Title: "All The World's a Dollhouse"

[similiesslip]

Title: "All The World's a Dollhouse"

Round and round, round and round.

I coasted down the narrow path, standing hard on my brakes when I reached the door.

When I was eleven, I thought of my bike as that pony I had always wanted, the tassels on her handles waving in the wind like a long, trailing tail.  Like any proper horse, she had a name.  Abigail

Comments

[imafarmgirl]

This is a neat story. I like your stories from childhood. I think it is because I am fascinated by other people's childhoods.

[similiesslip]

I am fascinated by stories of childhoods too as we are all raised differently. Childhood is short but it can shape us a lot.

Thanks for letting me know you liked it!:)

[halfshellvenus]

I love the inventiveness of kids, and you made a real production out of a doll-stage version of the Bowditch story!

There was so much tangible detail in here. I know the combination-smell of woodshavings and machine oil myself, thanks to my grandfather's woodshop, so I can imagine your Dad's workshop. Your Dad's choice of clothes, the fact that you were all home-schooled and that there were at least seven of you hints at an upbringing I wouldn't have guessed. It makes the part about adventures beyond Mommyism stand out more.

Eleven clearly isn't too old for dolls. It depends so much on the child-- even at 12, I was still furnishing my "Borrower's house" shoebox, and thinking about what objects could be further misused to adapt to that smaller scale.

No, that night, I felt Dad actually saw me.This implies that one of the reasons you went to the workshop was not just because the dollhouses were there, but because your Dad was there and you wanted to be near him. With so many children, it can be hard not to sometimes feel "lost in the

[similiesslip]

I think I held onto my dolls so long because I had little sisters who would play with me.

Oh you loved the Borrowers too? I'm still want to take my daughters to the new(ish) movie, "The Secret Life of Arriety." Anything about small people or dolls coming to life just fascinated me as a child. Do you have any photos of your Borrower's house?

It's funny how this ended. I did not realize the ending when I starting writing it. However, as I wrote, I realized that why that night was special to me was the attention. I adored my dad (and still do) but it's hard to catch the eyes of others when there are so many of you. Growing up, I was constantly called by my sister's names. People would say, "You all look so alike"...part of me just wanted to be seen as an individual.

Thanks so much for sharing your reflections in a long comment. I enjoy learning more about your life too:)

[baxaphobia]

This was so sweet. I loved to play with my dolls and especially my stuffed animals. Question: Why did your family think that Barbies were evil? If you are uncomfortable answering it's ok. Hugs.

[similiesslip]

Mom felt they would make my brother lust? (odd)

She also felt that if we had Barbies, we would feel we needed to look like them and that they are unrealistic models of a female body.

She also disapproved of most of the clothes one can buy for Barbies. The swim suits we wore needed to be one piece and have a skirt on them (Barbie swim suits were not that way.)

She thoughts Barbie clothes at stores were too short, too tight and too low cut.

To me though, Barbies seem to be part of female culture so I have let my daughters have them. They are not obsessed with them. I think I was more obsessed with the idea of Barbie as a child just because they were forbidden.

My older daughter would rather be outside than play with Barbie and my younger one is like you and loves her stuffed animals more than her dolls.

I appreciate your comments and how you take an interest in me:)

[alephz]

This just puts a body right into things. So well-written!

[similiesslip]

Wow! A comment like that from a writer like you...you just made my week!! Thanks!

[alien_infinity]

You had quite an imagination! Thank you for sharing your memory with us. :)

[similiesslip]

There's nothing like childhood imaginations. I wish I still was as daring. Learning too much about reality can have a bad effect LOL

Thanks for commenting!:)