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J. A. Stroud a.k.a. GlassPoet.
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I passed a bog by which a small shack had been constructed. I peered in and found nothing, no one was home. I kept moving, searching, listening. It seemed hours since my journey had begun and still, nothing seemed familiar.
Then, I did hear something, faint, off in the distance...it sounded like someone whistling and humming. I moved slowly, unsure of what I might find here in this forest. As I crept closer to the sound, I could almost make out the words that now were being sung. I reached to pull back a branch or two, to clear my view, and heard a thundering noise behind me.
Quickly I turned to see what was charging at me, only to be sent sprawling onto my back, the breath knocked from my lungs. I felt something sitting on my chest and dared not to open my eyes. Then I felt it's breath on my face and suddenly it licked my cheek. Startled from my fear by this act, I opened my eyes and who should I see sitting on me? Tigger !
"Get off me you beast," I laughingly implored and reached up to scratch behind Tigger's ear. Tiggers like that, you know. He licked my cheek one more time and then jumped off.
"So," I inquired aloud, "I'm in the Hundred Acre Wood?"
Just then a small head peered through the bushes and it's beady eyes set on me.
"Oh, hello, it's you again." the droll voice called out, "Yes, you are in the Hundred Acre Wood. It has been a long time since you were here last...I think," the small bear crinkled his brow, "Of course it could have been yesterday you were here. I'm forgettable you know."
"No Pooh, that's forgetful, not forgettable. That would mean you are easily forgotten and you will never be that Pooh." I smiled warmly at the bear, "How have you been Pooh?" I asked as I reached to take his hand to pull his stubby body through the bushes. Noting as I did that Tigger was on the opposite side of the bushes, trying to push Pooh through.
With one final "humph" we had Pooh through and I reached to hug him close to me, as I had done as a small girl. "Oh Pooh, I have missed you terribly," I said, as Tigger softly coughed behind me. "Yes, Tig," including him in my hug with Pooh, "I have missed you too." We spun around, like children playing Ring-Around the Rosie, until we were all laughing so hard we collapsed onto the hard ground.
A rumbling began in Pooh's massive tummy, "Oh my," he said, "I think I will starve to death, my tummy is growling so," and up we all jumped and ran off to Pooh's house to eat honey and tell stories.
"So, Blue Eyes," Pooh said to me,"how have you been? I mean, it has been days since last we spoke, I think," his finger near his temple. "Thinking, thinking."
"Oh Pooh, you silly ole bear," I replied, smiling softly at him, "It has been years since I was last here in the Wood. I have been, ummmm," I hesitated. How could I explain where I had been all this time? How could I tell these dear, sweet friends, what life for me had turned out to be? Tears formed in my eyes and turned my head as to not show them the pain I bore. "I have been well Pooh," I lied.
"Then, Blue Eyes, why do you cry?" A voice asked from the shadow of the front door.
I looked up and once my eyes had cleared, I saw Piglet standing in the doorway.
"Piglet !" I cried out and ran to scoop him up into my arms, "Oh Piglet, you I have missed the most." The tears flowed freely down my cheeks now and I could no longer hide from them all the pain that lived inside my heart.
Tigger took my hand and led me to the big, overstuffed chair in the middle of the room and sat me down. Piglet handed me a crisp, clean hankie, as Pooh offered me more honey. I sat there for quite awhile, no one spoke as I softly cried. They just stood around me, like little guards, protecting a treasure or defending their ground. I felt safe and loved again.
"Blue Eyes," Pooh said kindly, "tell me now, how have you been?" He sat back and finished off his jar of honey, licking it from his fingers as he spoke.
"Oh Pooh, it is a sad world outside this Wood. People are cruel and unforgiving, they fight and steal and wound unmercifully," my voice trembled, " they have no care for a small child's heart." Piglet handed me another clean hankie and held my hand tightly as I spoke.
Tigger, fists raised like a boxer, said, "Let me at them Blue Eyes. I will bounce on them and box their ears for you."
"Oh no Tigger," Piglet said," that would not be nice and they might come after you. They might come after all of us." His eyes wide with timidity.
