"Beauty confronts us with the requirement that we place ourselves among...the redeemers, the leaders in the protection of life. Once you have seen the bush on fire, you are not going to get out of the assignment unless you close your eyes to the beauty.... [You] either have to close your eyes or go back to Egypt and set the people free." - Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, "Rising to the Challenge of Our Times"

Sunday, November 19, 2006

learning about age-appropriate toys

We had a small visitor today, S., who came along with her parents to watch football and have good snacks, and I was very eager to see that she enjoyed herself. It didn't really occur to me that pulling the detachable limbs off of the Monty Python "Black Knight" doll we have in the living room and exclaiming "Ow!" was anything less than a delightful way to entertain a child. I would have found it pretty amusing, I'm sure, but maybe age 2 is a little bit early to develop a sense of black humor. I was pleased when she took the doll and pulled off one leg, but she seemed hesitant to dismember it any further, despite encouragement from her parents. About that time we all decided maybe the Black Knight wasn't her cup of tea and let her return to playing with the nice dolly whose arms and legs don't come off (yet).

When I was little (though older than S.) I used to remove the head of my dolly but usually only when it was medically necessary to do so, and I always put it back.

6 comments:

Alice said...

It wasn't just your dolly that was operated on. I remember a doll I had that was supposed to "wet" when you gave it a bottle. There wasn't a tube connecting the input and output areas, so you tried your best, but I don't think the surgery was successful.

At least the head went back on okay.

Emily said...

It might possibly have been the same doll; the detached alimentary canal was a recurring problem for poor "Baby Lucy." However I am pleased to report that Baby Lucy is well and intact though she was long ago put on a strict air-only diet.

limes said...

AKA "Effenbee A."? Isn't that her REAL name?

Emily said...

actually, Baby Lucy appears to be an Eegee Softina. Couldn't find anyone exactly like her on eBay, this one has the same body but...A DIFFERENT HEAD! Coincidence?

Perhaps my first feature iMovie film could be a sequel to the macabre French thriller "Les yeux sans visage"....

limes said...

Who the hell is Effenbee A then?

Emily said...

Effanbee is a big doll company, probably you or Allie had a "drink & wet" or some type of Effanbee baby doll at some point.