My mama was a caring person so when she saw Edna Mae Nemir, our next door neighbor aged 4, constantly sucking a pacifier, she became upset, wondering what she could do about it.
I was 6 years old with a brother 3 years old, both of us getting lots of attention from our mother. One day she came where I was playing, looked over my toys and asked me, “Lillian, do you have a doll you don’t want?”
I quickly answered, “Yes, I’ll be glad to give you Flossy Sue; she needs sewing back together.” My mama took the doll and got out her sewing basket.
I watched her dig in her basket for thread and needle. I found some lace and pink buttons and said, “Put these on the dress.” It took quite a while to sew the doll and make the new dress.
“Lillian, will you curl the doll’s hair like you curled Clara’s hair the other day? When we get Flossy Sue all finished, let’s give her to Edna Mae Nemir. I don’t have time today, but tomorrow you arrange a tea party and invite her over.”
I said, “Oh, that would be fun, and will you make me some lemonade for the tea party and some of those little doll sandwiches you make with ribbons around them?”
“Yes,” mama said. “I’ll do that while you set your tea party table with doll dishes. The first thing in the morning, go next door, ring the doorbell and ask Mrs. Nemir to let Edna Mae come over to a tea party.”
The next morning Mrs. Nemir came to the door in a wrapper. That was a dress without a belt that just hung straight down almost to the floor but gave room for the person to do her housework, her hard, heavy housework.
“Mrs. Nemir, can Edna Mae come over to my house to a doll tea party?”
Mrs. Nemir looked startled. She was not used to such invitations. She hesitated, “Edna Mae,” she called. The child came out slowly and stood next to her mother, sucking on the pacifier. “Lillian wants you to come to a tea party. Do you want to go?”
I smiled at her, took her hand and without waiting for an answer, led her out the front door, down the few porch steps, over to my side past my playhouse to my front door. We walked up the six steps across the porch into the parlor.
We stood and looked at the table. It was like a magic dream come true. On top of the pink cloth lay the doll plates and cups and saucers and tea pot. The tiny sandwiches smelled tantalizing, resting under the pink ribbon floating over them. Thetinkle of a music box sounded behind the door. I put Edna Mae next to Flossy Sue, and I sat next to my doll, Clara.
I said, “Edna Mae, let’s play ladies; will you have a cup of tea?” She hesitated, “Don’t worry, it’s just lemonade,” I assured her, and poured a cup of cold lemonade for her. It was a hot, humid day and the cold drink tasted refreshing. “Now, play like Flossie Sue is your little girl, and I’ll play like Clara is mine.”
Edna Mae petted Flossie Sue and finally picked her up and hugged her.
I handed her a cup of lemonade. She took the pacifier out of her mouth and put it on the table, holding the doll with one hand.
I poured her another doll cup of “tea”
My mama came into the room and said to Edna Mae, “Do you love Flossy Sue?”
Edna Mae hugged the doll tighter.
Mama said, “Would you like to take Flossy Sue home with you to stay?”
Edna Mae nodded enthusiastically.
My mama came closer to Edna Mae. “If you will give me the pacifier, I’ll give you Flossy Sue.”
Edna Mae thought a minute, then reached for the pacifier on the table and handed it to my mama. She whisked the pacifier quickly out of sight and put it in her pocket.
The tea party came to an end. We took our dolls and left. I held Edna Mae’s hand and took her back home. My mama was in the background. When Mrs. Nemir came out of the house, the two ladies exchanged knowing glances while Edna Mae leaned down and kissed Flossy Sue.