Paper Dolls Kept in a Shoebox

I loved paper dolls. I had a shoebox full of them. I kept the shoebox in the bottom drawer of an old dresser in my bedroom. Sometimes I'd sit on the floor and play out scenarios with them. I named each one of them.They were like little friends to me. None were licensed characters. None came with sparkly outfits. They were just paper dolls. And that was all I needed. Most of my paper dolls came from Newberry's or Woolworths. It was always fun when shopping for paper dolls. Of course, Santa Claus made sure to bring me even more.

It was exciting when deciding which outfit each of my paper dolls would be wearing. Sometimes they'd have to change more than once during a scenario depending on what they were doing. They always had lots of fun whether going to the beach or school, on a picnic or visiting friends or taking care of their puppies or kittens. Whatever they were doing, they were fashionably dressed for the occasion.

One evening, like many other evenings, I had my paper dolls in bed with me. We were having a great time until I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I was horrified to find scraps of paper everywhere. Many of the paper doll outfits with their paper tabs used to fold around the paper doll were destroyed. Some of the tabs had ripped right off.  Some of the paper dolls were bent or missing limbs. I taped some of the missing parts and ripped outfits. I was able to salvage some but not all. I didn't throw any of them away. I couldn't. I didn't care if they were injured. They were still my friends.

I did get more paper dolls. I kept them in a different shoebox on top of my dresser. That other shoebox with the injured paper dolls and ripped outfits remained in the bottom drawer from then on. I didn't play scenarios with them. But I did take them out and check on them once in awhile.

I don't know whatever happened to those two treasured shoeboxes. We moved to the country and I never saw them again. But I never forgot them. You don't forget little things that bring you joy-simple, quiet joy when sitting on a bedroom floor pretending with your beloved paper dolls.

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