Please meet Martin, an antique German Teddy bear

Please meet Martin, an antique German Teddy bear!  He is made of a grayish colored plush, but his muzzle and paw pads are made out of a yellow-orange mohair.   His head is stuffed with straw, but his body is soft.  He was originally five-way jointed, but his neck has been sewn so he cannot turn his head.   He's 15 inches tall, and for his big size he is very light, weighing just under one pound.  I'm not sure who manufactured him, but he's a nice quality bear.  I believe he's from the 1950s, or before.  I've always liked his little serious smile.

Martin doesn't remember the exact name of the village where he was born, but he knows it wasn't far from Lake Constance, where the borders of Switzerland, Austria and Germany converge.   He was the faithful companion of a young boy, Helmut, who lived at the base of the Pfänder mountain, who would take him on excursions to the medieval towns of Lindau and Bregenz.    Helmut's father owned a textile factory and sold industrial fabrics to the airlines and railroads.   Helmut took Martin everywhere, and soon Martin took an interest in weaving and discovered the difference between the warp and the weft and could recognize quality material by touch with his eyes closed.   He knew the thread counts of sheets by sight and had expertise in what dyes to use to make colors like deep purple, cornflower blue and cerise.  He enjoyed his days at the factory with Helmut, especially when the workers would feed them both chocolate biscuits and Black Forest Cake.

As time wore on, Martin was not exactly ignored, but given a lesser role in Helmut's life.   At university, Martin sat on top of Helmut's chest of drawers in a place of prominence most of the time, and later when Helmut married, he was put in the back of the wardrobe and hugged on occasion when Martin could catch his eye.   But sometimes he was placed on top of the bed among the pillows, and late at night, Helmut would share his secrets and concerns with his childhood bear.  When Helmut's daughter Elsa was born, he was a best friend to her, too.  She often sought his advice and shared her feelings with him.  He was always a good listener. 

When Elsa started working at the factory, Martin wanted to visit his old haunt, too.  Elsa wasn't too keen on the idea.  She told him it was a very dangerous place for a Teddy bear, but one spring day, despite her warnings, he sneaked into her car, hid behind her seat, and upon arrival at the office, when no one was looking, he bounded up the steps and ran into the warehouse.   There he climbed up on the catwalk, hurrying right past the "Hardhats Area" sign.  As he leaned forward and stood on tippy toes to watch the machines produce the most beautiful jacquard, Martin hardly noticed the catwalk beginning to sway.  He lost his balance, fell over the side, and landed right smack in the middle of a running loom!  If it wasn't for the safety guard, his injuries could have been a lot worse.   As it was, his neck required a fusion, and he was laid up for six weeks, where he was pampered by his family with chocolate biscuits and Black Forest Cake.   He decided he would quite enjoy retirement.   

Today, he sits on the bed among the pillows, thumbing through books of fabrics, contemplating life, just waiting for someone to share their feelings with him.  He's still a good listener.