Oliver’s New Friend
ages 3 and up
By: Denise Landry
Oliver loved Tommy and living in Tommy’s toy-filled room.
They would sit on Tommy’s bed every day telling secrets and giving squishy hugs. And Oliver loved it when Tommy whispered, “I love you, Oliver.”
Oliver would reply in his soft teddy bear head, “I love you too, Tommy. Play with me forever.”
Years passed. Tommy became a teenager and Oliver waited every day thinking, “Play with me, Tommy.”
But instead of playing, Tommy always ran past the teddy bear, saying, “See you later, Oliver. I have a busy day with my friends at school. Bye.”
Oliver was sad Tommy didn’t play with him anymore. He thought, “Maybe it’s time I found a new friend to play with.”
One night, Oliver overheard Tommy tell his school friends, “My family is having a garage sale tomorrow. We’re selling a bunch of old stuff.”
Oliver thought, “A garage sale? Sounds like fun. Maybe I can find a new friend to play with me.”
After Tommy fell asleep, Oliver tiptoed outside and patiently waited for the morning.
People came to look at the things for sale. At first, Oliver didn’t see anyone he could play with. Then a little boy came up to Oliver and said, “Oh boy, a teddy bear! Want to play airplane with me?”
Oliver thought it might be nice to sit on the little boy’s bed and get dressed up like airplane pilots and pretend to fly airplanes with him. But suddenly the little boy grabbed Oliver and turned him onto his stomach.
The boy held Oliver high in the air, and yelled, “Ready to fly, Airplane Teddy?” Then the little boy threw Oliver into the air.
Oliver landed hard on the ground. Luckily, Oliver’s body was soft so he didn’t get hurt. Still Oliver didn’t like being thrown. He cried inside, “I don’t think I want you as my new friend. I don’t like how you play with me. Don’t buy me, please!” Then he hid so the little boy couldn’t find him.
Soon a lady came by with her baby son, Junior, who was crying loudly.
“Please don’t cry, Junior. I’ll buy you this teddy bear if you stop,” said the lady, picking up Oliver, trying to make Junior smile.
Oliver thought it would be great going home with baby Junior. They could play and crawl round like babies all day. But when Junior saw Oliver, he only cried louder.
The crying hurt Oliver’s ears, and Junior’s tears made him wet. Then Junior kicked Oliver to the ground.
Oliver thought, “I don’t think I want you as my new friend. I don’t like how you play with me. Don’t buy me, please.” Then Oliver hid again so the lady and Junior couldn’t find him.
After Junior and his mom went away, Oliver became sad. “I’ll never find a new friend to play with me.”
Then Oliver noticed a pretty little girl. She rolled up in a strange chair with wheels. “You’re a beautiful teddy bear,” the girl said to Oliver, hugging him. “And soft! I think I’ll buy you. You can sit on my lap while I go pay for you.”
Oliver was a little nervous, sitting in the girl’s strange chair. He had never seen a chair like it before.
The girl said, “My name is Susie. I’m in this wheelchair because I can’t walk. But I still like to have fun, especially with teddy bears like you. When we get home, I’ll read you stories, tell you secrets, and hug you every day.” Susie picked up Oliver and gave him more hugs.
Oliver really liked Susie and said to himself, “I think I want you as my new friend. I like how you play with me.”
Susie soon found Tommy.
“Can I buy this teddy bear please?” she asked.
“Oliver? I didn’t know you were at the garage sale. Well, it looks like you’ve made a new friend,” a surprised Tommy said. Hugging Oliver, he said, “I’ll miss you, Oliver. Goodbye.”
“I’ll miss you too, Tommy,” Oliver thought back. But he smiled to himself as he rode to his new home with Susie.
~The End~
Illustration Copyright © 2008 Chrissy Fanslau
Copyright © 2008 by Denise Landry