Teddy sat on the nursery shelf and sighed. His playmate, Susie, hadn’t cuddled him for so long, he’d forgotten what it felt like.

"What’s the matter, Teddy?" Baby Doll asked. " You’re looking so sad."

"Baby Doll," he said. "Why doesn’t Susie play with me anymore?"

"Susie doesn’t play with any of us these days. She’s forgotten about us."

Teddy scooted along the shelf to snuggle up beside Baby Doll." Do you know why she doesn’t want us anymore?"

"I know why," piped up Toy Soldier. "It’s because she has a new Puter toy. I heard the father say he was bringing one home days ago."

"What’s a Puter toy? What does it look like?" Teddy asked.

"I never saw it," Toy Soldier said, "but the father brought in a big box days ago. Then the mother came in and said, 'I think we’ll put the Puter in Susie’s bedroom. There's more room in there.'"

"Then it must be a very large animal," Teddy said. "Did it make any sort of noise?"

Brown Fluffy Dog said, "Well, one night Susie took me in her bed. In one corner of the room, I saw this peculiar looking animal. It had a green face and was humming softly."

Teddy looked thoughtful. " So, it hums and has a green face. Whatever could it be?" he puzzled.

Rocking Horse coughed. "I'm afraid if I'm not rocked soon, my rockers will get stiff."

Jack-in-the-box called from inside his box. "I'm afraid if I don't pop out of my box soon, my springs will seize up," he said. "And that would be very nasty indeed."

"If we could make the Puter go away," Baby Doll said. "Things would be just the way they used to be."

The nursery door opened and everyone fell silent.

"Oh, dear, oh dear," the mother sighed softly to herself. "Now Susie is sick, I’ll have to take some of you in to see her. Let's see now, she wants Baby Doll and Teddy to begin with." She carefully picked up Baby Doll and tucked Teddy under her arm.

When the mother had closed the door behind her, Brown Fluffy Dog said, "Why didn’t she take me? I want a cuddle too. And my fur needs brushing."

"It stands to reason she wouldn’t want all of us," Rocking Horse said. "Did the mother say Susie was sick?"

"Yes," Fluffy Dog said. " My poor little Susie is sick. What could be the matter with her? I do feel bad. Here we are complaining about being neglected and our Susie is sick."

The father entered the nursery. "It’s no good," he said, speaking to no one in particular. "Susie wants all of you, even Jack-in-the-Box and Toy Soldier. And I’ve got instructions to carry Rocking Horse to her bedroom and put him in the corner. By the time I’ve carried you all in, the poor doctor won’t be able to move."

Susie’s bedroom was crowded. But the toys and animals didn’t mind. Some were huddled beneath the duvet, others sat around on shelves and chests. They were all smiling.

The Puter’s face had turned black and it had stopped humming.

Susie’s mother sat beside the bed. "You’ll be better soon, dear," she said. "It’s only a bad cold."

"Mummy, computers aren’t much comfort when you’re feeling poorly, are they?"

"No, dear. You can’t cuddle a computer."

Susie snuggled down under the duvet. It was a bit crowded in the bed but nobody minded.