Sailor Bear

I wrote the following story years ago. There never really was a Sailor Bear although years later we went to tour the U.S.S. Lexington and I bought a bear to be Sailor Bear. 

The part about the dog is true. Years ago my mother rescued my Teddy Bear from a dog who took him out of my hands.

Sailor Bear

David E. McClendon Sr.

My name is Sailor Bear.  I was a Christmas gift to my boy about fourteen years ago, the Christmas just after he turned three.  My boy loved me. I was a very handsome bear in my sailor suit. 

My boy would play with me for hours. We played "Army", of all things, but sometimes we would pretend we were out at sea with the Navy boats and submarines.  We had great fun.


I went with my boy to the hospital once when he had to have his tonsils taken out.  He hugged me all the way to the operating room. I was there when he woke up and I was the first thing he saw.  I took care of him while he had the chicken pox and when he had the flu.


The first day my boy went off to school I got to wave good-bye to him. And I was there when he came home and he told me all about it.  One day he took me to show and tell.

One day my boy was playing with me in the back yard and a huge dog came up after my boy.  I jumped in front of him to protect him.

My boy got away and the dog got mad at me so he grabbed me and ran off with me and started tearing me to pieces.  My boy ran into our house and told our mommy. 

Boy, was Mommy mad at that dog.  She ran out of the house, jumped a four foot fence and got me away from the dog. That dog was so scared.  Our mommy called a man in a truck and he came and took the dog away in his truck.

Mommy took me back inside and kissed my boy and me and then she gave me stitches. My beautiful sailor suit was torn. Mommy said that was okay because it showed that I had been brave and protected my boy.

As the years went by I was left for longer and longer times on the dresser. I could see my boy and watch him grow up.

Sometimes he would take me down and talk to me again. He would tell me about school or the girls he liked. He sure did like a lot of them.

Today he told me some very sad news.  He told me that he was going off to join the Navy.  He said that I had helped influence him to join the Navy.  He kissed me good-bye and put me back on his dresser. He has been gone a few hours now.  I sure do miss him.

Mommy came in our room.  She sat on his bed and cried.  Then she noticed me sitting on the dresser and she came and hugged me and we cried together.  Mommy says he will be home every so often. I sure hope I get to see him soon.

Mommy says he will be working to keep us all safe. Mommy says he will be on a submarine and go under the ocean.  She says he may even go under the North Pole.  That's where I was born you know, in Santa's work shop. 

Mommy says my boy won't forget me.  She says maybe I will help him look after his children when he gets married. She says she hopes that is still a while down the road. She sure does miss him.  I promise mommy that I will be here for her.

Mommy comes in to see me every day.  We sit on his bed and she tells me all about him.  She got a letter the other day that says he will be home for a visit soon. 

She says I probably won't recognize him but now he has a suit just like mine. I ask her if I can go with him to the Navy. She says no, there isn't a place on the submarine for teddy bears. She says she will put his picture in here where I can see it though. 

I can't wait until my boy comes back.
Sailor Bear
©2004 David E. McClendon Sr.