Bing-Bing - read and enjoy from Expressions

Bing-Bing

 by Arathi Menon

Tinker-Binkle was the biggest and only kid’s shop in the island of Gubbyland . It is a ten storied building and it is literally known as a child’s paradise. Books, stationary, mini cars, room decorators, dolls, clothes, teddy bears and many other toys were available here. About ten thousand workers worked here, and about fifty thousand toys were produced in a day. It was also known as Santa’s workshop.

                                      In this workshop, there was a boy named Jimmy, who was about nine years old. He stitched and made soft toys, which his cruel uncle claimed as has having made by himself  to make a living. He wasn’t kind to Jimmy and made him stay in a dusty little room.

                                      Jimmy was very lonely. He wanted to share his happiness and woes to someone. Atleast, a soft toy would be enough, he thought at times. Whenever Jimmy asked his uncle to keep a soft toy for himself, his uncle had the same reaction for it ;

“If you want soft toys,Go get thread, cotton and materials for yourself!” He screamed

 But how could he? He did not have any money for it. He often wished he had.

                                   One day, Jimmy saw an old and frail woman weaving thread in a corner across the building where Jimmy worked. . She was very busy with her work, yet she raised her eyes and looked at the trembling little boy walking towards her. Jimmy did not know why, but a strange force led him to this old woman. He had not planned nor did have have a reason to meet her. As he reached her,, he looked into her eyes and then the thread she was weaving with. It was special. Jimmy had not seen similar thread earlier. There was something special about it.  

 “Excuse me ma’am” Jimmy said “W……would  you m.mind  g…g…giving me s..s..some of t.that.. g…good thread?”

The woman smiled gently and handed him a box of soft and sparkling thread, cotton and materials. The boy’s face shone with happiness. But then, it faded away.

“How much does it cost?” he asked the old woman.

“Happiness is priceless” she replied 

“Thank you, ma’am!” Jimmy exclaimed with happiness.

“You may call me Aunt McCrinky” the old woman said, pushing her lock of snow white hair behind her ears. A strange wave of happiness engulfed Jimmy.

                                        From then on, Jimmy did not waste any time. After his work was done, Jimmy would be occupied in making his very own teddy bear. He stitched it with great care, filled it with cotton and joined the parts carefully. Finally, the result was a cute little bear with cute and sparkling brown eyes and a shining coat.

“I will name you Bing-Bing” said Jimmy, with happiness,  after months of hard work “Now I have a toy of my own!” he whispered into the Bing- Bing's ear. He looked into the bear's eyes. 

The bear gave him a cute smile. At first, Jimmy was puzzled, but then considered it as his own imagination.

That night, when Jimmy lied down to sleep, he heard someone sing. Whoever it was, he had sung sweetly, he thought. The song was simple, like this;

“My name is Bing-Bing

And I love to sing-sing

On this lovely holiday night

When the sky bunny laughs, and the pixies play

For the night is the time for their day”

Finally, Jimmy got up to see who the singer was. Then his eyes widened with wonder………

                                                                               To be contd……

           

Bing - Bing - contd… Part 2

Jimmy’s eyes widened with disbelief. His eyes froze. It was hard for him to believe.  His thought unfolded to the events which led to the making of the Bing-Bing.  It was on Friday after work, that Jimmy was ordered to clean the dusty chest, which no one had bothered to open for years, let alone go near it. There were broken furniture and cob-webs around it. Jimmy, while cleaning, had ventured to open the chest. Jimmy had found this strange teddy bear with cute eyes. Due to age, it was torn in few places and the cotton had come out. But, Jimmy noticed that the thread was similar to the one that the old woman had given him.  He had sewed the torn parts of the bear with the thread given by Aunt McCrinky.  Jimmy shook his head to get the thoughts off his head.

       “A singing and dancing bear!” Jimmy exclaimed looking wide eyed at the sight of this extremely adorable bear “I just cont believe it!”

“As I expected!” exclaimed Bing-Bing “Aunt McCrinky told me so. Anyway, nice to meet you, sir. I am Bing-Bing”

“Hey! It was I who named you Bing-Bing!” Jimmy claimed.

“Oh, I forgot” said Bing-Bing “I am used to it”

“But..but, how did you get to talk to Aunt McCrinky ?” Jimmy asked “You were just an old worn out Teddy bear”

“Yes I was” replied the shiny red teddy bear “But the Bear had life. Aunt McCrinky gives life to all the toys she makes.  These toys reach the children who are lonely and long for being loved.  

“Wow!” exclaimed Jimmy “That was so nice of her. I haven’t seen anyone as nice as her”

Just then, to prove Jimmy right, came Ronny, his cousin. He was a big bully who snatched away all of Jimmy’s pocket money from him, which he had collected for his school fees. Ronny entered the room, slamming the door.

“Hee hee hee!” He laughed wickedly . He walked slowly with giant steps and suddenly, picked up Jimmy’s money box.

“You know, Jimmy, there is a rule in  this house. All what you belong is mine.” Ronny said with an evil tone “Now, give me the keys”

Jimmy tried to hide the keys of his money box in his pocket, but somehow Ronnie snatched it from jimmy’s hands.

“Now all your hard earned money is mine! Whooohoooaaahaaahaaah!” Ronnie’s laughter echoed the room. He eagerly opened the box. Just then, he turned his head to look at Bing-Bing, placed near the money box. He moved away from the box and moved closer to the stuffed teddy bear. His hands reached for Bing-Bing. A strange feeling crept through him. 

To be continued....