by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Back from a wonderful vacation. Headed over the mountains to Sisters, Oregon with my BFF and had a blast. When I was packing I remembered ABB, or Air Bunny Bear, my mascot. ABB flew with me on all my missions in the Air Force Reserve. He has his own camouflage sleeping bag and a couple of uniforms, including his blue ABB cape. It seemed like a good idea to reactivate him and take him along.
A seasoned traveler, ABB’s been to the beaches of Florida, sat in snow during Christmas in Alaska and been on the flight deck of a C141b at 37,000 feet; I have the pics to prove it. He hasn’t gotten around much lately, so I’m pretty sure he was jazzed to get out on the road again.
Lots of folks have personal mascots or good luck charms they take with them on journeys both before, during and after military service. It’s these memory tokens or “memory tags” which remind of us of people and places past. There is even a platoon of combat gnomes who have shipped out from Oregon to keep our troops company overseas.
A favorite movie of mine, “Amelie,” follows the adventures of a jet setting gnome too, long before the Travelocity Gnome showed up on the scene. My backyard and desk sport several Travelocity Gnomes, because you never know when you might need a gnome security squad.
Think back about the special mascots you’ve traveled with, sent as pieces of home or maybe even one you received while overseas. Radar of M*A*S*H tv fame had his teddy bear. Mascots tell us about ourselves and the folks we run into who have their own; all are great inspirati0ns for stories. Got a mascot?
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