I’ve done a lot of fishing so far this year and a couple of trips down to Cabbage Key, that’s about 100 miles south by way of the gulf by boat, it’s the only way you can get to it is by boat. For a day trip it’s a long day.

The weather has been more like what I grew up with around here so, it means a lot of miles on the boats and that works for me.

Welcome all you dreamers welcome to the Village of Pillows story time. Today’s story is Teddy’s Day and it is a grand old story and since today is Teddy’s birthday we just had to tell his story from the old storybook.

It was way, way back in the early years of slumber world. Back then dreamers were far and few between because there wasn’t all that many people in your world. So we didn’t have many villages or towns here in Slumber World. Those that came brought toys and things that were familiar to them until they all learned how to really dream. As they created more villages and they grew older, they would leave those toys that they brought for others to use while here. Eventually we had a town just of toys and things.

A few industrious dreamers would travel to that village, look, and play with some of the things till they would leave. Eventually it became a popular little place for all to travel to since it had so many things to dream with. This one person I saw many times was just picking through and saving little bits and pieces each time and putting them onto a chair. I asked him one day what he was doing with the bits and pieces of blankets pillows and things. He replied to me that he did not rightly know but they did look like good things. The chair could be a throne or possibly a storytellers, seat. Holding a piece of a blanket in one hand and a pillow in the other he looked down at them and just shook his head and said here anything is possible and a great place to come up with new toys.

Each time he came his destination was always the same. Never venturing to any other part of the world so I would make it a point to go to the village and talk with him. He wanted to be a toy maker when he got older and his dreams were always of toys that would make other’s happy and dream well. Although his greatest challenge was his older sisters boy who was very sick and did not know any dream. He told the boy of this world but was unable to get him to enter. He now was making him wooden toys and dressing them up to look like clowns, animals, and such. One time he sat down in the chair while talking to me and began to make up a story. As he started to tell the story, I began to make little hand animals and things that went with the story. Excitedly he rose saying something about my hand creatures and poof he was gone.

Not long after he was back and with a pillowcase full of little things and he showed me what he had come up with. Together we created a puppet show that day. Each time he came he would have all sorts of funny looking puppets and we started to have dreamers gathering for a new puppet show and story each night. But still the boy he was looking for was not to be found. Then one night he was dreaming sadly and didn’t do a story and puppet show. I tried to cheer him up by making faces and waving a pillow that had a hole in it, which started making a feather storm on him. Suddenly he reached down and grabbed the blanket on the ground next to the chair and started to fold it and to hold the folds he put a little stitch in them. Then he picked up some of the pillow feathers and put them inside of his folds. After he got done he held it up and looked at it, then he went over to the pile and got a little paint set and began to paint upon this funny looking pillow. When he got done, he had a funny looking but yet the cutest little stuffed puppet. The story that night was about the name less puppet and how he so wanted to dream but couldn’t without a special friend.

The next day when I saw him, he had a little boy with him and they were walking down the path towards the village. As you know dreamer’s names are never spoken here. This is the only time that I can recall a dreamers name was ever spoken. He said this is Ted and this is Teddy. Teddy is what you helped me to create. I was just going over to the wooden chair and tell Ted a story.

The Village of Pillows is that village, this is the chair, and this square is the place that first story was told without the puppets after the creation of Teddy.

Is that all Mr. Story teller, a young boy cried out.

Why no, that isn’t all, I started with Teddy’s birth since it is his birthday and this is his village. Now I will tell you the first Teddy story as it was told way back then.

The story my Slumber visitor’s is called Teddy’s Picnic. Teddy dreamed himself to Teddy Ville and upon arrival at the town square he went to the shop of wheels and got a two-seat bicycle since he was taking Daisy Bear on a picnic. Daisy Bear is his best friend and sweetheart. Once he began peddling Teddy went down main street saying hi to all he passed until he got to the edge of town where he turned down Their Street and then turned down That Lane where he stopped for a moment to talk with Fluffy bear who he had known since he was a little bear cub. Fluffy knew why Teddy had a two-seat bicycle and towards the end of the conversation reminded Teddy that Daisy Bear had moved from That Lane over to Floral Drive which was on the other side of town. With that Teddy immediately bid a hasty farewell because he did not want to be late picking up Daisy.

Teddy peddled just as fast as his little paws could go. His fur started to stick together and as he passed the feather store his speed created just enough air current that some loose feathers near the path came up and stuck to him. By the time he got to Daisy’s he was covered with different colored feathers.

Daisy was sitting on the porch waiting for Teddy and when she saw him she could not contain her laughter. When Teddy spotted her he saw that she was laughing so hard her stuffing was all displace. He stared at her for a moment with a look of confusion, she tried to point but was unable and Teddy never caught on till a passing lion stopped and began to chuckle and in between chuckles he managed to get out “son I know you’re a Teddy but right now you look like a fine feathered critter”.

Oh I see that you are still here; I hope you enjoyed the theater? You did oh that’s great, those teddy bears really know how to have fun don’t they? Yes, I agree with you, they really do perform well. Have you been anywhere else around here since the end of the play? Oh, you woke up just after you came out of the theater and then ended up here just a moment ago.

Well waking up, going out, and experiencing things is good as it gives you a chance to gather up stuff to bring back here when you sleep, nap, or even day dream. This place wasn’t much more then a field when it first came into being. No towns, villages, or even sheep. One of the first visitors brought the sheep. I have discussed its history at length with one of the historians in Dilly Ville. Nevertheless, we will talk about history at another time if we see each other.

Since you haven’t been anywhere but the center of town here in Dally and the theater would you, like to join me? I’m going to the Town Of Pillows. They have great tales of teddy bears. You would oh great, the master writer that wrote the teddy bear and his boy is a great storyteller. You will sleep well tonight while hearing any of his stories story.

To get to the Town Of Pillows all we have to do is go over here in the center of the square and think Town Of Pillows, now you don’t have to think real hard unless your having a hard time staying here on Slumber World. You’re not oh good, because that makes it hard to change locations. Now think.

See that wasn’t hard now was it? Yes, those flowers are funny; those are fabric cases, they are made in another little village called Clowns’ Ville. You should go there when you think your going to have a nightmare. It will certainly tickle your funny bone. How did I learn about all the towns and villages? Oh I don’t think anyone knows about all of them, not even the historians here. I think it’s the visitor who limit’s the time that they spend here and the number of places that they can see. Me? No, I talk to those who live here and I talk to other dreamers and if they have been somewhere that I haven’t thought of to go or try. Tonight I felt like I would like to hear a story about a teddy since I didn’t make the theater.

The buildings? Oh well their isn’t much wind around here and the people that live here as well as visitors think calm weather. Yes, they are feathers that line the buildings inside and out. No it would not be nice to dream of a storm. Oh you were showing your humor. Well that’s okay but try to say it next time with humor. No, no, I’m not scolding you its just that they have had problems with some that would do something like that and; what was that? Oh, the ones that would wish that kind of weather here. You want to know where they go when they are kicked out of here. They are never allowed in Slumber World again. No one can wish himself or herself to that place nor would anyone want to. It is what you would call a nightmare. A sleepless nightmare, from what I have been told. No not like the ones that you have from time to time this is much worse. This kind is endless even when they are awake. The little ones you have can be controlled with a humorous thought. Yes, the ones you have come from those in the Nightmare World, they are forever trying to disrupt this World. However, they never will as long as we have so many towns, villages, dreamers and humor. The beauty that is created here is endless as well as the stories and humor; they could never gain any control here. I’m glad that you feel better, look around and use your imagination.

Now your getting the hang of it, I like the touch of a hanging basket with over sized flowers on the lamppost. Oh now that’s a good one, throwing my example of the things you could do here back at me; a sheep driving a car, hey I think he waved at us on his way by. He did okay that was certainly a great touch. They are gathering in the story area in the center of the square, come on let’s hurry; we want to get a good seat. Oh you’ll wish us near the big chair. Okay. Well you can work on that, in the seat of the big chair was just a little too close.

What’s so special about the center square you ask? When you come to any village or town in Slumber World near the square is where you will be. When you leave usually it will be from near the square also. On occasions you will be on your way to somewhere else in town and wake. But if you are anywhere close to the square you just start walking to it as I did earlier when we were on the way to the theater. I was just napping at that time and that is why I was able to finish our conversation and get you close to the theater. Oh you say you like this, that’s good. Oh, look, he has the old storybook. This most certainly will be a good story.

Have A Pleasant Dream.

This land cannot be found or seen or visited unless you dream. No one really lives or plays here unless you are dreaming. Well perhaps they do live and play here all the time; who really knows. But we do know that you can only visit when you are dreaming.

Some days the mayor of Dally spends much time calling on its residents to help turn nightmares into happy dreams. The names of many are called from memory although this is not a hard task as all are of the family Slumber.

Their days are long even though our nights are short and it has been said that the first to come are the Slumber Sheep family. The first one is called Slumber Sheep one. Bouncing into the court the first sheep takes the lead as the others are called and follow as happy as can be.

Volunteers in Dally are not hard to come by, as all are proud to reside here and aid in the rest of all dreamers. For without dreams they would not be. Just think of the one who maintains the meadow where the Slumber Sheep live. Where would he be if the Slumber Sheep were not? Oh perish the thought were would the Mayor be and who could he call if none were to be.

The land of Dally with its funny looking flowers for you to play with and the fuzzy sheep that walk the streets of houses that lean this way and that but this is my dream so I have them like that way and this way. Yours may be any way and this and sheep that look like poodles, or perhaps a sheep driving a car down a cobble stone street with the building leaning that way and this way or perhaps swaying to the sound of the car as it thumps down a cobble stone road made of chocolate bars. But for this I would not know since you are not telling me your dream.

Dally is just one land of the many lands that make up Slumber World. Many are the same but then different all at the same time. You can go to the others for it is just as simple as wishing you were there. Anyone of the residents of Dally will be glad to direct you. If you wish so the guide that resides at the end of town will be happy to take you on a tour and sample all the fun and play with all the things. But the guide is really just for those who are new to the world.

What’s that you say? You feel as though you have lost your way? Well my dear friend, here share my dream and I will guide you along the way. I was just about to go to the Dally Theater. They say it’s the best of all that the Slumber players have ever done. Most of the residents from Nap Village, which is just down the path a ways, are the cast and a famed writer from the Town of Pillows wrote the play.

What is the play you ask? Well since you have lost your way within Slumber and I did invite you I will let you in on a secret. Any dream you dream and wish to enter the theater they will be more then happy to do a play upon your request. You can enjoy a play on anything you wish. It’s your dream, or in this case it’s my dream. What is my play about? Well since the master writer from the Town of Pillow’s wrote it, it is about the teddy bear and his boy of course. The Town of Pillows is most famous for its teddy bear tales since they are the pillows and who better to know all about teddy bears. They spend all day sitting together on beds all over the world.

I’m sorry to say but the theater is the best I can do as my dreamtime is waning and I must wake. Now if you are lost when I return I will surely be glad to help but in the mean time enjoy the play. Pleasant Dreams.

By Bill Lockwood

A world that contains many lands and possibly many more then you can dream alone. Here the dream is real and with others, can be experienced. For here, you are a participant in an imaginary world, one that has no boundaries or limits.

A pirate I think I will be for the night and sail one of the seven seas or possibly all seven, but to sail all seven this would mean a very short adventure on each. For this, I could do if I wish, or perhaps I’ll solo a sailing craft around the world, here I would be the captain and mate since I would be alone. But a solo adventure would not be as much fun as including others who are dreaming like me.

Many villages and towns all located here and their. These places have been created by dreamers from all through out the universe; and reach far and beyond. Just dream and you shall be there. The place I begin is the place where I started at birth, for I have always been a dreamer. This place is very special to me. Even though we all see the places a different way when we dream, if we wish to share our dream with those that we wish to share it with when we meet they will see it as we do.

Everyone is invited; some begin at the beginning of their life and some just learn to dream along the way. It’s a dreamer’s world and no one is excluded. A pass is not required just a little imagination.

The following stories are a slight journey through Slumber World; this is what it has been called for all time, as one has to be slumbering to enter. But I guess that you already guessed that.

The Land Of Dally is our next Stop so please continue with me to that little old Village.