Rosemerta

Last year, a reader of my blog emailed me a beautiful story of him and snuffles. Well, he sent me another story as posted below.
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Readers, as you know, my first Gund Snuffles was Sherry. A wonderful lovable white bear that was especially friendly and a great help to me when I was sad about the end of my relationship. Time heals all wounds, but the summer before my second year of college, I still had not gotten over everything. I was in town still taking summer courses and trying to keep my mind off of everything.

I was considering quitting summer school after a particularly difficult day. Not only had my professor embarrassed me in front of the class, but also I found myself thinking about my former girlfriend. Whenever I let myself think about her, I just got more and more depressed and lost sight of my long term goals.

After school that day, I went into town and got something to eat. I visited a newly opened toy store across the street, after spying another white Snuffles bear in the window. You see, Sherry was already getting beaten up after a whole year in the university dorms and I already needed a replacement body for her. I looked into the store and found a very pink, very fluffy, very cute bear saying hello to me. I picked her up and noticed that she was the blush, 25th anniversary bear. Looking around the store, I noticed that she was the very last one. It was as though it was our destiny to be together.

There was a problem though. Besides the issue of being away from home, missing my former girlfriend, and academic pressures, I also had to worry about spending money. My parents were generous enough letting me take summer classes, allowing me to share a bedroom with a friend, and giving me some spending money. It was difficult to scrape together the $25 I would need to pay to get the blush bear.

I stashed the blush bear deep inside towards the back of the shelf behind all the other white Snuffles and walked out vowing I would somehow figure out a way to buy her. When I went home, I thought of various ways I could come up with the money. Absentmindedly, I looked through a drawer for something and saw a red envelope poking out.

In Chinese culture, red envelopes are given at the Lunar New Year by parents to children. These red envelopes contained money in the hopes of fortune, prosperity, and good luck. Trembling, I opened the red envelope not knowing whether I had forgotten it or not. There was a $50 bill inside of it! Finally, something had gone right that day.

The very next day, I went back to the store and looked for the blush pink bear. I hoped that no one had taken her away. Sure enough, she was sitting right behind all the white snuffles. I picked up a white snuffles bear and the blush bear and walked straight to the counter plopping down the $50 bill. I walked away happily thinking of a new name for my bear. As I stopped in front of my apartment building, I noticed pink roses blooming outside and decided on Rosemerta or Rosie for short.

I like to think that Rosie came to me, much like my other snuffle bear Sherry came to me, in a time of need. Both Rosie and Sherry helped me forget about the worst part of being a student and being lonely. Rosie was incredibly smart and helped me with my homework. Whenever I was stuck, Rosie would wait patiently next to me. If I threatened to fall asleep, Rosie would jump on my lap waking me up. Rosie and Sherry watched movies with me when we needed a break. Rosie listened to me complain about my professor and school. And, finally, when I graduated and the time came to apply for professional school, Rosie and Sherry both helped me get over the mountain of applications and essays I had to write.

Rosie is a unique individual and has a much more different personality than Sherry. Rosie is much more spunky and mischievous. However, Sherry and I still tolerate her because she is fiercely loyal and friendly to us! Although most of the time Rosie gets her way, Sherry still likes her and is appreciative of having a sister to play with.

Without Gund and without Snuffles, I probably would have dropped out of college and remained inconsolable about my past. I think that it was the lowest point in my life when the two bears almost magically appeared to make me feel better. They helped me find my way when everything around me seemed so dark. I guess these bears are really magical. (the writer of this story still prefers to stay anonymous, I will post a photo of Rosie and Sherry as soon as I receive it)