It's funny, the older I get the closer memories of yesterday feel. It seems like only yesterday, I first laid eyes on the doll.
It was Christmas time, and she sat all cozy in a wicker basket in Hennesey's Variety store window, with a toy train chugging along, winding its way past other toys, which in my mind are misty, but, I can see her with chrystal clarity. The cherubic dimpled baby face, with blue eyes that opened and closed, and yellow curls that peeked out from beneath the crocheted pink baby bonnet. She wore a matching jacket, tied with a silk pink ribbon over a dress so frilly, it looked to be made of a pink cloud. Her tiny toes kept warm in pink baby booties. In one hand she clutched a rattle, held with an almost invisible elastic band. Next to her stood a baby bottle. She was beautiful, and my young heart never wanted anything so badly. I stood on tip-toe, outside the store gazing in, next to my big brother Scott, who looked with longing at an air rifle and a fishing pole. We stopped every day after school for a few minutes to look into that window, and wished and hoped for things we knew we'd never get. Stuff like that was for kids who already had, and we were have nots. But looking was for free, and we stood there as long as I could stay on tip toe, or until the cold bit into my bare legs unbearably, and we were forced to pull away and hurry the rest of the way home.
One particularly bitter day, Mr. Hennesey came out and invited us in. Well, actually he asked Scott for some help sweeping out the store room. He said he couldn't have a shivering boy wielding a broom around his merchandise and we'd better warm up a bit first with some hot cocoa and cookies. Oh, my! The cocoa even had tiny marshmellows floating in it, and the cookies were iced to look like decorated trees, almost too pretty to eat. We sat in a couple of chairs in his office and felt the warmth creep back into frozen limbs, as we drank and nibbled away. He showed Scott where to sweep, and then a miraculous thing happened - he asked me to hold the doll while he dusted her basket out! Now I didn't see a speck of dust anywhere in that window display, but I sure wasn't going to argue, and I held her soft body close to my heart, and wished with all my might that maybe this year, Santa would bring her to me, instead of some better off girl, who certainly couldn't love her half as much as me. I was still holding her, when Scott came out and said he had finished, and Mr. Hennesey went to check on his work. He said he had never seen that floor so well swept, and if our parents would allow, he would like to hire Scott to sweep the floors every day until Christmas! Scott would be doing him a huge favor, because being so busy with customers that time of year, he really didn't have time to do it himself. Plus I could come with as I was a big help too, helping him tidy the the window display! I thought Scott's smile would break his face it was so big, but knew my own matched. He gave Scott a whole quarter and me a nickle for work well done, plus he tossed in a couple of peppermint sticks as well! We practically flew home with the news.
Scott did the math when we got home. It was three weeks to Christmas, at a quarter a day he'd have a whopping $3.75 to spend, and I'd have seventyfive cents! A tidy sum in those days, for us a small fortune. "A job?" Mama echoed the word. She had become accostumed to us running a bit late as we always stopped at the window and would tell her all about what we'd seen. She always countered my wishing for that doll with I needed a warmer coat, or some warm stockings more. She reached up on the shelf she kept the canning jars on and brought down three. In one she broke the peppermint sticks into smaller pieces, this way it would last longer, and she'd use a bit to make peppermint tea, so we could all enjoy the treat. The other two she gave us to use as piggy banks to keep our wages in. "I think it's a grand idea," she said, and we hugged her with delight. Daddy was a bit harder to sell on the idea, but Mama persuaded him that it would be a good thing, and it was only until Christmas.
The next day, and every school day after that, Scott and I spent at the store, and we made ourselves as useful as possible. Scott swept and hauled out trash, while I dusted everything a six year old could reach, and every day Mr. Hennesey seemed to have something to do around the window that required me to hold the doll for a bit in order to keep her safe. Every day, we were treated to hot cocoa and cookies, and every night we added a coin to our jars. At home I tried to be extra good, still hoping Santa might bring the doll I loved so much. But Scott had looked at the price tag and told me she cost nearly $2! Might as well have been $200. Still, it wasn't as if Mama and Daddy would have to buy her if Santa brought her. So I could hope.
The day before Christmas Eve was to be our last day at Hennesey's, and Scott and I made sure to do extra good jobs. I was left out front to alert Mr. Hennesey to any new customers while he talked with Scott in the back. They both came out beaming, Scott almost jumping with excitement, as Mr. Hennesey had offered to keep him on even after the Holidays. It was a job Scott would keep for many years, finally becoming co-owners with Mr. Hennesey. He then gave us what he called a Christmas bonus. It was a very large laundry basket chocked full of all kinds of food stuff! We could barely carry it between us and poor Mama almost fainted when she saw it! She kept exclaiming 'Oh, my!' as she lifted each item out. There were staples, like flour, sugar, and salt, and 'extras' like coffee and tea, but the crowning glory was a large ham and all the trimings to go with it - potatoes, cranberries, you name it! Never in all my life had I seen so much food on our kitchen table at one time. That night when we said grace, you can bet Mr. Hennesey was mentioned as one to be especially blessed.
Christmas dawned and Scott and I were tantalized by the aromas already filling our tiny home. Mama had already been busy baking pies, and prepping the holiday dinner. We could hear her laughing at something Daddy had said, and we tore out of bed and into the living room to see what Santa had brought. My heart sank, no where was the beloved doll to be seen. There was a new coat for me, which looked alot like one Mama and I had seen in the second hand store, some stockings and a new scarf and mittens. All made of yarn the same color as Mama had bought . What an odd coincidence! I bit my lip and reminded myself to be grateful - these were things I really needed. But, it's hard when your six and your heart's been broken. Then Scott said to wait, there was more and ran into his room, which reminded me and I ran to get the presents we made in school for our parents. Yes, in those days, we made presents in school. For Mama I had my hand print casted in plaster, and for Daddy a rather lopsided ashtray (not the symbol of taboo it is today). Of course they oohed and ahhhed ,but they paled in comparison to what Scott had to give, Cherry tobacco for Daddy's pipe, and a small bottle of perfume for Mama. He handed me my package, and I had hoped, but it was too flat to be the doll. Again, I felt my heart sink.
Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the front door, and we all went to see who on earth it was. Outside stood Mr. Hennesey! "Sorry for the intrusion, but I had a late night visitor and I promised him I'd bring these over - mind if I come in?"
"Of course not! Come in! Come in!" We all backed up so that he could enter, in his arms several packages.
Mama asked if he'd like some coffee and he allowed that he would, while Daddy showed him to the comfy armchair in the living room and offering to take his coat. "Actually, I've come to ask a favor of Judy," Mr. Hennesey began.
"Of me?" I was very surprised.
"Yes, you see, I find myself in a predictament, that I feel only you can solve - well if Scott will run out and bring in the basket from my back seat, I'm sure you'll see what I mean." Scott ran to do as asked. "Meanwhile, I do hope you don't mind, Mr. Crawford, as I said I had a late night visitor, a Mr. Clause by name -"
"Santa?" I cried,"Santa came to your store?"
"Why yes, he came to see if he had a solution to my problem, and asked since I would be coming here anyway if I'd mind dropping these things off," he began handing out packages, one for each of us. Just then Scott came back with the basket, a blanket draped over it. Mr. Hennesey took the basket handing Scott his package. "Ah, here we go...Now Judy, my problem is this" he removed the blanket unveiling the doll, "I seem to have a very sad doll, and Santa said only you're love could make her happy. " My mouth hung open in surprise,and I felt myself reach for her, tenderly lifting her from her basket and hugging her with all my might. The rest is a blur to me. I know Mr. Hennesey stayed for dinner, and came to many other dinners since.
