Woody, the cowboy from the movie Toy Story, was his constant companion over the school holidays.
Sheriff’s badge gleaming, he sat next to Finn, 7, while he ate dinner.
He lay, hat firmly on, next to Finn as he slept.
“You’ve got a friend in me,” Finn sang to the toy cowboy lovingly.
Trees were climbed. Forts were built in the hedge. There were mud fights with his brother and sisters. Imaginative battles were waged over Lego land ownership with the Evil Dr Pork chop.
Through it all Woody was there, legs dangling.
“There’s a snake in my boots,” Finn drawled on his behalf.
Then disaster struck.
Woody was left behind on an adventure to the ”pony paddock” at Riccarton Racecourse.
After running around, looking for rabbits, Finn fell asleep. Dad carried him to the car. It wasn’t until Finn woke up later that Woody’s absence became apparent.
“Where’s Woody?” Finn said, sobbing his heart out.
In the rain Dad went back to look for the cowboy but the posse returned empty handed.
That night Finn couldn’t sleep. He kept staring at the space on the pillow where Woody should have been.
When Finn woke up the next morning his pillow was still a little damp with tears.
He sang in his bed, missing Woody:
”When the road looks rough ahead
”And you’re miles and miles
”From your nice warm bed
”You just remember what your old pal said
”Boy, you’ve got a friend in me
”Yeah, you’ve got a friend in me”.
It rained for days. For days Finn looked out the window.
”I’m looking for Woody, he knows I love him so he is walking home to me,” he said confidently.
A week passed but Finn didn’t give up hope.
He and Woody’s horse, Bulls Eye, waited patiently, looking out the window, down the driveway, for their friend to appear.
Mum and dad weren’t sure what to do. Times are tough on one income with four children.
But some things in life are priceless.
On Saturday morning Finn opened the front door to find Woody sitting on the doorstep.
”You came back to me,” Finn yelled with joy before running up the stairs to show his brother and sisters.
”I loved him back home,” he said, smiling and hugging Woody tight. ”I loved him new, Woody has grown taller because I
loved him.”
Mum then had to clean Woody’s muddy boots – he must have walked a long way home – before Finn could proudly write his name on Woody’s boot again.
”It’s magic that brought you back,” Finn insisted, kissing Woody on the cheek. ”Isn’t it Woody?”
Mum hummed under her breath, thinking of Finn and Woody, but also of the people of Canterbury who have gone through so many difficult times together but are still able to find magic in helping a small boy reunite with his toy:
”If you’ve got troubles, I’ve got ’em too
”There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you
”We stick together and can see it through
”Because you’ve got a friend in me
”You’ve got a friend in me.”
Off to school this morning, Finn hugged Woody tight before he left.
”See you later, Woody,” he said.
Woody just grinned back, woodenly.
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