The True Teddy by: Louisa Song

The True Teddy

By: Louisa Song

Teddy fished out a dollar from his pocket. Huh, that’s weird. Where did that come from?  Teddy thought with a confused frown. Still, he clutched onto the flimsy bill tightly, because money was the only way he could get a chance for a job. Even if it was strange he found money, he still needed the money, so he was satisfied. Still holding the dirty old bill, Teddy came to a stop. On his right was a unique shop with interesting designs.

On the whiteboard decorated with Christmas lights that were way out of season, it said: SHOP CLEARANCE! 90% off all costumes!

Oh, it was a costume shop? I should get one! What a perfect way to spend my dollar! Teddy thought to himself, with his mind wondering about the different opportunities a costume held for him. He skipped over to the animal section and chose the bear costume, because people called him “Teddy Bear” because he looked like a bear. His soft brown hair, his round beady eyes; even the look of his round face made people think of a bear when they saw him.

“Where are the changing rooms?” Teddy politely asked the shop owner,

“It’s right over there by the corner. Are you trying out that bear costume?” The shop owner replied with a mysterious smile,

“Yes, I hope it fits me.” Teddy wished with a giggle,

“I hope so too, it fits you so well!” The shop owner grinned, staring at Teddy the whole time.

After Teddy made sure that the costume fit, he paid the shop owner his dollar and headed out the door. Teddy didn’t hear, but behind his counter, the shop owner whispered a word. “Transform”

Teddy continued to walk down the streets, hoping maybe a circus missing a clown might spot him and ask him to join. Teddy went through all kinds of trouble just for a job, and getting this costume was just one of his risky money-wasters.

The day went by fine, but as he took the costume off at night, he felt a burning pain, as if something had just been ripped from his skin. He put the costume back on, and it all felt better, as if he had just been shielded from a layer of thick cream to soothe his skin.

The next morning, Teddy wanted to take a shower, and also get into a new set of clean clothes. To his surprise, when he tried to take the costume off, the burning pain got stronger, and he didn’t even bother to try any more. He just kept the costume on.

That evening, Teddy thought it was too much. He ran to the costume shop to get help. He thought maybe there was a specific procedure that had to be followed to take the costume off. He ran and ran and ran. By late evening, Teddy was huffing and puffing, but he had no luck. The location of the store was perfectly clear in his mind, but he just couldn’t get there. The roads were endless and Teddy was starting to be tossed around between his nervous thoughts. Go home, or not? He slapped his face, trying to recreate the place he was at yesterday. Yes, the shop next to the electricity pole, next to the mall. When Teddy looked around, he saw the bright mall, and also the tall, buzzing electricity pole. He was in the right spot, but the shop was nowhere to be seen.

Teddy had no other option but to live with it. The pain to remove the costume was too painful for Teddy. As he struggled to adapt to his new life, he found that his voice got deeper and he didn’t like going outside. One, because he didn’t like how he had to wear the same thing everyday, but also because over the week or two in his “bear life” he realized he didn’t like socializing with people. His eating habits became more and more barbaric, and his movements became more aggressive.

At first he didn’t know, he didn’t want to admit, he was afraid to admit, but now, he had to understand. He was now a bear. There was nothing Teddy could do about his life now. All he could do was live his life until he died. Before Teddy died three years ago, he would have never imagined how much his life would influence children. He didn’t imagine how famous he would become.

Teddy’s story was widely known across the world, and people started to make “Teddy Bears” in honor of his curiosity to try new things. Companies hoped that customers would be influenced positively, and also think that “Teddy Bears” were linked tightly to humans, although they were just dolls. Some children still think “Teddy Bears” are just stuffed toys, but after they know the true story, no child will look at their old “Teddy Bear” the same way.