Dog Day Afternoon

          A day spent jogging in the park turns into a most memorable day.  Taking his usual run in the park, Parker discovers a mutt blocking his way.  He warily attempts to continue his run, only to be blocked by the scraggly mutt.  He then notices something fuzzy in the dog's mouth. 
         Still wary, Parker decides to look closer at what the dog has in its mouth.  On closer inspection, he finds the item is a one eyed, one legged teddy bear.  Parker jumps back quickly when the dog releases the bear at his feet.  He can only assume that this strange dog wants him to pick up the ratty teddy bear.  He cautiously does just that.
         Giving the bear a quick once over, Parker can see nothing out of the ordinary.  But then, he discovers a small scrap of paper that is pinned in place by a blue ribbon.  Parker slips the scrap from under the ribbon.  Opening the scrap piece of paper, he finds this written on it:
         This may not look like much to you, this beat-up teddy bear, but he has kept me safe and sound; he was always there.  He kept me safe from monsters, and been my closest friend.  He's been my secret keeper, but that time has come to an end.  Please give this bear to someone else, someone who needs a friend.  Maybe they will fix him up and his body they will mend.
         Parker swipes at the tears in his eyes.  He looks at the bear again with new eyes.  This isn't just some torn toy.  It once meant so much to one child, that the child had wanted it to do the same thing for some other child.  Smiling at remembered childhood memories and bidding the dog good day, Parker jogs back home with his new friend.
         With a smile on his face, he opens the door to his two-story home.  Yes, the house is much bigger than he needs.  But he always had dreams to fill it with a wife and kids.  This became harder than he realized.  An aggressive new lawyer just turned partner, Parker found little time for himself, much less a family.  Looking at the teddy bear in his hand, he wondered why his thoughts were turning in that direction.  It had been years since he had pondered over this very dream, so why now should his head bring it up again?  The bear, it had to be the bear.
         Grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge and checking for messages, Parker tosses the bear onto the couch.  No messages for a change.  It is a good sign that just maybe he will get an actual off-day that isn't interrupted.  Chugging down the water, he goes into his room to shower and change.  The phone begins to ring, Parker chooses to ignore it and continues on his way.  Let the machine pick it up.
         Towel around his shoulders, he presses the message button on the phone.  He almost deletes the static message until he hears a voice coming from the machine.  Take me home or give me away.  I am not yours to keep, so listen and obey.  A child I need to make my own or place me at my first child's stone.  "A joke, it's got to be a joke." Parker mutters as he checks the caller id to find who called and left the message.  "That's weird," he muses, "No phone number".  Blaming the answering machine and one of his co-workers trying to be funny, Parker shakes his head and walks away.

********

         Placing the bear on top of the television, Parker goes on with his day.  He goes downtown to do some shopping, enjoying the usual hustle and bustle of the crowds.  Giant monsters of skyscrapers loom overhead with their many glass eyes.  A concrete jungle with predator and prey mixed among each other.  Parker gathers up a few supplies and heads back home.
         The light on the answering machine is blinking when he returns.  Putting the groceries away, Parker hesitantly goes to check the messages once again.  Again, a static call with the same eerie voice.  The message is the same as before.  Parker nearly jumps back in shock to see the teddy bear is now on the telephone stand.  Quickly looking towards the television, he can tell from the dust where the bear once sat.  Now starting to feel concerned, he goes through the two-story house looking for anything amiss.  After a few minutes, Parker returns and picks up the teddy bear once again.
         Giving the bear the once over, Parker looks intently at the bear, turning its small body this way and that.  He sees nothing unusual.  The teddy bear is a soft caramel color.  He could tell the teddy bear had seen better days from his ruffled, matted fur, the missing leg, and the single bright green eye.  Parker shudderes to look too intently at that single little eye.  It almost makes the bear to be more than just a toy.  Shaking it off as an after effect of the strange phone calls, he returns the bear to the television. Turning the television on, Parker proceeds into the immaculate little kitchen and prepares his evening meal, consisting of a tasteless tv dinner.


(to be continued..........)