Childhood stuff # 10 - Lionel

Everyone has a teddy bear or an equivalent stuffed best friend - one toy you've had ever since you can remember, and who will stay with you until you die, aged 40, in a bizarre scrabble related accident. Your teddy will probably be buried with you. I imagine it will have its own group of teddy mourners, all dressed in knitted top hats and tails, all crying knitted tears.

This is my partner in crime, his name is Lionel -

Lionel is my best friend in the whole world. He's seen me through ten house moves, school (both attending and bunking off), university, jobs both good and bad, and any number of failed relationships. To some people he is a sad looking mouse, but those people are wrong/stupid. He is a bear, albeit a very angry, disappointed looking bear. 

Lionel is named after light entertainer and all round 1980s staple Lionel Blair, who I was obsessed with as a toddler. I was also obsessed with Leslie Crowther and Tosh from The Bill, for some godforsaken reason. Children are weird.

So. A disgruntled looking bear/mouse, knitted from insanely scratchy wool. I wonder what made the 3 year old me take to him so readily and with such gusto? God knows really, but I'm glad I did, because he's certainly stuck it out. Whereas millions of Beanie Babies, Care Bears and Mickey Mouses (Mickey Mice?) will undoubtedly have fallen long ago, Lionel is badass. He sits, to this day, looking like a knitted Ena Sharples, disapproving of everything. Just like me. That's why I love him.