Real

On the left, my Theo. On the right, my Dog.

Dog was given to me by my beloved great Aunt Sue when I was an infant. I carried him around by his tail until it fell off and my mother sewed it back on. Then I carried him around by his ears until they fell off, and were sewn back on. The stuffing has worked it's way out of his legs and his coat is matted and worn, but I love him so. Even in college, I would put myself to sleep at night twisting his ears round my fingers while I whispered my secrets.

Now I lay in bed at night twisting Theo's ears round my fingers, while he nuzzles up under my chin and sighs, and I can't help but remember The Velveteen Rabbit:

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

I think Theo is Dog made Real.

7/26/09