We never used the attachment with Gus before, and neither of us really knew how it worked. I have since gone online and seen pictures of the tub – apparently the attachment is used to hook plastic fish and other faux-sea dwelling creatures. Anyhow, for whatever reason Guster took a liking to this thing. And for a while, we didn’t really know what to call it. Then one day, I suggested Pinky, and Gus seemed to like that. So, Pinky it would be.
Pinky went everywhere with Gus. When we took Gus to daycare, Pinky came with. Gus would eventually put Pinky in his locker, but at the end of the day when we would go to pick him up – sometimes he was more excited that he would be reunited with Pinky than the fact that Mom and Dad were there. Gus would sprint to his locker and exclaim, “Pinky!”
Pinky went to the grocery store, to the Galleria, to both Grandma and Grandpa’s in Minnesota, and to Grandma and Grandpa’s in Tennessee. Emily and I learned to care a lot about Pinky’s whereabouts. One time we were on our way to daycare, and got a few blocks down the road, when Gus asked, “Pinky?” In the front seat Emily and I looked at each other, and then Em turned the car around and I ran inside to find Pinky. On many a morning when I would go into Gus’ room he would immediately ask for Pinky, who had invariably gotten lost during the night – either dropped out of the crib, or tucked away in some corner. In a nearsighted, sleepy stupor, I would dutifully reach down and grope the blanket and under the bumpers until my fingers felt the familiar rubber of Pinky. I would then return Pinky to the grateful embrace of Guster.
Now, just in the past few weeks, Gus has been showing signs that he is losing his Pinky dependence. He was more apt to set him down and leave him somewhere, and didn't always wake up asking for him. (Yeah – Pinky’s a him). But he still liked him, and he still went with Gus every time we left the house. So we were a bit horrified this past Saturday when the unthinkable happened – Pinky was lost. It was bedtime and Gus was asking for Pinky, and we could not find him anywhere. We searched everywhere in the house, but to not avail. We had gone to the grocery store earlier in the afternoon, so Emily and I thought he might be there, but then we remembered that Emily and Gus were playing tug-a-war with Pinky during the car ride home from the store. Emily and Gus had taken a walk earlier in the evening while I made dinner, so I thought Pinky was surely dropped somewhere outside. After Gus had bravely gone to bed without Pinky for the first time in months, I put my jacket on and retraced the path that Emily and Gus took on their walk. It was cold and dark, as I examined the snow banks lining our neighborhood sidewalks for a sign of the lost talisman. No Pinky. Oh no! I went to bed hoping that Gus didn’t feel as badly as his Dad did. I just felt like we had failed Gus by losing something that was so important to him. The next day we all took a walk retracing the same path yet again, this time hoping that we might be able to better spot Pinky by daylight. Emily and I braced for Guster’s reaction to his lost friend, but Gus took it all in stride. His peace with the absence of Pinky was aided by a new companion – Saw. Gus had taken to carrying around his wooden toy saw.
We went more than 48 hours without Pinky, but then this morning as we got ready to go, Emily grabbed a canvas bag to pack some stuff for Gus to take over to his Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and – found Pinky resting at the bottom of the bag! We all rejoiced the return of Pinky, who then accompanied Gus to Grandma’s house, and is currently nestled under a sleeping Guster’s arm. Phew.
Pinky and Gus getting ready for Bed.
Happy Valentine's Day, Pinky!
Pinky and Gus take on Tennessee!
Saw -- I see you! 
