It seems like a wave of nostalgia has washed over the Blogosphere. It started with Divers and Sundry posting the song Remote Control and BioArtGal posting a back to school journal page.
The one who sent me wandering down memory lane was Andy Fish posting about his visit to The Harvey Mercheum - A Celebration of Harvey Comics.
I read some of the Harvey comics: Lil Lulu, Lil Audrey, Richie Rich, but I liked watching Baby Huey, Casper the Friendly Ghost and other cartoons on Saturday mornings.
When I was 5 years old, I had been very ill. It wasn't measles, but I don't remember what the illness was. Maybe the flu. Just that I had a very high temperature and was in bed for a long time.
I remember Ma had called Dr. East, and was upset with him that he wouldn't make a house call. Dr. East said Ma could bring me to the office. It was Winter, and Ma bundled me up in my fuzzy, blue jacket that smelled of Mr. Whitaker's stinky cigars. (Mr. Whitaker was the driver that picked me up for nursery school and kindergarten.) Dad wasn't home from work yet and Ma didn't drive a car back then. She called her friend, Isabel, who lived down the street and gave Ma rides into Boston when Ma worked for the Carver Dress Company in Boston's garment district.
The doctor's instructions were to put me in a tub of lukewarm water to try to bring my temperature down along with doses of orange flavored St. Joseph Aspirin for children.
On the short ride home, I remember being very hot and the stinky cigar fumes from my coat making me feel even worse. Ma grumbled that the doctor made her bring a very sick child out in the cold when he barely did an examination and could have told her to put me in a tub of lukewarm water while she was on the phone with him.
I must have been very ill and my parents very worried. Shortly after the visit to the doctor's office, Dad brought home a talking Casper the Ghost doll for me. This is why I know I must have been very ill. The Brother and I got toys and stuff at Christmas and our birthdays, but not at random times during the year.
I'm sure Ma would have preferred he had brought home a baby girl doll, but Casper became my favorite (even though I secretly wanted the Matty Mattel doll).
I loved Casper and lugged him around with me everywhere until his white, terry cloth body became a dingy grey. The doll I had didn't have Casper's name embroidered on his chest. Casper talked when you pulled the magic ring at the back of his neck. He made a ghostie sound, "OOooooo" and he also said, "I'll play with you." Casper fell out of bed with a loud thunk. He fell out of bed so often Ma and Dad stopped rushing in to check to see if I was alright. Casper's trips to the floor caused some of the phrases he said to run together. My Casper said "Oooo, play iwth youoooo."
Many years later I commuted to Boston University. In the mornings, my dad or Isabel's sister, Josie, who worked in Boston would give me a lift. In the afternoons, I would take the T from Kenmore Square Outbound to Longwood to catch a bus to Natick. Sometimes I would take the T inbound to Boylston and walk down Boylston St. to Park Square to catch the the Boston to Framingham bus. If I was early for the bus, I would window shop at the Boston Music Company or an antique shop next door.
One day as I walked by the antique store, in the window was a Casper doll. Just like my Casper doll. He didn't have his name emblazoned on his chest. I was very tempted to go in an ask about Casper, but a sign at Casper's feet indicated he would cost $100 to bring home. I only had enough cash in my pocket for bus fare so I walked on by.
Y'know, I've always been sorry I didn't check to see if that Casper was my Casper. One pull of the magic ring, one "Oooo, play with youooo" and I would have known for sure.
Did you have a favorite doll or toy when you were a kid?
