Dear Teddy Bear,
It’s been years since we met. I hope the shelf was comfortable enough for you to stay.
I know it is very ridiculous to write a letter to an ex-boyfriend, when it has been 7 years since we broke up, but you should know that I had to write this thing. I had to apologize for what I had done to you 7 years ago.
It was one Christmas morning; I was so excited about the presents that I woke up earlier than I usually do. Everybody in the house was asleep, so I came out of my bed room and tiptoed across the hallway to the Christmas tree. There laid many presents. You were in one of those boxes, yes, I can exactly remember the box you were inside; a large size box wrapped with sparkling green paper and a big red ribbon. I was so excited that my hands were shivering. It took me a while to get you out of that big green box. When I rescued you from the green box, you said “Thank you, miss!” with a grateful smile. That smile…! Your smile, beautiful and gorgeous, made me feel weird. It was a strange feeling, but not a bad one. I could not help myself from smiling back at you. Your blond fur was shiny enough to blind me. Your chubby belly was way too cute. Your red t-shirt with your name “POOH” on it showed your sense of humor. I could feel my heart pumping because of the enthusiasm I had for meeting this friend.
We were always together. We ate together, shopped together, went to kindergarten together, and even slept together. I miss those times. Do you remember the day you asked me to go out with you? For me, the memory is so vivid that I can hardly believe that it was more than 10 years ago. It was the summer vacation of 1999, when our family lived in the US. Our family went on a trip to New York. The trip was fantastic, wasn’t it? It truly was a great time. After a few days we came back home with great excitement; however, the excitement did not last long. I noticed you were not with me. I cried and cried and cried. You couldn’t know how hopeless I felt. I called the hotel in the New York where we stayed. I wasn’t good at English, but this was the last thing on my mind in your absence. Fortunately, the hotel people found you and sent you all the way from New York to Ohio. The day you arrived back to our sweet home, you became mine again.
Pooh, my dear love Pooh, I have always thought of you as more than just a friend; I love you so much and I trust you more than anybody else. I have to say sorry for it was me who broke our relationship. I thought my love toward Woody was real, when it was only a feeling that would just last for few days. Woody was a new toy that I’ve never seen before. It was just my curiosity which made me abandon you. There is nothing that I can say but sorry. I took you for granted and made a deep scar in your heart.
I know I am being very selfish, but I want to go back to the days when we were good friends. These days, I live in a dormitory because of my school. All my roommates are kind and good, and we always have fun together. Roommates, however, are not the same as a real “family”. I need somebody to tell my deepest stories to. I need somebody to lean on when I am having hard times. You are trustworthy enough to tell my secrets to, and you are familal enough to make me feel comfortable. My dear friend, Pooh, I sincerely apologize for what I have done in the past. Why don’t you come down from the shelf and come to my desk. I miss you a lot. Good night my dear.
Sincerely yours, Jiyeon
