第三篇 LoveThroughTime
愛穿越時光
ADollforGreat-grandmother
傑奎琳·希奇/JacquelineHickey
Whenmygrandfatherdied,my83-year-oldgrandmother,oncefulloflife,slowlybegantofade.Nolongerabletomanageahomeofherown,shemovedinwithmymother,whereshewasvisitedoftenbyothermembersofherlarge,lovingfamily(twochildren,eightgrandchildren,22great-grandchildrenandtwogreat-great-grandchildren).Althoughshestillhadhergooddays,itwasoftenhardtoarouseherinterest.
OnechillyDecemberafternoonthreeyearsago,mydaughterMeagan,theneight,andIweresettlinginforalongvisitwith「GG,」asthefamilycalled.her,whenshenoticedthatMeaganwascarryingherfavoritedoll.
「I,too,hadaspecialdollwhenIwasalittlegirl,」shetoldawide-eyedMeagan,「IgotitoneChristmaswhenIwasaboutyourage.IlivedinanoldfarmhouseinMaine,withMom,Dadandmyfoursisters,andtheveryfirstgiftIopenedthatChristmaswasthemostbeautifuldollyou』deverwanttosee.」
「Shehadanexquisite,hand-paintedporcelainface,andherlongbrownhairwaspulledbackwithabigpinkbow.Hereyeswereblueasbluecouldbe,andtheyopenedandclosed.Iremembershehadabodyofkidskin,andherarmsandlegsbentatthejoints.」
GG』svoicedroppedlow,takingonanalmostreverenttone.「Mydollwasdressedinadaintypinkgown,trimmedwithfinelace.ButwhatIespeciallyrememberwasherpetticoat.Itwasfinebatiste,trimmedwithrowsandrowsofdelicatelace.Andthetinybuttonsonherbootswerereal.Gettingsuchafinedollwaslikeamiracleforalittlefarmgirllikeme—myparentsmusthavehadtosacrificesomuchtoaffordit.ButhowhappyIwasthatmorning!」
GG』seyesfilledandhervoiceshookwithemotionassherecalledthatChristmasoflongago.「Iplayedwithmydollallmorninglong.ShewassuchabeautifuldollAndthenithappened.MymothercalledustothediningroomforChristmasdinnerandIlaidmynewdolldown,eversogently,onthehalltable.ButasIwenttojointhefamilyatthetable,Iheardaloudcrash.」
「Ihardlyhadtoturnround—Iknewitwasmypreciousdoll.Ijustknewit.Anditwas.Herlacepetticoathadhungdownfromthetablejustenoughformybabysistertoreachupandpullonit.WhenIraninfromthediningroom,therelaymybeautifuldollonthefloor,herfacesmashedintoadozenpieces.Icanstillseemymothertryingtoputmypoordollytogetheragain.Butitcouldn』tbedone.Shewasgoneforever.」
AfewyearslaterGG』sbabysisterwasalsogone,shetoldMeagan,avictimofpneumonia.Nowthetearsinhereyesspilledover—tears,Iknew,notonlyforalostdollandalostsister,butforalosttime.
Subduedfortherestofthevisit,Meaganwasnosoonerinthecargoinghomethansheexclaimed,「Mom,Ihaveagreatidea!Let』sgetGGanewdollforChristmas,oneexactlylikethedollthatgotbroken.Thenshewon』tcrywhenshethinksaboutit.」
MyheartfilledwithprideasIlistenedtomycompassionatelittledaughter.ButwherewouldwefindadolltomatchGG』sfondmemories?
Wherethere』sawill,astheysay,there』saway.WhenItoldmybestfriends,LizandChris,aboutmyproblem,Lizputmeintouchwithalocaldollmakerwhomadedollheads,handsandfeetofaceramicthatcloselyresembledtheoldporcelainones.FromherIcommissionedadollheadinthestyleofthree-quartersofacenturyago—makingsuretospecify「bigblueeyesthatopenedandclosed,」andhandsandfeet.FromadollsupplyhouseIorderedalongbrownwigandakidskinbody,andMeaganandIshoppedforfabric,laceandribbontoduplicatetheoutfitGGhadsolovinglydescribed.Liz,whohadsomeexperiencewithahot-gluegun,volunteeredtoputthedolltogether,andasthelastdaysbeforeChristmasracedby,Chrishelpedmemakethedoll』soutfit,completewithlacypetticoat.AndwhileLiz,ChrisandIsearchedfordoll「bootswithrealbuttons,」Meaganwroteandillustratedthestoryofthelostdoll.