Descriptive Essay

Mike Reynolds
Maroon 4

My Nee- Nee

It’s the one thing in this world that will never change. I’ve had it since I was born and it’s the only thing that has always been there for me no matter what. It never judges me, or changes its view of me. My grandmother made it for me when I was born and I was an infant on it. I must call it nee-nee because I probably couldn’t say Mimi. It’s been to hell and back with me and everywhere in between.

A grayish white rectangle that is tattered and torn and is worn thin from years of love. No bigger than a beach towel, yet big enough for my imagination to put me under a tent when I’m actually only covering my head. A simple design, rudimentary enough to have been made along with millions of others exactly like it. But this one is special. It’s mine. It has a flat woven design that’s surrounded by a thick canvas like border that’s perfect for running through my fingers. Made by hand and strung with love, it was one of a kind and all mine.

My favorite thing to do with my nee-nee is to run it between my fingers. I have no idea why that is so soothing for me but that has always been the one thing that I always loved to do with it. It’s such a meaningless thing that has most likely been that single most effective way for me to calm down for the past sixteen years.

Putting aside it being my go to object, I’ve also had many occasions where I’ve been with my Nee-Nee and I’ve done memorable things. It hasn’t necessarily been that reason for these memories but it was there to see me grow up and change into a man. Having three sisters it was always a way to get to me when I was little. When I was about ten years old, I was fighting with my sister, she took my Nee-Nee and I was on the other end. A tug-of-war ensued and it tore right through the middle. That hole was there for about another two or three years until I sent it to it’s creator to be mended. This was not the first time my life long friend had been damaged. He was almost beyond repair and I very well could have no longer had him to have. When he was last sent back to my Mimi, she had to trim it down and make a smaller square out of what was left of the useable material.