I stopped at Big Bee drugs after a dentist or some other such routine errand or appointment, and I set “bunny” down for just a moment in a chair near the door (if I remember correctly). I probably was attracted by some other shiny new toy or stuffie, and we walked out without her.  It didn’t take much, not even the entire car ride home until I realized what I had done, and I was hysterical. My patient and compassionate mom took me back to the store to find “bunny,” but in her very practical words, she says, “ they probably thought it was a rag because she was so worn and threw her away.” She’s right. That’s most likely what happened, but I never saw her again, and there was never a replacement made or given.  There were other stuffed animals later on, given or won by boyfriends, but none ever achieved the status of bunny…a part of my childhood ways departed that day with her, but I will say that I understand my own baby’s obsession with stuffed animals, and I never get rid of any of them without his permission first.  J