Charlie Sullivan was not a...
Illustration
Charlie Sullivan was not a wealthy man. Married for nine years, father of two daughters, ages four and six, Charlie had worked since high school graduation as a mechanic in a small garage. The pay was enough to live on, but there was no extra money for vacations, dinners out or the latest fashions. It was, however, a Sullivan family tradition that on Saturday nights in the summer, they would stroll down Main Street to the local ice cream parlor and get ice cream cones. One warm July evening as the family of four walked through town to get their weekly treat, the girls spotted a meticulously built, beautifully furnished, Victorian dollhouse in the toy store window. The girls stood there with their noses and palms pressed against the dirty plate glass window admiring every room. Finally, Charlie and his wife tugged the girls away from the toy store and down the street for their ice cream. For the rest of the evening, Charlie's daughters could not talk about anything else but that glorious dollhouse, "Please, Daddy, please?" But there was simply not enough money in the family budget for a $300 dollhouse. It broke his heart, but Charlie had to say, "No, girls, I'm sorry." The next Saturday night, on their way to get ice cream, the girls noticed that the dollhouse was gone. Someone had bought it, and the girls were bitterly disappointed. Not even an extra scoop of ice cream could bring a smile to their faces. The girls ate their ice cream cones in silence on the way home, shuffling their feet and staring at the sidewalk. When they got home, they went right upstairs to get ready for bed. Charlie's wife heard a shriek of delight and she ran upstairs with Charlie right on her heels. There on the dresser was the Victorian dollhouse in perfect condition. Charlie's wife looked at him and smiled. All Charlie could say was, "Well, they won't be little girls forever."
-- Parlette
-- Parlette
