Day 9
Listening to: Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Thought for the day: “Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” ~Velveteen Rabbit

Meet Purpee. Purpee is a stuffed porpoise/dolphin that was given to me when I was in the 2nd grade. The name Purpee is derived from the word “porpoise” and means “protector from zombies that hide under the bed.” My parents gave Purpee to me after returning from a trip to New York City. He was born at Macy’s. The key thing here is that Purpee was the last gift I received from my parents as husband and wife. They divorced shortly after their New York trip. The divorce was very traumatic for me and Purpee became a symbol of happier times. He went everywhere with me and I depended on him for emotional survival. He was my Velveteen Rabbit. These days Purpee has retired from duty, his fur is worn, and his eyes are dim, but he’s always close buy living among other childhood memorabilia on a shelf in my bedroom. Occasionally, I will pick him up and pay respect to my healed emotional wounds.

Tomorrow, I am leaving to go on a vacation that is providing me an opportunity to cross off a bucket list item. I am going to swim with live dolphins. I am tempted to take Purpee with me and set him “free.” Then again, I have no desire to end up in a third-world mental ward. Of course if I see that the dolphins I’m swimming with are more like slaves, I’m liable to end up in a third world prison. Y’all may want to have the U.S. embassy on speed dial.