Chapter 3

"Yard sale?"

"Today?"

"Are you sure?" Buzz, Slinky, and Mrs. Potatohead asked in unison. Woody sat in the middle of the toy box, crowded by his friends. Inside was dark and they all seemed to be looking for cover from a storm. There were so few of them left. Sarg was down to three parachutists and two infantrymen. There were surrounded by papers, a couple of baseballs, a mitt and the odd book. Woody saw this really wasn't a toy box anymore. The wagon became the catch-all for the odds and ends of Andy's life. He motioned for them to quiet down.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm sorry. I found the box last night." He said.

"Oh no." Mrs. Potatohead cried softly.

"We're finished now. Nice knowing you." Mr. Potatohead said. An edge of Woody's temper flared.

"That's enough." He said. "We're going to be fine."

"Woody's right." Buzz chimed in. "Andy still plays with us sometimes, and we know that he cares for us. He won't get rid of us." Woody was grateful for this. Buzz would always back him up.

"That's right," Woody said, taking the lead again. He lifted the lid of the wagon and motioned for them to look out into Andy's room. "See that? It's clean for once. Mom only tells Andy to clear stuff out if this place is a wreck." All of them moved to the opening, even Buzz. It was true. Andy's room was tidy. Woody would never tell them that he'd cleaned it. There wasn't much lying around, but there was enough to draw Mrs. Davis' attention. Nothing was moved far, just out of the way. He broke the rules when he did this, but it had helped save them from more than one sale. Jessie, who'd been quiet this whole morning, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Golly, that's a good view." She said.

"You said it." Hamm agreed. Woody nodded.

"Now, does everyone have their parts?" Woody asked. Everyone checked. No one was missing anything, not even Mrs. Potatohead's pocketbook. Woody nodded again. His friends had come down from the proverbial ledge. It would still be a bad day for them, just not terrifying. They heard Andy shift in bed and begin to wake up. The lid came down and they began to wait.

Andy stretched, got up, got dressed, and wandered out of the room. The toys could hear muffled conversation. Mrs. Davis spoke.

"Ok, I want everything that you're getting rid of in this box by nine. Andy, did you put the flyers up like I asked you?"

"Yes, Mom." Andy said.

"Molly, good grief, look at this mess. Come on, Andy and I help you sort this stuff out. You haven't played with this doll in ages; don't you think she could go into the box?"

"Yes." Molly said. With that, the great Spring Purge, also known as Spring Cleaning, began. All of Andy's toys sat tense in the toy box. They listened as Mrs. Davis helped her daughter pick and choose at least a dozen good toys to go out onto the table.

"The Little Bo Peep Lamp, really?" Andy's voice drifted through the walls of his own toy box. Woody tensed up even more. He felt like he would shatter at a touch. A terrible silence filled the darkness.

"Yes." Molly said, "I'm too big for it." Woody heard quiet gasps and felt big, sad eyes stare at him. His eyes narrowed, willing himself to hear Andy say that he'd like the lamp back.

"Well, ok." Andy said.

"As long as you're sure." Mrs. Davis said. Woody didn't need to lift the lid to know that Molly nodded. Bo was staying in the box. Dang. Could he think "dang?" Was that wrong? Oh who cares? Dang.

"What about you, young man? You haven't put anything in here yet." Mrs. Davis said. A sudden chill filled Woody. Had he done enough? He could only wait and see.

"Umm. I have an old mitt." Andy said.

"Nothing else?" Mrs. Davis asked.

"Nope." He replied.

"Then get that mitt." Mrs. Davis said. Andy came into the room. All of the toys assumed their "toy box" positions. The lid swiftly came up and a hand reached in, fishing. The hand found the familiar baseball mitt and retreated. The toy box lid fell to rest. Andy hadn't even looked. That was new. Well, it was bound to happen, but it didn't make the hurt any less. The toys listened as Andy left again and shut his door. The Davises carried the yard sale offerings downstairs. Someone let out a sigh.

"What are you going to do?" Buzz asked. Woody looked over to his best friend and shrugged.

"I'm not sure there's anything I can do." He said.

"Sir, the boys and I are at the ready if you come up with a mission plan." Sarg said with less bark than usual.

"That's good, Sarg, thanks." Woody said, lifting the lid letting his friends out. They didn't go far; they all hung around him in a circle, waiting to see where Woody would lead. It was like a loose, poorly choreographed group hug. Woody didn't say anything, just a nod in thanks. He walked over to the desk and climbed up to the window. They all followed him. Hamm and Potatohead helped Rex up. Woody listened as they gathered around him, he didn't bother to look. It was all up to hope number two.

"I'm sorry." Jessie said.

"It isn't over yet." Woody replied focusing out on the lawn. The tables were already set up. Mrs. Davis arranged pots and pans, the odd holiday decoration, some old clothes, Andy's old baseball mitt, Molly's unwanted toys, and one beloved Little Bo Peep Lamp. Woody couldn't see her face, her back was toward him.

It was a warm and bright Saturday. Obvious yard sale weather, people came. Cars lined Elm Street in front of the Davis residence. Woody watched them all. He watched as little girls picked up Molly's dolls and showed them to their moms. He watched a young couple buy all of Mrs. Davis' pots and pans. He watched the holiday decorations go to grace the walls of someone else's house. People came through and made offers on bits and pieces. Mrs. Davis' dress shoes, barely worn, went for two bucks a pair. Andy's old baseball mitt was sold before lunch.

It was a quarter-past two and Bo was still there. Yard sales end at four. In another two hours, Bo would be back in the Davis house. She would be back.

Woody almost allowed himself to breathe. Then he saw her, a little old lady. She looked over what was left of the sale. Woody shook his head. There was something about little old ladies that loved porcelain and pink tea roses. They all did. Mrs. Davis immediately went over to help her. They stood in front of Bo talking. Woody could see the words "new baby" and "great-grand daughter" form on the old woman's face. Mrs. Davis was full of congratulations. Mrs. Davis picked Bo up and walked over to the table with the cash box. The little old lady paid for her and took her away. Woody could see Bo's face, placid and still. No one was looking. The little old lady was more focused on her keys. Mrs. Davis turned to help someone with one of the old coats. Bo didn't look up. She didn't blow a kiss or even wave good bye. The old lady drove away and Bo didn't even look back. Great, that's just perfect.

"I can't believe it." Mr. Potatohead said quietly.

"How are you doing, Cowboy?" Buzz asked cautiously. Woody only looked at him. Woody blinked. He didn't feel anything, yet. It was so strange to watch his friends crumble in sadness. There was only one thought in his head. She left him. He wasn't enough.

Woody's memories skipped ahead to the very recent and still raw events that landed them at the Anderson house. Sarg, now down to only two parachutists left the Davis house. Everyone acted like Woody knew they would. Mrs. Potatohead actually asked if they should leave too. His friends all panicked. He scrambled to regain order. Everything in him said, "Get them to the attic. They'll be fine in the attic. It'll be over when we're in the attic."

Then there was Sunnyside. They chose en-mass to leave Andy at Sunnyside. It was that night with Bo all over again. It was too much. He couldn't believe that he was loosing his entire family in a single day. They weren't just leaving Andy, they were leaving him too. Something in him erupted. He let loose in hurt and anger, telling them that they were all being selfish. As much as he said to them, he really was still angry with Bo. He didn't even realize that he was still angry with her, he hadn't thought about it much in years. Everything he told them was everything he never told her.

Woody's memories faded into the night. He thought about the present. Andy was at college. They all were now Bonnie's toys. Woody looked over to the bed. His family was all here. They were safe, warm, loved, and played with. Woody heard something to his left. Slinky hopped up onto the bookcase. Woody could see the worry in his face.

"What are you doing up, Slinky?" Woody asked.

"I'd ask you the same thing." Slinky answered. Woody chuckled.

"Just thinking." Woody said. Slinky lay down next to Woody and looked up.

"Anything you want to share?" Slinky asked. Woody didn't want to share, at least not share everything. He scratched his friend behind the ears.

"It's just funny how things turn out." Woody said, still scratching behind Slinky's ears. His friend looked at him incredulously. "I'm fine, Slink, really." Woody said to Slinky's expression. Slinky relaxed and rested his head in Woody's lap. Woody continued to absently pet Slinky's head and thought some more.

There really wasn't anything in the world to complain about. They all gained a new love and respect for each other after the escape from Sunnyside, especially after facing the incinerator. Buzz and Jessie's relationship was finally starting to blossom. There were few things to fear. Bonnie was only four years old and the words "yard sale" and "attic" were never spoken in this house. Woody wasn't sure that Mrs. Anderson could even run a yard sale. There was only joy and happiness here. As hard as it was for Woody to give up Andy, he was happy. Woody could only hope that Bo was happy too, though he figured she was.

Jessie was right, though she didn't know it. Everyone was where they belonged.