Ben and Tony Bear. Book 1. Ben meets Tony.

Ben and Tony Bear Stories. Book 22. Tony Bear's friendship lesson.

Ben has many sensation problems. One of them is that he puts a lot of things in his mouth to feel them with his tongue. The wiring in his brain has got a little crossed, that is what autism mainly is all about crossed wires in your brain. But that does not make his brain broken or damaged, it just means that he does things slightly different and gets messages from different places sent to his brain. Like most of Ben's feeling is from touching things with the tip of his tongue, not with his finger tips but we are working on getting him to use his finger tips too.

Another problem is that he likes metal. Metal is cold. It has a shape to it and it has lots of bumpy bits on it. Sometimes it is very smooth too even though it has a shape. Metal badges and cars are one of Ben's favorite things to put in his mouth and feel with his tongue. And the last few times to touch with his finger tips.

And another thing Ben does not like is change. Everything has it's place in the house.

Last Christmas Uncle Kevin number two, - Yes, Ben has two Uncle Kevin's. Uncle Kevin number two bought Ben a big red cuddly fox and as he knew that Ben liked metal badges, he pinned a couple to the foxes ears. Fox was left downstairs for a year, of course he had met the chief toys of the house like every toy that came into the house did. But Fox was always causing trouble. He would tell such stories and he would scare the smaller toys. Now Mompy and Big Ted had spoken to him about his ways but he would just not behave himself.

One year later nearly, Ben bought Fox over to Mummy and a couple of new badges that Aunty Claire had given too him. The badges would not all fit on Fox's ears. Ben looked around, he spotted on the hallway table Daddies flat cap. It had a badge on it just like Aunty Claire's cap, and just like Uncle Kevin's. Ben lifted Daddies cap, underneath was Ben's own flat cap that he had never worn.

Ben took the flat cap to Mummy. Mummy took the badges from Fox's ears and put them on the cap, then she put the new ones on the cap too. Mummy went to put the cap on Ben's head but he pulled it off and gave it back to Mummy.

Ben pointed to Fox. Ben wanted Fox to wear the cap. Mummy put the cap on Fox. It covered his ears and eyes. You could only just make out the tip of his nose pointing out from under the cap brim. It was way too big for him. But Ben liked the cap on fox better than he did his own head.

Fox liked the cap too. It made him look cool and sneaky. He liked looking sneaky.

Ben carried Fox upstairs, licking the metal badges with his tongue. Fox did not like Ben drooling all over his new look, but he could do nothing about it. At least not until tonight.

Tony Bear sat on the bed. He waved as Ben came in. Tony Bear had not seen Ben for at least half an hour. Ben did not see him wave. Ben had a new friend in his arms cuddling and Ben was licking his hat with shiny badges on it. Tony Bear's smile disappeared. Ben had a new friend. And of all the toys in the house he had picked Fox. No one liked Fox. Even Tony Bear did not like him. He was always telling scary stories to the little ones and playing tricks on them. Tony Bear hung his head and a little tear rolled sadly down his nose.

" Ha, Ha. " Laughed Fox. " You've been replaced baggy, by me." Ben did not hear what Fox said, he could only Tony Bear because Tony Bear was his friend for life. Tony Bear said nothing though, he sadly drooped on the bed with another tear rolling down his little grey cheek .

Ben spent most of the evening with Fox, licking the badges and feeling the shapes with his tongue and sometimes touching them with his fingertips. The only reason Ben had Fox was because he had the flat cap on with the badges on. Soon as bedtime came, Ben put Fox on the chair in the study and went back to Tony Bear and cuddled him.

Fox was a little put out at being left in the study for a straggly little bit of material. Tony Bear was very happy though. Ben did still love him.

" I thought you had a new friend. I did feel jealous and upset, but there was no need to be jealous was there. " Whispered Tony Bear as he lay in the bed cuddled up on Ben's shoulder. Ben shook his head. He would never stop loving Tony Bear. Tony Bear was his to the end. Ben hugged him so tightly, Tony Bear smiled happily.

Mummy picked up the toys in the study. She put the cars away in their box in Ben's room, and bought Fox in and put him onto Ben's bed. Fox smiled craftily. Mummy put the baby alarm on. She kissed Ben and Tony Bear goodnight and went downstairs.

That was when Fox started the trouble. He sat on the side of the bed.

" Hey kid, " he yapped. " You don't want that old thing. You and me kid, we've been best mates all after noon."

" He is not your friend. " Said Tony Bear. " The only reason Ben wanted you was because you had the cap with badges on it. Ben wont wear hats. "

" Now that is not nice kid, using fox for a hat bearer. Not nice at all. I'm coming over to give you a piece of my mind. " Fox got up and started to walk towards Tony Bear and Ben. Ben started to cry. Fox was nasty.

Mummy heard Ben cry on the baby alarm. He was so upset. Fox sat down on the bed, he grinned a sly grin from underneath the cap. Ben hugged Tony Bear tightly. He loved Tony Bear. He only wanted Tony Bear. Mummy came into Ben's room.

" Hey, what's up kiddo? Why are you crying?" Ben sobbed and pointed to Fox. " Don't you want Fox in your room? " Ben shook his head. He did not want Fox in his room. And he did not want Fox to wear his cap anymore. Ben crawled out of bed and whipped the cap off. Ben pointed to Fox again. Mummy picked up Fox. " Okay, I'll take him back downstairs. " Mummy took Fox away. He was sat back on the settee, alone in the corner again. He was a naughty Fox scaring Ben like that.

Ben cuddled Tony tightly. He cried for a little while. He was still crying a little when Mummy and Daddy came up to bed. Tony Bear had tried to calm him down. But Fox had done his worst, yet again. Ben was just too frightened to sleep. Fox might do something nasty to Tony Bear he thought and then what, Ben would not know because he was asleep. Ben ended up in bed with Mummy and Daddy where he fell asleep cuddling Tony Bear and being cuddled by Mummy and Daddy.

That night, Mompy and Big Ted and the other toys that ran the house went and had a word with Fox. If he did not behave himself, or he frightened Ben again then there would be trouble. Fox would be put into the toy box and left there for a long time. Or worse he would be given away.

" I'm sorry. " Said Fox. " I just wanted someone to like me. I guess I got a bit jealous of the little scrap up there. "

" Well. " Said Big Ted, " Not all the toys that come into the house will be played with. Ben is very special. He only plays with his cars and Tony Bear, but that does not mean that you are any less loved than any other toy in this house. Ben will play with you in his own time like he did today. But he will always go back to Tony Bear. This is something every toy in this house understands, and you have to learn too just as all the other toys have."

" I'm so sorry. " Said Fox next morning when Ben and Tony Bear came down. Ben went upstairs and picked up the cap. He did not like wearing caps or hats. It was way too big for Tony Bear. Ben took the cap downstairs. He put the cap onto Fox's head. Fox did look very good in the cap even though it did cover his eyes and most of his nose. Ben and Tony Bear gave Fox a hug. After all as Tony Bear learnt too, being jealous was not a good thing. And Ben still loved Tony Bear even though he was playing with other toys. Ben would always love Tony Bear.