” Follow Me” Teddy Bear said. Travis wiped the sleepys from his eyes and followed Teddy out the front door.

Travis and Teddy had been best friends since Travis’s parents brought Teddy home from the thrift store three months before. They had a special relationship, where one went the other was sure to tag along. Teddy was just a stuffed toy, but you couldn’t tell Travis that. They were inseperable. They did everything together.

“Where are we going? asked Travis as they walked down the steps into the backyard.

“It’s a surprise”, answered Teddy As they crawled through a hole in the hedge, the hole was the doorway into a wonderful world they had spent countless hours playing in.It was just a vacant lot between Travis’s house and the next door neighbors but to a 3 year old it was a different world, a world of excitement, full of new adventures waiting to be embarked upon.

“Come on Teddy, Tell me”. Travis pleaded as they were crawling through the secret gateway into the wonderful world beyond the hedge

“Just be patient” said Teddy, “you’ll see in just a minute” and sure enough as soon as they emerged into the lot next door, Travis was so surprised he couldn’t speak for a moment. The lot was crowded with all his friends. There were clowns, elephants, lions, tigers, plus all of his favorite cartoon heroes.There was a big merry-go-round and a giant ferris-wheel.There were tables laid out with all his favorite candies, cookies, cakes, ice cream, kool-aid and punch.

He didn’t know where to begin, there was so much to do, He rode the merry-go-round again and again.Everytime he rode it he got the ring. And everytime he did he won a wonderful prize. He rode the ferris-wheel, he liked being way up there where he could see everything.

The best part of all was the red pony, he always wanted a pony and his wish came true. He imagined himself a cowboy and rote it at a gallop round and round the yard, having the time of his life.

After that came the presents, Everyone had brought a present for him. It seemed each present was better than the last. He opened presents until he had every thing he had ever wanted. After all the excitement Travis was suddenly hungry. He spent the next hour stuffing himself with all his favorite foods.He had never had such a wonderful day, after all the fun he was suddenly tired.. He took Teddy’s hand and they walked hand in hand over to the big oak tree in the corner of the lot, where they laid down side by side. Thinking he would take a nap before playing anymore Travis closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly someone was shaking him. He thought it was Teddy wanting him to play some more, but it was his mother waking him up. He was laying on the couch and everything was gone. He was heartbroken that it had all been a dream.

He looked and there was Teddy sound asleep on the other end of the couch. He was ready to start crying when Teddy jumped up, winked at him while jumping down off the couch, saying, “Follow me I’ve got a big surprise for you”

“Oh Boy! Travis yelled at he ran out the door.

D.L. Crockett — 4/29/97