I first notice the beeping noises as I awake.

My brain goes into panic mode as I imagine I am hearing the garbage truck backing up to empty the dumpster. I thought they emptied it tomorrow. Could i have been out for a full day? Bolting up, the pulse oximeter flew off my finger as I reach for Persey to make our escape. Only then do I then notice that I am in a hospital bed under very warm blankets and Persey is no where to be seen.

I feel the panic rising in me, then I hear a hurried tap, tap, tap coming towards my room followed by a male nurse walking in. He says, “Miss - it is Miss right? You have to keep the monitors on.” He then comes up to me and cautiously takes my hand, attaching the oxygen sensor back to my finger.

I look up, more surprised, the panic getting worse as I suddenly realize I am naked, and that he knows about IT. Why is he being so nice to me? It does not make sense. I need to know how he could know about me, but all I can squeak out is the simple word, “How?”

He continues, “I only just learned about girls like you. We had another patient with your condition check in this weekend. So I take it Miss, Miss is right? Well, Miss, it would help if I knew your name. “

I look at him and paused. I could not believe he was being so accepting. Meekly, I answer “Melody, Melody Griffiths.

He gets the biggest smile on his face and bows slightly. “It is a pleasure to meet you Miss
Griffiths. My name is Chris Apmethy. Is it okay if I call you Melody?”

I answer, “Hi Chris, sure. And do you know where my Persey is?”

Chris responds, “Melody, Who is Persey?”

And I can't help but reply, “She's not the Doctor, She is my bear. She is the only one I have left in this world. I can't have lost her too.”

As Chris gets a big smile on his face and chuckles to himself, I feel actually we may be able to be friends. He then turns and goes to one of built-in drawers and pulls out a large sealed plastic bag, and Persey is inside.   "Here she is. She was not lost, just resting like you were. We could not get her out of your grip when you were brought in. We had to sedate you first. Only now, the doctor says that she has to be disinfected before we can take her out of the bag. "

As I see her so alone in the the bag, the tears again start running out of my eyes,   “but I need her now!”

Chris says, “I'll make you a deal, If you let Persey come home with me to get cleaned up, I will lend you my Pooh bear.” He then goes to the same drawer and pulls out a obviously well loved Pooh bear, and offers him to me.

I looked up, and between sobs replied, “You, you would do that for me? But why?”

I watch as a single tear runs down Chris' cheek and he replies, “Because I have been alone too. And you need to know that you are not alone anymore.” Addressing Persey, Chris continues, “Persey, will you go home with me and let Pooh watch your mommy?” He carefully nods Persey's head, which brings a faint smile back to my face. So I reach out and take Pooh and hold him tightly against me.

“Thank you Chris, I will take good care of Pooh. I do have one question: I thought I was going to freeze to death. How did I get here?”

Chris explained that someone had gone out early in the morning to take his trash out. As they got to the dumpster, around half a dozen feral cats jumped out, and they heard a faint voice, “good bye mommy.” So the paramedics were immediately called, and I was brought here just in time as hypothermia was starting to set in. The paramedics had thought it was the warmth of the cats that had kept me alive.

I told Chris that I thought I had gone to heaven, because my father was there to take care of me. It was the last thing I remembered before waking up here. I kind of got quiet after that and hugged Pooh even tighter. It was all so much to take in.

Seeing that I was done, Chris exclaimed, “I have to get back to my duties, but I will have Persey back to you tomorrow. Please take good care of Pooh. He tends to get lonely.” He left the room, muttering to himself, “What is it about you girls trying to freeze to death?”