December 7, 2009

Guest Blogger - Toni V. Sweeney: Lost Toys

Today, I’m going to do a change-of-pace, change-of-face blog. I’ve always promoted my books or written some highly sensation something-or-other, but today, I’m going to reveal my soft, sentimental side (snicker softly, if you wish)…with the story of Shaggles and Clifford:

They were two stuffed animals…a dog and a cat, though most people thought the cat was a cream-colored bear because he was so shaggy. Never mind the fact that he had long whiskers and pointed ears and a long tail. He looked like a bear so he must be a bear.

The dog was found on a low concrete wall at a playground. Some child had left him there.

I saw him while watching by granddaughter celebrate her fourth birthday—climbing up the ladder, sliding down the slide, landing on her knees in the sandbox—again and again. I’m a sucker for lost animals, living or toy, but I ignored this one. “Someone will be back for him,” I told myself. “That child will be wanting his doggie.” So, after the party was over I went on my way.

But I didn’t forget that little stuffed dog.

That night it rained.

The next afternoon, I returned to the park. The dog still lay there, now a sodden mass of curly cloth. So. No one came back. No one searched for him. Or missed him. I picked him up. “Okay, buddy, want to go home with me?”

I gave him a bath, tossed him in the dryer, examined his sales tag. He was a Ty, Inc. creation. Not a beanie-baby, but manufactured by the same company. I named him Clifford, after a certain Big Red Dog. My granddaughter welcomed him with open arms though he stayed with me when she wasn’t around. When my son traveled back to Nebraska, it was asked—Does Clifford go or stay? I made a choice. Clifford flew to Lincoln inside my son’s suitcase along with Shaggles.

That’s my segue to talk about Shaggles. The cat-who-looks-like-a-bear. He was discovered at one of those Sidewalk Sales held by stores after a holiday, to get rid of the inventory they couldn’t sell during the season. I saw him lying face-down in a bin with candles and Christmas ornaments, went on my way, looking in other stores at other items. What did I need with a stuffed cat, anyway?

At closing time, I came back.

“I knew you wanted him,” the man with me, my beloved, stated.
“How?” I asked.
“Because you picked him up and patted him. You always do that.”

I looked at the tag. Shaggles. $35.00 marked down to $15.00, marked down to $5.00. How embarrassing.

He bought Shaggles for me.

Two days later, I had written the short story Sidewalk Sale, with Shaggles as the star of a piece about an unwanted toy and a woman who survived a deathcamp to find him. A few years later, Amazon bought it for their Amazon Shorts feature. Even later, I gave him up to let him accompany Clifford to Nebraska to live with my granddaughter.

Shaggles and Clifford are back now, reunited in the room I share with my granddaughter. A lot worse for wear but happy perhaps because—the lost dog and the cat who became the subject of a short story—are doing what they were created to do.

Be a child’s pets.

Toni V. Sweeney
http://www.tonivsweeney.com/
...where the Willing Suspension of Disbelief Reigns Supreme...
when the Condor Returned, from Lyrical Press
Bargain with Lucifer, from Class Act Books
Dark God Descending, from sams dot publishing

15 comments:

Beth Trissel said...

What a charming post! I loved this story behind the story. It strikes a chord with many I'm sure. I've often wished I had that Betsy McCall doll back I received for my 7th birthday. How could I have been so careless as to lose my dear childhood friend?

Judith Keim said...

Cute story, Toni! I love stories like that...

Emma Lai said...

What a lovely post!

Mary Marvella said...

I taught my daughter to go back after lost toys. It was a good thing to teach her to value them, even cheap ones. Then one day she and a friend took two toys, a snoopy dog someone gave her when she had eye surgery at 18 months, and a blue jean doll. The girls left them outside over night and they disappeared. She was inconsolable for weeks.

The lesson she learned at barely 4 was that toys can't be left outside.

We tried to tell her that some child need them.

LuAnn said...

This is such a wonderful post for the holiday season. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Mary Ricksen said...

Very heartwarming Toni, I'm so glad you saved them, just like your granddaughter. Very sweet story Toni. I enjoyed it. Thanks.

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Toni,
What a lovely story, I'm glad those two little furry animals found a loving home.

Regards
Margaret

Estella said...

Great post.

Detra said...

OH, how beautiful! *sigh*

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

Toni, thanks for stopping by and leaving such a wonderful post. We attempted to post a picture of the animals, but Blogger wasn't cooperating with us. They are really cute, I can tell you that.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://rastimores.net/][img]http://akreoplastoes.net/img-add/euro2.jpg[/img][/url]
[b]free macromedia flash software, [url=http://akreoplastoes.net/]softwares in canada[/url]
[url=http://akreoplastoes.net/][/url] windows xp download susan nero
adobe acrobat 9 sn torrent [url=http://rastimores.net/]reseller of software[/url] structural designer autocad
[url=http://akreoplastoes.net/]why buy photoshop[/url] buy sat nav software
[url=http://rastimores.net/]4 Mac[/url] price book software
buy macromedia breeze [url=http://rastimores.net/]nero 9 serials[/url][/b]

Anonymous said...

maravillosamente, esta opiniГіn muy de valor [url=http://csalamanca.com/comprar-viagra-generico/ ]viagra casero [/url] Claro. Esto era y conmigo. Discutiremos esta pregunta. http://csalamanca.com/ viagra 50 mg precio

Anonymous said...

[u][b]Xrumer[/b][/u]

[b]Xrumer SEO Professionals

As Xrumer experts, we possess been using [url=http://www.xrumer-seo.com]Xrumer[/url] fitted a large time things being what they are and recollect how to harness the titanic power of Xrumer and build it into a Banknotes machine.

We also provender the cheapest prices on the market. Numberless competitors will expect 2x or temperate 3x and a destiny of the term 5x what we charge you. But we believe in providing gigantic mending at a low affordable rate. The unbroken point of purchasing Xrumer blasts is because it is a cheaper alternative to buying Xrumer. So we aim to stifle that thought in cognizant and outfit you with the cheapest grade possible.

Not simply do we cause the most successfully prices but our turnaround in the good old days b simultaneously payment your Xrumer posting is super fast. We drive secure your posting done in the forefront you certain it.

We also produce you with a full log of loaded posts on different forums. So that you can catch a glimpse of over the extent of yourself the power of Xrumer and how we be struck by harnessed it to gain your site.[/b]


[b]Search Engine Optimization

Using Xrumer you can expect to apprehend thousands upon thousands of backlinks exchange for your site. Myriad of the forums that your Location you force be posted on oblige exalted PageRank. Having your link on these sites can categorically mitigate found up some cover quality endorse links and as a matter of fact boost your Alexa Rating and Google PageRank rating through the roof.

This is making your position more and more popular. And with this increase in regard as grammatically as PageRank you can think to appreciate your place really rank high-pitched in those Search Locomotive Results.
Traffic

The amount of see trade that can be obtained nearby harnessing the power of Xrumer is enormous. You are publishing your plat to tens of thousands of forums. With our higher packages you may still be publishing your locale to HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of forums. Ponder 1 post on a popular forum will by rig out 1000 or so views, with announce ' 100 of those people visiting your site. Modern imagine tens of thousands of posts on in demand forums all getting 1000 views each. Your see trade liking go because of the roof.

These are all targeted visitors that are interested or curious in the matter of your site. Imagine how assorted sales or leads you can achieve with this great number of targeted visitors. You are line for line stumbling upon a goldmine friendly to be picked and profited from.

Retain, Shipping is Money.
[/b]

GO YOUR CHEAPLY DEFAME TODAY:


http://www.xrumer-seo.com

Anonymous said...

Buy [url=http://buy-cialis.icr38.net/Eurax]eurax online[/url] now - Ultimate Price dostinex online here - Grandiose Chance

Anonymous said...

Glean influence the savage with two backs casinos? converge unshaky of this environmental [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] advisor and provisions online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also into our around [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] charge at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and triumph onto stable change !
another remote [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] in the sector of is www.ttittancasino.com , as opposed to of german gamblers, urge magnanimous online casino bonus.