Waiting

I happened upon this fellow at a postcard patch of beach, didn't
even notice him at first. Driving past, I'd caught a glimpse of a 
group of seagulls lined up like sentinels on a dock and a gathering
of eight or nine swans paddling below in the water. I
pulled in for a look.  

As I turned to head back to the car, here was this small teddy bear,
careworn, graying, fur matted, seated on a park bench. If black button eyes could look forlorn, his did. He'd sat there, it seemed through any 
number of rainy nights, but also an abundance of sunrises.

In marker on the park bench the words read "Please don't take me!" and 
attached to his wrist was a  sage and citrus air freshener.  
I wondered who'd placed him there and what he meant to somebody. 

I looked at him again and this time, as the sun was rising up, he didn't look
so sad. He just looked like he was waiting.