Squish, squish, squish

– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young –

I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy.

That line from Finding Nemo pretty much sums up my attachment to “squishies.” I can’t help it, they’re so cute and...well...squishy.

It all started back, such a long, long time back. Whoops, slipped into the Lorax there, which I know by heart, if you ever need me to recite that book to you. Ahem, anyway, as I was saying, it started a long time back – my obsession with squishies.

I used to have an un-inflated balloon, filled with flour, with a happy, sappy face drawn on it, sitting on my dresser when I was in middle school/early teens. I think I was given it at Farm Progress Days, but I don’t remember for sure. All I know, is how much I loved squeezing it.

It just made me feel better, and was so hypnotic and soothing. I could nod off, just thinking of it, even after all these years. Unfortunately, latex filled with a soft substance is not ever-lasting and I had to throw it away when it got punctures in it.

All these years later, I still think of it, but until a few years ago, I didn’t find a squishy to be my squishy. I don’t think I even knew I was looking for a “squishy,” I just wanted something like a stress ball or whatever. Then, I went to an event at Lake Holcombe School, where my former coworker, Monique (obviously, she knew I’d want it), and the then guidance counselor, Barb Van-Doorn, offered me a tiny, white, squishy unicorn.

Oh yeah, it was definitely my Squishy. That, however, wasn’t the last one I’d find, as last year, I played the dart game at the community fair. I won enough points to get a squishy unicorn head, with beads in it. That unicorn head brings me much pleasure, placed here on my desk at work.

But, it’s not alone. This year, I threw enough on-target darts to get a squishy alligator and that keeps my unicorn company. Along with the squishy hedgehog. And the squishy pig. And turtle. And squirrel. And penguin. And seal. And dinosaur. And yellow unicorn (not as cute as the white, but don’t tell it that).

Perhaps the most entertaining and addictive one, is the squishy panda. He has the most rounded little bottom, just begging to be booped. Yes, booped. You know, you just “boop” the bottom to watch it pop back up. Really? You’ve never tried it. Don’t know what you’re missing!

I also corrupted one of my co-workers, who I gave a hippo to, with its own boop-worthy little bottom. She might have more of a problem than I do and I think is ready to write her daughter out of her will, if she squishes/boops it one more time without her mother’s permission.

I even gave a couple squishies to some of “my kids” when I went to cover a school event. I had just gotten a whole bunch I grabbed at the dollar store and I wanted to share; they seemed excited for them, but probably called to see how much a therapist would cost for me.

Pretty sure my co-workers have probably looked into that, because they just sigh, when I pick up one of my little creatures and squeeze, proclaiming, “Squish, squish, squish.” What? You can’t squish them without saying that, it’s the rules!

Even though I’m quite literally out of room to put anymore squishies on my desk or file cabinet, I can’t promise I won’t bring more in. I mean, what I am supposed to do, ignore their squishy little faces? It’s not like they’re distracting me from anything important.

Now, about that green squishy monkey I have in my car console....