Marney Solomon

I’ve been vindicated by a movie! For years I’ve been a closeted lover of Barbie.  I’ve adored that fashionable blonde doll since the early ‘60’s when I got my first Barbie. I remember my excitement in receiving that perfect box covered with different pictures of Barbie in all those coveted outfits.  I popped off the lid to discover, to my horror, no perfect blonde ponytail, but a blonde bubble hair bouffant.  I kept a smile because I didn’t want to show my parents my confusion.  Still, I had a real Barbie.

My love grew as I added more and more dolls. Now I had a blonde peach fuzz crewcut Ken, freckled friend Midge, little sisters Skipper and Tutti, and to my great joy even a blonde ponytailed Barbie. Every Saturday I would pull them all out and set up my own Barbie world under our dining room table. Using the legs of chairs to define a different room, I created my own Barbie mansion. Every Saturday.

As I grew older, Barbie and friends got pushed to the back of my closet. When my parents moved and I was forced to throw out so many of my treasures, I saved all of my Barbies, who then moved to the back of a closet in my own home, only to be pulled out when I had daughters of my own.  And my Barbies intermingled with their new Malibu Barbies for afternoons of imaginary fun.

The movie has created “Barbie Mania,” which I love!  Friends and family encourage me to cash in and sell my Barbie collection.  It’s tempting, but I think I’ll resist.  I can now hold my head high and proudly show my grandchildren such a wonderful part of my childhood.

Who knows, maybe I’ll play with them this Saturday.