Christmas Memories
I'm enjoying spending time with my sister this Christmas and yesterday we started talking about a toy we remembered from our childhood.
My sister and I, in unison: "Here comes my body!"
Everyone else stares at us.
Me: "No! It was real. You know how you used to pull the string at the baby doll's neck and she'd say different things?"
Kids stare blankly at me. Nope. Not familiar at all.
Me: "Well, okay. So you did. That's how the dolls talked. Anyway, this doll had a long string between her head and her body and she said different things as the body and head reconnected."
Daughter: "I'm pretty sure that's not a kid's toy."
Sister: "No! It was. It was hilarious. And whose voice was that?"
Me: "Was it Rita Moreno?"
Sister: "No, she was loud, but she was on The Electric Company."
Sister and I, in unison: "Hey you guys!"
More kids enter the room.
Kid 1: "What's going on?"
Kid 2: "You should stay. Our moms are losing their minds."
Sister and I, in unison: "Here comes my body!"
Me: "Oh, wait! It was someone from Laugh-In. What was her name?"
Sister: "Jo Anne Worley."
Me: "Yes! The doll even looked like her too."
Kid 3: "They're making this up, aren't they?"
So yes, we had to go find proof of the doll's existence. We came up with this video from YouTube. They were called Talk-Up Dolls and they were produced by Mattel in 1971.
My daughter gave me a look that said she thought I was old, so I started singing, "Bimbo, Bimbo, Where ya gonna go-e-o?" and my mom took over from there. When I was a kid, I insisted she'd made up the lyrics on the spot. So she had to get out the record player to play it for me.
That's Jim Reeves. The song came out in 1953.
I wonder what things will make my kids seem old to their kids. Kim Possible? Invader Zim? Webkinz?
Yes! I had one of these! Brilliant toy :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't remember that doll, but I do remember Chatty Kathy, the one who talked when you pulled her string. I have mine sitting on a ledge in my living room. She's gone from toy to decorating accessory.
ReplyDeleteI love that you had this toy too! I was beginning to think my sister and I were the only ones.
ReplyDeleteI had thoughts that my kids might play with some of my treasured toys, but only my little people could endure that much. Beanie baby didn't have enough beans left to lose even a few more. Raggedy Ann was living up to her raggedy name and I found myself shielding her from losing even one more strand of yarn from her pretty red head. I don't think they work as decorating items because they're too shabby, but they're shabby from love.
ReplyDeleteI had a big stuffed Bugs Bunny with a string - "Whats up Doc!?" "I Luuuv Carrots" "There's a Snake in my Boot!" - No wait, thats Woody
ReplyDeleteJo Ann Worley - Ewww make me annoyed, she does.
Thanks for the Look into Harness family Christmas time.
ps for some weird reason the Droid phone still can't see this, so if responses from me are delayed here, it's cause I couldnt easily get to the computer.
ReplyDeleteOoh! Bugs Bunny. Every time I think of Bugs, I think of the hasenpfeffer lines. That's what he should have said when you pulled the string: Hasenpfeffer?!
ReplyDeleteWhen you get a chance, try again. I changed some of the mobile settings.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny what scents, toys and favorite foods evoke, how much they ultimately mean to us. I've tried telling my kids about them, too. Got the same response. I tried giving them some context such as, "Microwave ovens were new and there were no VCRs," and they'd boggle. I couldn't help but laugh.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. It made me smile.
Take care,
JC