Page 23 - Demo

Ditching the Guff9SwapsFor VickiOur parents did their best,Christmas, two pint-sized daughtersbarely enough money to go round.One girl would get a pramthe other, a dollbut that festive morningas I discovered my strollerspied Vicki%u2019s toy.Saw Shirley Temple%u2019s golden curlscobalt eyes that blinked open and shutdimpled smile in creamy china cheekswearing a summer dress, with undies,glanced again at my gift, decision made.With a four-year-old%u2019s guileshowed off the buggy%u2019s charms to my siblingits pastel pink and blue painted bodyshiny wheels coloured to match, pressedthe handle so she could hear it cry Mama.Our parents were nonplussed, but it was easya two-year-old sister wasn%u2019t in the hunt.The doll was mine%u2014I called her Elizabeth.