Come Home, Cowie, Come Home

Cowie was lost. TJ was sad. He asked for Cowie whenever he was tired or hurt. We could not find Cowie for nearly three weeks. Here is his story...

Cowie went to the playground with TJ. He fell off the slide and couldn't find his best friend. He looked and looked, but TJ was nowhere to be found. A little girl began to cry, and Cowie wanted to make her feel better.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"My big brother pushed me down," she sobbed.
"Give me a hug," said Cowie.
The little girl picked him up and held him close. She stopped crying. "Where did you come from?"
Cowie told her about TJ and asked if she knew him.
"No, sorry."

Cowie tried asking adults for help, but they didn't seem to hear him. Children always heard him and felt better after giving him a hug. Some knew TJ, some didn't, but none could tell him how to get home until...

One day a little boy was hiding at the bottom of the slide by covering his eyes. Cowie had seen TJ do this many times. Of course he could still see the boy, but he pretended to bump into him since he was supposed to be invisible.
"Excuse me. I didn't see you there," said Cowie to the boy.
"I hiding," explained the boy.
"Why are you hiding?"
"I scared."
"Well, give me a hug. I'm a little scared too." The boy felt better and began to talk to Cowie. As it turned out, the boy knew TJ. This little boy was very smart and asked his mommy where TJ lived. His mommy said they couldn't go today, but when the boy showed her Cowie and explained that he belonged to TJ, she agreed to stop by.

They left Cowie at the mailbox. It took him a lot of work and a little time to climb the steps to the door. His stuffing seemed heavy and his fur was dirty. He jumped, but couldn't reach the doorbell. Cowie was so tired, but so close to seeing his best friend that he kept jumping.

TJ's mommy heard what sounded like rice being thrown at the doorstep. She looked over and saw through the glass a little white and mostly brown Cowie bouncing and flopping just outside. TJ's mommy hurried to the door and opened it, not believing her eyes. Cowie came in and asked where TJ was. He was asleep, and TJ's mommy asked if Cowie could wait until the morning to see him. Cowie agreed and curled up outside his best friend's bedroom door.

Cowie woke up cold in the night. He looked around and spied a fuzzy orange backpack. He decided to crawl in to keep warm. The next morning, Cowie was not outside TJ's door. TJ's mommy was puzzled, but decided she must have dreamed the whole story and chose not to tell TJ so he wouldn't be upset. It was better not to mention Cowie since he was still missing.

Later that day, cleaning the playroom, TJ's mommy found Cowie in that orange backpack. He didn't say anything like he had the night before. The tale of Cowie's adventure must have all been a dream, but Cowie was found and TJ was happy!

Best friends reunited