Epilogue: The End of an Old Friendship and the Beginning of a New One
Christopher Robin was able recover his life after that visit to the
Hundred-Acre Wood. Physically, he regained his health with the exception of
a limp in his left leg. Mentally and emotionally he was finally able to
talk to family and friends about what happened in Iraq. Many gave him
sympathy and emotional support after his story. He also met Joe's mother to
give her his condolences. Christopher Robin eventually graduated from
college and opened up a restaurant in town called Pooh and Company. It
became the favorite eating spot for many people, though they could never
figure out the odd name. (Christopher Robin eventually said he named it
after some friends who helped him get through his post-military life.)
Christopher Robin later got married and had four kids. He was an
active and well liked in the community until his death. Before his death,
Christopher Robin gave some instructions to son, Christopher Jr. "Go get
Pooh and the gang for me please." Christopher Jr. fulfilled his dying
father's last request and got Winnie-the-Pooh and the rest of the Hundred-
Acre Wood to meet his father for the last time. Many people didn't
understand why Christopher had a bunch of stuff animals near his deathbed
or at his funeral. They were simply told they were old possessions of
Christopher's that were very sentimental to him. As strange as it was they
accepted the presence of the stuff animals, though some people swore that
the animals cried. Only Christopher Robin's children knew the importance of
the stuff animals and knew that they were no ordinary stuff animals.
Christopher Jr. grew up, as his father did, near the Hundred-Acre Wood and
playing its residents. He knew that they were the reason his father was
able to cope with the war and his life afterward.
The burial took place on a chilly autumn day. The hearse drove to a
clearing on the edge to the Hundred-Acre Wood where a large group of people
gathered. The forest was now property of the Robin family. Christopher
Robin had purchased it several years ago to keep it from being destroyed by
developers and to keep the existence of its residents a secret. He made it
a wish of his to be buried there. The casket was removed and lowered in to
the ground. After a moment of silence Christopher Jr. threw in the first
handful of dirt and everyone departed of the gravedigger shoveled in the
remaining soil into the grave. Finally, the gravedigger finished his job
and left. The only people remaining were Christopher Jr., his daughter
Rachel, and Winnie-the-pooh and friends. Rachel, who had a blank look on
her face during the funeral, started crying. She loved her grandfather very
much. Christopher Jr. tried to comfort her daughter to no avail. Just then
Winnie-the-Pooh, who had been still and silent for much of the funeral,
started moving towards Rachel. "It's going to be OK, Rachel. He's somewhere
better now," Pooh said. Rachel knew about the Woods secret, being that it
ran it the family. She hugged Pooh and started to cry against his shoulder.
Pooh and the rest of the Wood residents comforted Rachel. She's going to be
all right, thought Christopher Jr. to himself. He looked towards the
gravestone and read the epitaph.
Christopher Robin Sr.
1982-2052
Sargent, U.S. Army,
Afghanistan and Iraq, 2001-2003
Friend, father, and confidant
May you rest peacefully in you beloved Wood
Christopher Jr. gazed into the forest pondering its magic. Dad's right, he
thought, this place does have magic in it, the magic of friendship.
(Author's note: I started writing this story after Thanksgiving 2003 after
news stories poured in about the growing number of causalities in Iraq
after President Bush declared major combat in Iraq over. I saw a
documentary on ABC about the returning soldiers recuperating from their
injuries. I personally do not oppose military action in Iraq or
Afghanistan. The soldiers in those countries doing one of the hardest jobs
in the world: defending our freedom. If for some reason you do not share
this view, I understand. You are entitled to your opinion.)
Christopher Robin was able recover his life after that visit to the
Hundred-Acre Wood. Physically, he regained his health with the exception of
a limp in his left leg. Mentally and emotionally he was finally able to
talk to family and friends about what happened in Iraq. Many gave him
sympathy and emotional support after his story. He also met Joe's mother to
give her his condolences. Christopher Robin eventually graduated from
college and opened up a restaurant in town called Pooh and Company. It
became the favorite eating spot for many people, though they could never
figure out the odd name. (Christopher Robin eventually said he named it
after some friends who helped him get through his post-military life.)
Christopher Robin later got married and had four kids. He was an
active and well liked in the community until his death. Before his death,
Christopher Robin gave some instructions to son, Christopher Jr. "Go get
Pooh and the gang for me please." Christopher Jr. fulfilled his dying
father's last request and got Winnie-the-Pooh and the rest of the Hundred-
Acre Wood to meet his father for the last time. Many people didn't
understand why Christopher had a bunch of stuff animals near his deathbed
or at his funeral. They were simply told they were old possessions of
Christopher's that were very sentimental to him. As strange as it was they
accepted the presence of the stuff animals, though some people swore that
the animals cried. Only Christopher Robin's children knew the importance of
the stuff animals and knew that they were no ordinary stuff animals.
Christopher Jr. grew up, as his father did, near the Hundred-Acre Wood and
playing its residents. He knew that they were the reason his father was
able to cope with the war and his life afterward.
The burial took place on a chilly autumn day. The hearse drove to a
clearing on the edge to the Hundred-Acre Wood where a large group of people
gathered. The forest was now property of the Robin family. Christopher
Robin had purchased it several years ago to keep it from being destroyed by
developers and to keep the existence of its residents a secret. He made it
a wish of his to be buried there. The casket was removed and lowered in to
the ground. After a moment of silence Christopher Jr. threw in the first
handful of dirt and everyone departed of the gravedigger shoveled in the
remaining soil into the grave. Finally, the gravedigger finished his job
and left. The only people remaining were Christopher Jr., his daughter
Rachel, and Winnie-the-pooh and friends. Rachel, who had a blank look on
her face during the funeral, started crying. She loved her grandfather very
much. Christopher Jr. tried to comfort her daughter to no avail. Just then
Winnie-the-Pooh, who had been still and silent for much of the funeral,
started moving towards Rachel. "It's going to be OK, Rachel. He's somewhere
better now," Pooh said. Rachel knew about the Woods secret, being that it
ran it the family. She hugged Pooh and started to cry against his shoulder.
Pooh and the rest of the Wood residents comforted Rachel. She's going to be
all right, thought Christopher Jr. to himself. He looked towards the
gravestone and read the epitaph.
Christopher Robin Sr.
1982-2052
Sargent, U.S. Army,
Afghanistan and Iraq, 2001-2003
Friend, father, and confidant
May you rest peacefully in you beloved Wood
Christopher Jr. gazed into the forest pondering its magic. Dad's right, he
thought, this place does have magic in it, the magic of friendship.
(Author's note: I started writing this story after Thanksgiving 2003 after
news stories poured in about the growing number of causalities in Iraq
after President Bush declared major combat in Iraq over. I saw a
documentary on ABC about the returning soldiers recuperating from their
injuries. I personally do not oppose military action in Iraq or
Afghanistan. The soldiers in those countries doing one of the hardest jobs
in the world: defending our freedom. If for some reason you do not share
this view, I understand. You are entitled to your opinion.)