Tea with Ralphie and Barbie

Connie’s first grade class picture.  Connie sits directly in front of the teacher.  Mother made her dress.

Ralphie’s mom had coffee with Mother several mornings a week.  A quirky little guy, he played happily with Connie and Marilyn in their bedroom.  Mother never let them shut the bedroom door.  She still hadn’t gotten over my brother poking holes in Barbie’s nipples with a straight pin.  One morning, Mother heard the door shut.  She left her coffee and opened the door.  “Leave the door open.  It’ll get too hot in here.”  Ralphie was digging happily in the toy box, obviously in pursuit of some prize.  In just a minute, Mother heard the door shut again.  Leaving her coffee, she opened the bedroom  again.  Barbie dolls, clothes, and accessories were spread all around.  Hurriedly, Ralphie hid a half-dressed Barbie behind his back.  “Leave the door open.  It’s hot in here.”

”I want the door shut,” said Ralphie.  “I’m cold.”

Realizing Ralphie hadn’t wanted to be seen playing Barbie, Mother answered.  “Tell you what, kids.  Bring your Barbies and tea set in the living room and I’ll make you some KoolAid.  We’ll all have a tea party.”  The kids gathered up their toys and set up in the living room at their mama’s feet.  Ever after, when Ralphie came to play Barbie, they all had a tea party in the living room with the ladies.

22 thoughts on “Tea with Ralphie and Barbie”

      • I taught in a small school for a year later on and it was a 1st-2nd-grade class. My own daughter was in that 1st-grade class. She sometimes called me Mommy. One time a couple other little girls called me Mommy. They were all darling children. We had to move so I couldn’t teach there the next year. I would have had a job there for years but my husband went to work for another company. :) — Suzanne

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        • Bet you never got such a good job again. My sister taught my brother and younger sisters. She said my brother behaved perfectly, very unlike himself. He told us later Daddy threatened him with a beating should my sister ever complain. He knew Daddy was deadly serious.

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  7. Brings back my Barbie memories. My sisters and I spent hours setting up Barbie’s house before we started playing. Since my parents wouldn’t buy us the Dream House, we made beds out of wash cloths, etc. Then, when the game began, we turned my mother’s roasting pan into a swimming pool and Barbie and Midge had the best pool party.

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