TOYS IN THE ATTIC

CAN YOU TELL THESE TOYS WERE LOVED?

I like to think that there are very few people who have moved as often as I have. If I am not at the top of the list, I am very close. Since leaving home at age 18, I have never lived longer than five years in any one spot. Since 1980 I have moved 19 times. Fort Wayne makes 20!

There are certain things that I have dragged around with me over the years. Such as Bridget's stuffed animals, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and her expansive Barbie doll collection. I do this for several reasons. The first, because I'm certain if she ever has a child, this baby Alphawoman will delight in Bridget's toy world. Secondly, because when I was a kid , all my beloved dolls were passed down to my younger sisters when I left for college. Not so much passed down, as a frenzied dismantling of my room occurred the moment I left! When I returned home the first time, those little rats had scribbled all over the faces of the ones I cherished! That will never happen to Bridget's dolls! Not while they are in my care!

I wandered upstairs into the attic this afternoon. I am beginning to organize for the inevitable. Going through the dolls was therapeutic. I am always transported to a place and time when Bridget was small and fast asleep with an "animal" held tightly in each arm. She named them "My Animals", or "Doggie".

My brother T. gave her the Cabbage patch premie doll when she was three. She called it "Baby" and  for many years every where she went Baby went too.. We were in Target one afternoon, she was in the buggy holding tight to Baby when a woman behind us commented (what is the matter with people?) how dirty Baby was. Bridget just hugged her tighter.

I took at good look at how grimy Baby was. I probably was silently relieved she was not referring to Bridget! Baby was a mess. I tossed her in the washing machine and laid her on the window sill to dry.

When Bridget realized what I had done she freaked! I had killed Baby. Bridget howled and carried on for what seemed an eternity.

It took awhile but she was able to grime up poor Baby back to normal. I never attempted to wash that doll again! Heck, I may even take her to bed with me tonight.