When I turned 13 I gave my entire barbie collection to my niece. I regret that move even to this day. I suppose I thought I was all grown up and shouldn't play with dolls. Why didn't I just put them away for my daughter one day?
I must have been all of 7 years old. My mum took us to the salvation army to pick out some toys. I didn't even notice that those very ones were eventually wrapped and put under the tree as our Christmas gifts that year. My favorite was an old barbie doll. She had black hair, almond eyes with eyeliner. I still think of that doll, not as much as what she would be worth nowadays, but, the fact that she was old and unique. Oh, I still had my regular barbies. I used to crack their knees all the time and bite their rubbery toes. They just don't make them like that anymore. I learned a new word that year: accessories. And accessories I had! So many outfits, purses, shoes. I can still smell the plastic! The case with the little hangers, what a delight for any small child! Even after all these years I still yearn for my almond eyed barbie with the eyeliner.
