I wrote about Chuckles before — the white Teddy (polar?) bear that I was given my last night working at the Manor Pancake house in Elgin. Here’s what I said:

I know exactly where this last item came from. In 1978 I was working as a server at the Manor Pancake House in Elgin to pay for my upcoming +3-month long stay in England to student teach in London. I’d worked there long enough to have “regulars” and this item came from my favorite “regulars,” Carol and her workmate Chuck. They worked at Beef Villa and we got to know each other through visits to one another’s places of employment. I don’t know that we ever actually hung out together except at work.

Anyway, on my last evening at work before my trip to England was a very snowy one. I didn’t expect to see too many people I knew at the restaurant, but pretty much all of my “regulars” came in to say goodbye to me. I was really touched. Carol and Chuck even brought me a present. A stuffed polar bear. I named him Chuckles — sort of a combination of Chuck and Carol. All these years later, the three of us have reconnected (on Facebook of course). Chuckles is a keeper.

A few found things, Clutch Cargo Lips, November 5, 2017

Today, in a makeshift scrapbook full of old memorabilia, I came across the note they wrote on a restaurant napkin the night they gave me Chuckles. All these years later it still makes me smile. (No, I’m not crying — it’s my allergies…)