Boy + Monkey

Dear Sock Monkey,

We know it has been a tough few years for you.

When you came to stay with us some two and a half years ago (when your owner was just a wee lad not yet walking), you still had all of your red mouth. You still had two little black yarn dots for a nose. You had no permanent brown stains on your head and face. Your back hadn’t split open and been roughly stitched together again multiple times. You hadn’t suffered the indignity of being spilled on, thrown-up on, or dropped in the mud. You hadn’t yet had to spend countless hours swirling around in a washing machine. And . . . you still had fluff in your neck.

When we realized what was happening, we tried to ease the attentions placed upon you. Your owner’s grandma found two other sock monkeys to bear some of the burden. Unfortunately it was soon discovered that while these additions were welcome to tag along with you now and then, they would never be allowed to spell you off completely.

By the time it occurred to us to try and find another sock monkey that looked just like you – one with which you could alternate – well, there was no longer any sock monkey in the world that looked or felt at all “just like you”.

Like I said, I know it has been rough on you. Who knew being loved so well could be so . . . draining? You have been loved well though, and isn’t that every stuffed animal’s dream? So, I plead with you, Sock Monkey: hold out as long as you can. Jesse is far too young to be faced with the reality of a world where sock monkeys don’t last  forever.