I Remember Norma

I Remember Norma

Suzanne Marsh

After pop passed away, I faced the daunting task of clearing the house out. Everywhere I looked it reminded me of my pop and the loss I was feeling. I am a great procrastinator so instead of going up to the attic and working my way done, I started in the basement and worked my way up to the attic. I was any only child, I played with dolls until I almost a teenager, then I discovered boys. I walked through my old upstairs bedroom opened the door to the attic, and sighed thinking: ‘where do I begin what do I throw out and what do I keep. The attic itself held so many memories, it was place where my girlfriend Judy and I imaged we were detectives like Nancy Drew. We spent hours looking for clues. I began with the two travel trunks my parents had. Finding pop’s side arm from World War two was a rather peculiar finding. I had no clue what to do with it, it was not something I wanted to keep. Then I looked and the gray windows, the dusty attic and cried.

I stood in the middle of the attic for a while trying to decide what I should do next. I noticed the Revlon doll box. I had not seen it in years. I opened it and found the Revlon doll just as I left her. It was, under that doll that I found Norma. I thought about the Christmas I had received her as gift from a friend of my mom’s. I remember she came in a huge box all wrapped up in a lovely package, with a big red bow. I ripped off the Christmas paper, the red bow I tossed in my mom’s direction. I opened the and my eyes widened. There she was, she was a huge baby doll, dressed in pink with a cute bonnet.

She was unique because she had a button that when pushed she would speak. I was delighted with her. I remember the scratchy song she sang, “lullaby and good night”. She was my dream doll; I still remember the softness of plastic skin. My mom gave me a few baby things from my babyhood that I could play with. Thus began my imagination running amuck.

I used to take Norma for walks in a baby carriage. At that particular juncture I really wanted a baby brother or sister. I began telling the neighbors my mom was going to have a baby. All went well until mom heard the “news”. I was in trouble no doubt about it, when she used my full given name. She informed that I was not going to have a baby brother or sister, that telling a lie was a sure-fire trip to hell. I listen as she politely informed that I was going to explain to the neighbors that I had lied. That was a hard lesson for a six-year-old to learn.

I continued to play house with Norma. Dad built a stove, table and chairs, it was own kitchen. Norma, of course was the baby of the house. I had quite an imagination. I would make tea for Norma and I as we sat and conversed:

Me: “Cup of tea?”

Norma: “Now I lay me down to sleep.”

Me: “Yes, I have cookies also.”

Norma: “I praise the Lord my soul to keep.”

Me: “More tea?”

Norma: “if I die before I wake, I praise the Lord my soul to keep.”

Me: “More cookies?”

Norma: “Lullaby and good night with roses be blest.”

Those conversations were so much fun.

One afternoon, I decided Norma need her eyelashes trimmed. I found my mom’s good pinking shears and proceeded to trim her eyelashes. I had to large gaping places that sort of resembled a crimping process. I took Norma and showed my mom. Mom freaked when she saw what I had done. She took Norma away so I would not do any more damage. She decided that I need to take better care of my toys. A week later after I begged and pleaded, she gave me back Norma.

I looked out of the attic window, as I held Norma in my arms. It was beginning to get dark. I went back downstairs with Norma in tow. My husband must have thought I was out of my mind:

“What’s with the doll?”

“I found her in the attic today, along with several others, I think I am going to sell them

to a doll collector.”

“So why lug that one down?”

“Oh, this is Norma, she was best friend until I was about ten, when her voice gave out.”

My husband gave me one of those looks as if to say: ‘that is crazy, a doll as a best friend.”

“Norma would always come to tea. We would sit in my small kitchen. Remember,

I am an only child; I did not have brothers or sisters. I need a friend and Norma

was it.”

That seemed to satisfy him to some extent:

“So, what else did you find up there? I wish I could help more but with this cast on

my ankle it is hard to go up and down stairs.”

“Yes, I know, the attic is sort of a personal space with me. I also found my Revlon

Doll, my Toni permanent doll, a Madam Alexander, two Shirley Temple dolls one

large and one small. I also found Pouchie, the stuffed dog, and of course Norma.”

My husband, I supposed wondered what would come out of my mouth next:

“Pouchie was a gift from the same friend my mom's who sent me Norma. I used

to take Pouchie on walks out in the backyard, he is a little used for wear.”

I, am going to contact the doll collector in the paper tomorrow. I hate the thought of

selling all of these dolls. Each one has a memory, like the small Shirley Temple

doll, mom made cloths for her to match several of my dresses. I bought her with

my Christmas money one year, I just can’t bear to part with her. I hate to part with any of

them but since we are moving to Texas I guess that is out of the question.”

My husband nodded that he agreed with my assessment. I met with the doll collector the following morning. Tears welled in my eyes as I said a final farewell to Norma. I will always remember Norma with happy childhood memories.