Z loved Build-A-Bear. As an older teen. With a job.
Other than a wide array of accessories, I’m not entirely sure why she like it so much. I distinctly remember her coming home from Build-A-Bear one day telling me it was ridiculous the bear stuffing personnel made her kiss the stuffed hearts they put into the bears. She didn’t need the gimmick they dubbed magic.
She did need the bears though. I don’t know why.
On one bear-making trip, she’d decided to make herself a custom “Dr. Who” themed bear (The Doctor). She came home very proud because she’d put two hearts into the bear fluff before it was sewn shut. Which she found both clever and hilarious. She’d also managed to find bear outfits that could be rearranged to be character specific. She was impressed with herself.
Overall, Z fancied herself a Time Lord much the same way I fancy myself Mary Poppins. It was her Halloween costume a couple of years ago. As a 17 year old, she insisted on buying herself a plastic sonic screwdriver (sadly, it’s powers were limited to lighting up and making sounds). She kept an emergency bow-tie in her car. Although the emergency bow-tie was for multiple emergency scenarios.
The doctors of “Dr. Who” have two hearts. It’s part of the back-story/history that’s been building since the British 1950’s.
Her heart(s?) beat to a very specific fandom.
Today it struck me that perhaps it did work out for her on a more cosmic level – maybe she is the Time Lord she wanted to be. I mean, she does have two hearts. One was in her physical body and the other was her character and spirit and shine. One gave out at a fixed point in space and time and the other is still moving along as a Time Lord would.
It’s a good thing she loved Dr. Who – otherwise she wouldn’t have talked incessantly about it or made me watch her shows.
Had she not loved “Dr. Who” I wouldn’t have known about the two-hearted Time Lords.
Had she not loved that weird fandom, she wouldn’t have put two hearts in the bear she made that day.
Had she not loved the way she did, I wouldn’t have the weird comfort I get knowing that (for her) there is the second heart still beating.
Having two hearts is an excellent plan. 5 stars. Would recommend.
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Bonus adjacent thought:
Beautiful , I love two hearts and Build a Bear. My Mom build a Bear for each of her Great Grand Kids… they love her voice and the heart beat…
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Love Dr. Who (watch with my youngest, it is our time to bond) and I love the idea of 2 hearts in the bear and in Z. Perhaps she is on a great adventure with the Doctor, exploring time/space and saving Earth from the evil aliens.
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