Martha Bear™ was born the day Jane Marie put needle and thread to white quilted fabric and began stitching.  Since Jane Marie can't recall the exact day or, worse yet, the year, it was decided by all at Stately Martha Manor that Martha Bear® should be timeless.  In other words, she would never grow old and the official day of celebration of her birth would be randomly chosen each year. 

Sometimes a suggested date would come from Jane Marie.  She would say, "Martha Bear®.  I believe it's time we celebrate your big day."   

Or Martha Bear® herself might decide it had been too long since her last birthday party.  And occasionally, Airborne, Martha Bear's grasshopper companion and advisor, or any number of other persons or critters, who thought a gathering with lots to nibble was past due, might mention it had been quite a while since Martha Bear® had been honored with a decorated cake and all that goes with it.

This year the date came from Teddy O™, by way of an e-mail from his residence with Nancy in Oklahoma.

 "Howdy dowdy, ole girl.  It's your best bear pal, Teddy O™. 

"That Whickers mouse family that's taken over MarthaBear.com can't seem to stop yammering on about the events I related to them concerning your last birthday party.  They think the arrival of the police indicated unseemly behavior on someone's part - as if toads diving into the Party Puddle in the back forty of the Manor yard in the dark and missing the water is noteworthy ... Well, to my point.  I'm leaving now to catch the next eastbound train on a non refundable ticket.  I know the Oklahoma City to Little Rock conductress and, YOWZA, is she a looker!  I'll arrive on Amelia Island tomorrow.  We can have your party the next day.  That will give me a good night's rest before the revelry begins.  I've already sent out invitations to all my friends from the last party.  You can invite whomever else you want, too.  It is your party, after all.  See you soon!" 

The next sound uttered at Stately Martha Manor was a huge bear bellow from Martha herself, "Jane Marie!!!" 

Throwing open the door of the office of Story Central, Jane Marie dashed into the hall.  "Whatever is it, Martha?  Have you hurt yourself?  Is your stuffing falling out from a tear?  Are you okay?"

Taking Jane Marie's hand and patting it, Martha said, "There, there.  I'm all right.  We're all all right."  Martha waved her hand in the direction of the Feline Force, the hopper and Bird who had joined the commotion.  "I didn't mean to startle anyone, but I just heard from Teddy O™.  He'll be here tomorrow and wants to have my birthday party the next day!  I can't tell him that's not enough time to plan because he wrote that he's already sent invitations to his friends and, on top of that, he can't return his ticket!"  She added under her bear breath, "And I don't think he needs to be sallying up to the conductress just to get a refund." 

Jane Marie overheard Martha Bear's comment and thought momentarily that if someone didn't realize how completely different the personalities of Martha Bear® and Teddy O™ were, they might take Martha's last words as jealously.  Knowing that was a complete impossibility, Jane Marie drew a deep breath.  "Once again, Nancy's bear has sprung one of his surprises on us.  We've just got to make the best of things.  Airborne, there won't be enough time to snail mail invitations to our friends.  We'll e-mail those who are electronically inclined, and you'll have to spread word to the rest by wing.  Are you up for it?"

"Sure thing," replied the hopper.  "But I would like a cheddar booster* to grease my knee joints for the hopping I'll be doing between flights."

 *Airborne eats cheese to lubricate his joints.  Don't ask.

"Not a problem.  Spew and Mr. Buzzbee, you check out the plates and cups.  Make a rough guesstimate of how many more we'll need because I'm sure Teddy O™ didn't say just how many of his buddies are invited.  Oh, and we'll be using paper instead of the good china and crystal - Teddy O™ and his friends will wipe out every breakable object in the house if we don't take precautions."

Jane Marie paused for breath while Martha Bear® nodded in agreement. 

The gracious writer began again, "Now, where was I?  Oh, yes.  Bird, you plan the munchies menu since you always know the latest flavor of crackers on the market.  Call Wink E Bear at Teddy Cares Grocery and ask him to deliver as soon as he can.  I'll bake the cake and make a triple batch of Beary Juice.  Hey, maybe we can get Next-Door Maggie to make some of her pralines."

"What about moosic (music), Jane Marie?" asked Spew, the cross-eyed kitty who was half Siamese and half alley cat. 

"Golly Ned.  I almost forgot." 

"Can I be in charge fis (this) year?" 

Jane Marie looked to Martha Bear®, who gave her approval.  "But only if you promise to play the Cats (1982 Original Broadway Cast) CD just one time." 

Reluctantly, Spew agreed, "It's a meel (deal)!" 

The hours passed in a whirlwind of activity, but then frenzy was not uncommon in a household comprised of an author, her family and a live-in staff of critters. 

Party preparations were nearly complete when an exhausted Teddy O™ arrived, a fair-sized square box tied with a dirty shoelace under one arm and a well worn duffle bag over his shoulder.  "I'm beat.  Hope you have the antique quilts stacked and waiting for me in the armoire in the guest room." 

As heads bobbed, Teddy passed Martha Bear™, Jane Marie and the others, making his way down the hall.  "I'll let everybody hug me tomorrow at the party.  Good night.  I sure hope there's a snack of some sort beside my quilts.  You know how hungry a traveling bear gets."  The next sound heard was that of the guest room door slamming for the night. 

"Guess we'd all better get some rest ourselves," said Martha Bear®.  "We can finish up tomorrow morning." And so they did.

 ♥ 

Most of the 30 or so guests had already arrived at Martha's party, including Wink E Bear, a keen admirer of Martha Bear®, when Teddy O™ showed himself.  Teddy pushed aside the attractive pile of presents that had been placed on the cold hearth and set his square box in the middle.  Then he noticed the one tall candle on Martha Bear's coconut cake had already been lit. 

Teddy O™ raced over, jumped up on the church pew and climbed onto the table, elbowing through the other guests.  With a great big bear breath, he blew out Martha's candle.  Ignoring the look of surprise on her cheeks as well as the glaring glances from the partiers, he pointed out, "Hey, that candle had almost burned down to the frosting.  I, for one, don't think our birthday bear should have to eat burned frosting." 

His motives were suspect, but no one in the group could argue with his logic.  And because it was a special occasion, smiles quickly returned to faces.  Teddy O™ accepted hugs from those who initiated them, and stared down those who didn't.  In fact, in short order those who hadn't wanted to hug the rascally bear found themselves involuntarily advancing to embrace him because Teddy O's power of persuasion was legendary. 

The party proceeded, and the cake was cut.  "I ate my cake," announced the bear from Oklahoma.  "Hey, Martha, you aren't really saving that big pink frosting rose, are ya?"  And fast as Airborne could flutter a wing, Teddy O™ scooped the pink prize from Martha's plate and popped it into his own mouth.  Then he called out. "Attention, everybody.  Now that Martha Bear® has finally finished her cake, let's open presents."  He grabbed her by the paw.  The little bear pulled at the big bear, taking her along with him toward the hearth. 

Everyone gathered as Teddy O™ ran the show.  All the guests had learned from experience that life was easier that way.  Even Wink E Bear went along, not wanting to raise a commotion at the visiting ursine**'s behavior. 

Teddy O™ ordered, "Martha Bear®, open my gift first, but be careful.  It's sort of fragile."

Impatient for Martha to discover what was in the box, Teddy O™ began gnawing on the dirty shoelace.

"Let me get the scissors, Teddy," offered Jane Marie.  "I don't want you getting sick from that nasty thing." 

He kept chewing.  "There, it's done.  Don't worry about me.  I'm a bear, and I don’t mind a little clean dirt every now and again.  Builds up the immunity, I always say."  The others in the group grudgingly mumbled their agreement. 

Then Martha Bear® lifted the lid and peered inside the box.  All eyes watched her face as a huge grin spread across it.  She reached in and pulled out one, two, three white stuffed teddy bears, all a little different in dress and look. "Oh my, oh my my!  Just lookie here, everyone.  Teddy O™ has out done himself this time.  There are three perfectly sweet little bear toys for me to play with."  Shocked at her own rudeness, Martha corrected herself,  "Excuse me, for us all to play with."

Oohs and ahs were heard around the room as guests passed the toy bears about.  "These toys don't look so fragile to me, Teddy," said Wink E Bear holding the one with a red nose. 

"Trust me, they are."

"If you mean because they're white, you don't have to worry any.  I'll keep them clean," Martha promised.

"Oh yeah," Teddy O™ quickly answered.  "That's what I mean."

Wink E Bear was about to hand the bear toy to Next-door Maggie when a look of pure shock came over his face.  "It moved!"   

"That's impossible," Martha Bear® replied.  "Don't be silly." 

"I just saw it blink!" cried Airborne, fluttering close to the toy, not tearing his bug eyes away.

"Look!  This one is smiling!" exclaimed Jane Marie. 

"So is mine!" agreed Mr. Buzzbee.  "I think they're all alive!  They're not toys.  They're real live bears!"

"And why would you pretend they were toys?" asked Martha Bear®, almost as sternly. 

Gulping for air between chortles, "I fooled everybody, didn't I?"  

The author and white bear ignored his question and crossed their arms.  Each tapped one foot, impatiently awaiting his answer.

Teddy O™ composed himself, took his time checking that the bearlings were each held close, and petted and  rocked and soothed.  Finally he began, "It was like this.  There I was, minding my own business, just crawling through the field at the abandoned farm down the road to look for slug slime to oil the hinges on Nancy's squeaky front door when I came across these little guys living in a milk crate under the shade of a squash plant."

"As everybody knows, I was abandoned on a picnic table in Belgium in the rain when I was younger.  It was a lonely existence and I couldn't let it happen to these cuties, so I took them in and cleaned them all up."

Airborne asked the question that was on everyone's mind.  "Where are their parents?"

Teddy O™ whispered, so as not to upset the little ones.  "They said they've never known any parents, so they've been on their own since they were born, I guess."

Imagining the tiny tykes' struggles, Jane Marie's lip trembled for a moment.  "What did my sister, Nancy, say about all this?"  When Teddy O™ didn't reply, she pressed, "You do remember Nancy, don't you?  She's the lady whose husband found you and brought you to their home to live?"

"Oh yeah, Nancy.   Um, I didn't exactly tell her about the bearlings because I knew she'd want to keep them.  Frankly, between you and me, since that family of mice, you know, those Whickers rodents, since they moved in, she's extra busy.  I, just figured she didn't need anything more to do.  I was being my usual thoughtful self.  Naturally then, my thoughts turned to you, Martha.  I knew you'd be the perfect bear to raise them.  They're pretty cute, after all.  They'll keep you hoppin'.  You know what they say, that it's better to wear out than rust out.  Besides, there's nothing worse than a bored bear.  Heck, this will be the perfect place for them. You're a bear, and they're bears.  It works for me."

Martha Bear's heart was warmly touched by Teddy O's obtuse yet sincere sentiments.  As she got back on her feet she said, "What about Jane Marie?  Don't you think we should ask her?"

"Hey, I thought the name of this place was Stately Martha Manor.  Unless it's been changed to Stately Jane Marie Manor, I don't think that's an issue." 

Martha squinted through narrowed eyes at Teddy O, whose nearly complete lack of social graces occasionally still surprised her.  She felt a gentle tug on her tail and turned to find the little white bear with the curly fur behind her.  She lifted the darling creature up and enfolded it in her arms, bringing its cheek to hers. 

"Oh, gee.  If we have to do that polite stuff ... Jane Marie, is it all right with you if these three little guys move in here?" 

Jane Marie smiled and nodded.  How could she do otherwise? 

Next-door Maggie thought to ask, "Do they have names?"  

"Sure they do," Teddy O confirmed and he pointed to them one by one. 

"Teddy named me Pickles," said the one with red nose, "because he makes me Peanut Butter and Sweet Pickle Sandwiches, and I like 'um."   

"Teddy named me Poodle because of my curly fur." 

"And Teddy calls me Art," said the plain white bear, "because I like to draw on walls." 

Jane Marie could see her best bear's dilemma and filled in the word.  "You will be their new mother, Martha.  And what fortunate bearlings they are to have you." 

With that, the three new additions to the family climbed up Martha Bear's sturdy legs and into her arms for some maternal love. 

"Teddy O™ is nice and lets us do whatever we want," said Pickles, "but he's a little stingy in the hugs department." 

The guests all laughed.  Teddy O™ decided he needed to appear slightly offended.  "Hey now.  I might not give out hugs very often, but I'll take any anybody wants to give me." 

Witnessing what he considered a spectacle of sorts, Wink E Bear was glad Teddy O™ lived in Oklahoma instead of on Amelia Island.  Teddy did enough damage long distance.  Then Wink E's heart softened as he watched the dear little bearlings climb all over their new mother and saw her tears of joy.  It looked as if, this time, Teddy O™ had done a better thing indeed.

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