The Doll Dilemma

There are three distinct types of dolls in the world.  There is the first, the porcelain doll that sits atop the highest shelf, safely tucked away from uncaring hands.  This doll is protected by its owner with intensity.  If only one scratch befalls a doll such as this one, the owner is in a huff, marching after the thing that scuffed their precious doll.  They care for it, clean it, and work at making it look perfect in the way that they want.  It becomes sheltered away from dolls of lesser value in the eyes of the owner, only other porcelain dolls are right for it.  Unfortunately these dolls are so cared for and protected that the one time they are knocked off that shelf, even if by accident, they break. They shatter into many little pieces and it’s hard to piece them back together most times.  And if they can be pieced back together, they will never look quite the same. No matter how much is painted over the cracks, no matter what clothes are chosen to hide the fractured lines, they will always be there.  There will always be that slight imperfection, especially to the eyes of the owner.

The second doll is the old rag doll.  The one that none of the kids ever liked or treated nicely, the one that was given to the dog to play with, the one that’s missing a few parts.  No one really knows where the owner of this doll is.  Maybe the doll was lost, or maybe the owner threw it out because it wasn't what they really wanted.  This doll is literally the rag of the world.  People walk all over it, and there’s no one to pick it up and set it back on the shelf.  The children ignore it, preferring the new doll they just found, or a doll that looks better.  The rag doll is tossed aside by most and not even acknowledged by many.  Some rag dolls are hardy and can survive for a very long time. However, some rag dolls were not made of very strong materials and are destroyed very quickly.

The third doll is that favorite, strong, lasting doll.  The one that survives strange adventures through the back yard or a bath in the tub.  This is the doll that looks worn but still has that life in it.  It’s the doll that gets dropped by accident but there is barely a scratch on it when it gets back up again.  It’s the doll that can handle the bratty boys who stole it from their owner and looks no worse when the owner finally gets it back.  It’s the doll that is loved by its owner, no matter what the other kids say about it.  It doesn’t need to have the best clothes or a lot of other dolls to play with.  It’s the one that is still the treasured favorite, even if a new, better doll comes along.  It’s the one that is still there, in great condition when its owner is old and gray.

Dolls start out as piles of specific raw materials. You can’t make a porcelain doll out of rags and you can’t make a porcelain doll into a play thing.

This is the dilemma of the dolls.