Foster is my imaginary friend. I created him one day out of Play-Doh, and he has been a constant presence in my life ever since. Over the past few months, I have observed him closely and discovered some interesting things about him. Physically, he stands at about three inches tall and has short, stubby legs and swirly horns. Despite not having any arms, this does not set him back on his adventures. He has a love for traveling; visiting a new country every week,  and wandering off when no one is looking. Foster comes from Bergen, Norway, and frequently visits me when he has the time, even though I’m the one who made him. Although he may appear slightly intimidating or confused, that is his natural resting face. Despite not being able to speak real words, Foster seems to have a deep understanding of and knows everyone in and out of town. He communicates through gurgles and mumbles, and surprisingly, everyone seems to understand him. 

Though he doesn’t talk to humans like us, he has a special connection with sea creatures. He often travels to other countries to communicate with animals, particularly beluga whales. They have even taught him how to use echolocation, which he likes to try on me, but it never seems to work. Foster has a tendency to collect things, but he doesn’t like when I call him a hoarder, he prefers the term “collector”. Everywhere we go, he feels the need to gather trinkets and shells, and his collection has grown quite large. I pull around a small red wagon for him to toss his belongings in (and for when his little legs get tired). I often find myself having to search for him because he tends to wander off quite frequently. I wouldn’t say that he ever gets lost, but he does like to create paths and adventures wherever we go. I don’t get much time with him left this year, as he is going back to Norway this summer to visit his housemates. I never know when he will appear again, I just see him show up on a random day with his favorite hat and a bite-sized suitcase. I’m not sure when or if Foster will leave for good, it would sure be a melancholy day, but maybe he needs to just wander without restrictions.