Tough Ted, a robust teddy, was given as a gift, to our first born. His diminutive name reflects his size. Small enough to sit in an adult’s hand, he boasts a tough exterior though he has a gentle heart.

He arrived wearing a white singlet proclaiming his name.The singlet is no more….. I suspect a Bratz doll or a Barbie claimed it along the way. On his arm he proudly bears a tattoo of an anchor. I believe he may have spent some time at sea. The inking has hardly weathered and remains as clean as the day he acquired it.

Over the years, determined children, armed with felt tips, have made every effort to customise it, but Tough Ted has resisted. He is not the sort of bear to have a tattoo removed on a whim. He may have mislaid his singlet, but he is keeping his tattoo!

His snout is slightly too big for his face, as though it has weathered several punches. While his ripped, torn ear testifies to a particularly vicious fight. Not handsome, in the conventional sense, his recessed dark eyes are slightly too small. But he is appealing. His fragile stuck-on nose betrays his vulnerability.

A stoical mini bear, he has weathered many storms and emerged, a survivor, his quizzical smile intact. Now semi-retired, he spends most of his time snuggled in a toy box below the stairs, occasionally putting in a guest appearance when required. He is in good shape and has hardly changed since the day he joined our family.

I notice that he has a Facebook page, and that someone has written a book about his exploits. He has never alluded to them. I doubt if he even knows of their existence. He does not court publicity. He accepts attention graciously but is not overawed by it. I expect it is important for him to maintain his tough veneer.

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