top of page
Writer's pictureImagine. Capture. Express

My A&W Root Bear and Me

Updated: Sep 20, 2020


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


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

72 views2 comments

Recent Posts

See All

2 Comments


Christi Cross
Christi Cross
May 17, 2020

One of my favorites!

Like

sheplerelizabeth
May 17, 2020

Wow!!! I never realized you were left behind so many times! Cute post... ❤️

Like
bottom of page