An Old Friend Returns

As Alanna sat on the bed, she thought:

Why is my marriage over? How? What exactly did I do to cause him to walk out?

She felt dejected and sad enough to cry when she felt a heavy, furry thing on her shoulder.

She turned and saw Teddy, aka Theodore T. Urso, her imaginary friend from her childhood

"Teddy!" she exclaimed.

"Alanna," he said to her calmly, the way he always talked with her. "Do you remember when you were five years old?"

"I...uh...barely," she said. "Oh, sorry about the pun, Teddy!"

"No problem," he said. "Now if you don't remember, I do. Your family had moved into a hew house in a new neighborhood across town. Few children your age in the neighborhood wanted to play with you. Your older sister hated you because you had taken all the attention away from her. Your older brother ignored you. And sometimes your parents didn't pay the best attention to you because they were busy.

"I came to you then. I became your friend. I helped you get through those sad, bad times.

"I am truly sorry about your marriage. Now that you need some friendship, I've returned. Because I never left you. I'm a part of you. And if I helped you through some bad times when you were a girl and knew nothing, I sure can help you now because you're an adult and you know more...and better."

Alanna put her hand on his paw and sniffled. "Thanks, Teddy. You're a good bear."

"You're welcome," the bear said. "And when you get over this guy and you might be looking for a new romance, I'd recommend that you get a dog. Project your love onto him or her and he or she will return it. They are truly man's best friend. And I won't be jealous. I'll be happy that my friend has a good buddy.

"Though I've learned this through the years...men sure w0uld love to be our friends in real life. I think it's because we're big but cute."