When I was a child my mom would take me to Woolworth's 5 & 10 store. I loved the smell of this place. It did for me then what the smell of shoes does now. I would have my twenty-five cents allowance and I would be allowed to get whatever I wanted. I would spend a good bit of time pouring over the little cheap plastic things...trying to decide just what I wanted. What I really wanted cost five whole dollars....I wanted a big plastic horse. I wanted to collect them...I wanted them all....the palamino, the white one, the black one, the brown one...the Appaloosa. Every week I would look at them lovingly and wish I had enough money to buy one. Every Christmas and Birthday I would ask for one of these plastic horses...only to be denied by Santa and the parents....year after year....no horse. *Sigh!* How I wanted that horse. One day...I turned around....and I was the mommy....and my daughter and I were in my home town...at Davis's 5 & 10...and she looked up and said, "Mommy, I want one of those plastic horses....can I have it?" Her sweet little face was so full of want, need, and love for that horse. I had to make it happen for her. I picked up the box...and the little stinker were now ten dollars...so much for inflation....and I put it in her tiny little chubby hands...and off we went to pay for it. When we walked out of the store....I was a hero. My daughter had her plastic horse....and in my own mind....I was thinking....hum....just wait til she goes to bed....the horse will ride again....this time...with me at the reins. LOL. Sometimes...we just have to live vicariously through our children....especially...when we had unfulfilled dreams as a child. For a few short hours....one lazy afternoon in South Florida....A 30 something year old mom....got to experience life...with a plastic horse....and IT WAS SO GOOD!
Friday, May 1, 2009
A Tale of Woe and A Plastic Horse
When I was a child my mom would take me to Woolworth's 5 & 10 store. I loved the smell of this place. It did for me then what the smell of shoes does now. I would have my twenty-five cents allowance and I would be allowed to get whatever I wanted. I would spend a good bit of time pouring over the little cheap plastic things...trying to decide just what I wanted. What I really wanted cost five whole dollars....I wanted a big plastic horse. I wanted to collect them...I wanted them all....the palamino, the white one, the black one, the brown one...the Appaloosa. Every week I would look at them lovingly and wish I had enough money to buy one. Every Christmas and Birthday I would ask for one of these plastic horses...only to be denied by Santa and the parents....year after year....no horse. *Sigh!* How I wanted that horse. One day...I turned around....and I was the mommy....and my daughter and I were in my home town...at Davis's 5 & 10...and she looked up and said, "Mommy, I want one of those plastic horses....can I have it?" Her sweet little face was so full of want, need, and love for that horse. I had to make it happen for her. I picked up the box...and the little stinker were now ten dollars...so much for inflation....and I put it in her tiny little chubby hands...and off we went to pay for it. When we walked out of the store....I was a hero. My daughter had her plastic horse....and in my own mind....I was thinking....hum....just wait til she goes to bed....the horse will ride again....this time...with me at the reins. LOL. Sometimes...we just have to live vicariously through our children....especially...when we had unfulfilled dreams as a child. For a few short hours....one lazy afternoon in South Florida....A 30 something year old mom....got to experience life...with a plastic horse....and IT WAS SO GOOD!
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5 comments:
What a sweet story! I'm glad you finally got your horse, even if you did buy it for Kathryn. :)
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This was a beautiful post and one that I could relate to. My mom was a single mom for a few years so the gift giving was sparse. I used to dream while flipping through the JC Penney ads.
I remember going to Woolworth's like it was yesterday. I loved eating lunch at the counter and sitting in the swivel chairs. Wow, what fun memories. Thank you for bringing them to mind.
Of all things, I sooo glad your daughter wanted the horse!
What a sweet story of childhood and eventually "fullfillment". Love it!
I have a friend who has a Big red firetruck on a shelf in her living room. The story is - Her husband grew up in a large family where money was scarce. He had always wanted a Big Red Firetruck. She bought it for him one Christmas after they were married. It holds a place of honor in their home. Sweet, huh?
Oh, I love this story!
I find myself doing the same thing...I gave my daughter riding lessons for her birthday! I rode horses a little when we would visit my grandpa's ranch in Idaho, but oh how I wished I could learn to really ride!
My little cowgirl LOVES horses, and now she will get a few lessons, anyway!
Loved this post and it teared me up a little bit!!
AND.......
You're a winner....come on over and see! (and email me your address too!)
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