I was cleaning out my bedroom and ran into an OLD and DEARLY loved friend!!! Here is his story!!



I was 15 and walking down this path at the Cape Cod, Massachusetts summer home we had and i found this UGLY bunny rabbit---he was BUTT ugly---- head was not ripped but wobbly,  dirty, the fuzz on its body was filthy and dirt stained--It was hard to see that he was a soft baby blue and white--- his ears were droopy and I SWEAR I saw what looked like "tear" stains on his withered cheeks.----I thought  I was looking at me and my whole life..

he was abandoned on this equally unkempt and ugly/neglected park bench where the remaining scraps of peeled green  paint was chipping and was ageing and weathered from many winters of use and neglect---and here this bunny is sitting and this was the hard part!!!   His arms were open wide--As if to say "someone PLEASE come want me"----Oh I could relate to him---I wanted to cry!! He looked like I FELT my entire life---Hopeless, but a tiny flame within not wanting to give up just yet.----

My heart lurched, seeing this stuffed toy, left--discarded by some child , no doubt, who got a "better" toy to play with and dumped mr. bunny on the bench

I scooped him up in my arms and carried him to a laundry mat---I went into the laundry mat, clutching my dirty, needy friend and all I had was a quarter in my jeans- A kindly young mother with a pack of unruly kids in tow, felt sorry for me  and paid for "mr. bunny's"  bath,  soap and all--- I sat next to her and watched my friend do a "spin" round and round the see through door of the washer, the soap shooing away all the dirt and junk off his body---he spun and gyrated around for over 1/2 hour until he "spun" to a stop--

I pulled him out after he had "spun dry" in the  washer and I carried him home and stuck him under my covers--- i slept with that old rabbit for decades and now I got him in my cedar chest------ NO WAY will I ever part with that beat up old bunny

in '78 I had a cyst on my breast and guess who came with me and snuggled with me pre-op and post-op??  Mr. Bunny-- When the stuff really hits the fan, I pull him out of the cedar chest and hold him------

He is semi retired now,  I cuddle my stuffed spider or my stuffed ducky quite a bit now, because if the dogs should ever get playful, I would rather it be mr. ducky or  cousin spider who get a bit "injured" than my blue and white bunny---He's put in his time!!!  I love him---I swear he possesses feelings!! Its a real surreal experience when I pull him out, clean, loved, given a 2nd chance at love and it shows on his "fuzzy" and grateful body as I hold him to me and I think of that day when I found him and could sooo relate to his pain and loss-- I , too, was unwanted and treated horribly or I was neglected and ignored and devalued--- Yes, I related to him!!