My A&W Root Bear and Me
(Alternate title: I Saw You. You Saw Me)
May 16, 2020
Finished 5:19 am
Dedicated to my mom
Thanks mom
for capturing
the essence of me
with my very dear bear
This is one of my all time favorite pictures that my mom has drawn. She so perfectly captured the adoring affection I held towards my A&W Root Bear!
My A&W Root Bear and Me
I saw you.
You saw me.
You were my best friend.
I always held you affectionately.
As the youngest of four
sometimes it was easy
to slip...
to fall...
to get...
behind.
Sometimes behind was just
hiding behind...
a couch
or a blind
Sometimes behind
was actually getting
...left behind
As my older sister would say,
“You were just so little and cute that
somebody always had you
in tow through the day.”
So in thinking
I was always with someone else,
is it possible
I was just missed
in the glance
as we ran out the door
and hopped in the car
to head out to the store?
Wait! I thought you had her?!
Is she...
...left behind?
I feel so silly
that we left her behind
We must be
a little bit blind
Ring. Ring.
Collect call from Kate.
From Kate?
Oh, great!
What happened now?
Maybe I’m not the only one
a little bit blind
(Thankfully, you were safe...
knowing that now
makes this story
actually quite funny to tell)
Kenny thought Mark...
and Mark thought Kenny...
regardless...
two different drivers...
two different vans...
“Um, Jan...
12 year old Kate...
she was...
...left behind
This time, said Kenny,
“What happened is...
she missed the turn...
she kept making laps...
around, Lake Calhoun,
not realizing that everyone else
had already vacated the place.”
The rest of the group
was already
back at the vans
Loaded with people
and with the bikes
with no final head count
Kate was...
...left behind...
Downtown Minneapolis this time.
If all those left behinds
aren’t funny enough
the one at the Minnesota State Fair
might put it over the top
All together
enjoying the view
listening to music
enjoying the groove
So little and short
I stood at the front
of our large—many kidded—group
When I turned around...
Gone.
No one was there
I was...
...left behind
Since I’d been here before
I didn’t miss a beat
I knew how to handle
being left behind
so I didn’t even blink
I didn’t even cry
I just quietly walked over
And sat near the nice police guy
and his watchful eye
I never hesitated
I wasn’t even scared
I just sat there and waited
Trusting they’d come back
I just sat there and waited
and twiddled my thumbs
After they walked the two miles
back to the car...
Oh no!!
Where’s Kate?
She’s...
...left behind.
Oh no!
Not another time!!
(Truly, said with love and laughter,
it was actually funny this time.)
Maybe that’s why my A&W Root Bear
Always kept his eye on me
Maybe that’s why I
always held him
affectionately
A&W always had my back
I’m so glad for that
As long as I was around...
My A&W Root Bear
would never be...
...left behind
So where is this bear now?
Somehow he abruptly disappeared...
Everyone claims no...
but I always have had my suspicions
All I know
is that it was too soon
I would have kept him a lifetime
you see
I never would have
...left him behind
...separate from me
Yes. Some years later
After seeing that my devotion
to my A&W Root Bear
left a heart broken
A replacement was found
Yes, he too was cute
but he was shiny and new...
he was missing the marks...
and the wear...
and the replacement boots...
(after I’d worn his feet out...
leaving them thread bare)
(My original A&W bear’s feet
were fixed by my grandma Perkins
The one that I told you about
in the writing called Impact)
A&W Root Bear
I saw you.
You saw me.
When we were together
we were
never left behind...
...permanently
Thanks mom
for capturing
the essence of me
with my very dear bear
Love me
All taken in love 😍
and shared humorously
One of my favorites!
Wow!!! I never realized you were left behind so many times! Cute post... ❤️