Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Poppy Bear and Yossi Bear

 me: "I miss Poppy"

Michoel: "Why? Is it his yartzeit?"

me: "No, I just miss him."

No particular reason. Just thinking of him, and really really missing him. Poppy and Grandma ... the one stable thing in my childhood I could always count on. I've mentioned it before ... my parents divorced when I was 2. My mom was seven months pregnant with my brother. This was in 1968, when women stayed married no matter what. No one, and I mean NO ONE, was divorced. Growing up, I didn't know another child who had divorced parents. I was the "weird" kid that came from a "broken home". Everyone had a mom and dad. I had Poppy and Grandma. If my mom was being mean to me, I would call up Poppy and Grandma and they would come take me to their house. Sunday mornings was breakfast at their house ... seven layer cake (YUM!) and bagels with lox. Or soft boiled eggs in these cute little cups. I would sit on Poppy's lap and he would read me the Sunday comics. I didn't understand Andy Capp, but Poppy read this with an English accept. Sometimes instead of breakfast we would go to Cantors for a Jewish dinner. Poppy was the one who pulled the glass out of my foot when I was running around barefoot in the park. (That was the last time too! To this day I won't go barefoot.) Poppy was the one who cheered me on when I wanted to sew and later to embroider. Poppy was a man of few words, but he had a heart full of love. And years later, there is still a hole in mine.


Poppy had a plastic's recovery business. He wore button down shirts and there was always a pen in his pocket and a handkerchief in his pocket.  In the summer he wore light weight tee shirts and in the winter he wore flannel ones. He always wore a tee shirt under them too. Poppy was such a gentle and kind soul.




I was organizing my sewing room, and I found several shirts of Poppy's I had set aside. I am not 100% sure what I planned to do with them, but I sent to my good friend Susan. (Susan deserves an entire post of her own ... one day soon my dear!)  Susan donates her times to her local hospice by making bears out of clothes of loved ones. I mentioned Poppy's shirts to her, and she offered to make me a bear. Not only did she make one for me, but she made one for my mom as well. Poppy has sat in the place of honor on my bed.

Susan has repeatedly asked me, "Do you want a Yossi Bear."  I always tell her no, I don't want. I didn't want to trouble for it. However, when I was going through his armoire and found his little onesies, I changed my mind. Yes Susan! I do want a Yossi Bear.  So I sent them off. 

She sent me a sneak peak, and sent the bear off to me. Lo and behold, Yossi Bear arrived on a very emotionally hard day. (If you followed the Israeli news, I am referring to the tragedy in Meron.)  What a prefect day for my Yossi Bear to arrive.





Susan asked for a picture of me and Yossi Bear. Happy to oblige. Thank you Susan, for your labor of love. Sending you hugs and kisses. And now Poppy Bear and Yossi Bear ... together forever ....