When I was around 10 or so, I was hospitalized for about a week with some type of virus, I still don’t know exactly what I had, I just knew that I had to be there with an I-V stuck in the back of my hand 24/7 and I was in a room next to a new born who cried a lot at night so sleeping was tough for me then… strange dark place AND screaming infant. Anyways, my parents and sister visited all available hours they could, no over night guests, but I was in a military hospital (my Father was in the Air Force) so there was a sense of security also, more so on my parents part then me who was stuck there. So early on in my hospital stay they bought me a Garfield stuffed toy I still have it, floppy legs and hands, big hard plastic eyes and nose, old school, but awesome. I don’t think I ever read the comic at that point or even knew of it. But for most of the hospital stay, that stuffed animal was my companion throughout. My parents had no idea I’d stick with Garfield from then on. I feel it’s sort of luck they got that particular stuffed toy. They could have gotten me anything really, I just got lucky it was a Garfield toy, and that Garfield is who he is thanks to Jim Davis. So thank you Jim, I think I’m a better person upon having Garfield, Odie and John as roll models… even though one of those “roll models” sleeps in a lot, maybe that’s where I get it from. Some call it lazy, I call it sleep appreciation.

Thanks for Garfield! -Adam