The Doll Buggy

Now, Maya will remember that her Granny's Little Mama was once a little girl named Virginia, and called Ginny. But, what Maya may not yet realize, is that not only was Granny's Little Mama a little girl, but also her Aunt Flo was once a little girl. Now, Flo is Ginny's sister, just 16 months younger than Ginny, and they have always been the very best of friends. When Flo and Ginny were little, they played with each other. And when they were teenagers, they shared secrets. And when Ginny eloped and got married, Flo was the only one she told. Even, when Ginny had a baby called Joy (yes, indeed, the very same Joy who grew up to be Maya's very own Granny) she had her on Flo's 18th birthday! Now that they are little old ladies, they live together. So, Maya can see that Ginny and Flo have always been the very best of friends.

Well, when Ginny and Flo were very young they made friends with two little girls who lived close to their house, the Real twins, Eileen and Kathleen (who is called Kay). The four little girls, two sets of sisters, would get together and play almost every day. They liked each other a lot and did lots and lots of things together.

So, when Ginny was about 4 and Flo was about 3, it happened that they were given doll buggies. Oh how they liked those doll buggies! They put their dolls in the buggies, and they walked up and down, up and down, taking their dollies for a walk. Pretty soon they decided to go visit the Real twins, and so they took their doll buggies with them. Then they took turns, letting Kay and Eileen push the dollies in the buggies. Up and down. Up and down. Oh, those four little girls had such a lot of fun with their dollies. And then, Ginny got to thinking about how sad it was that Kay and Eileen didn't have doll buggies of their own. She felt so sorry for them, she worried and worried about it. Finally, she figured out a solution -- she gave them Flo's doll buggy!

That night, Ginny and Flo's Papa, Granny's Grandpa Percy, asked them where Flo's doll buggy was. Ginny explained about poor Kay and Eileen not having doll buggies, and how that was not fair, and how she had solved the problem by giving them Flo's. Her Papa said, "Ginny, you can't give away other people's toys. You and I have to go down and get Flo's buggy back." But, when Ginny and her Papa got to the Real's house, what do you think they discovered? Oh, dear, a tragedy had occurred. Mr. Real (Kay & Eileen's Papa) hadn't known that there was a doll buggy anywhere around, and so he hadn't looked out for it when he backed the car out of the garage. He had backed the car right over it and crushed it flat!

Well, Ginny was very sorry for Flo, but she couldn't get her doll buggy back, because it was ruined. But, her Papa explained, that since she had given it away, she would have to give Flo her doll buggy to make it right. Oh, poor Ginny! No doll buggy! How sad she was! But, the thing about it is that she never forgot it. No, indeed. When Granny was a little girl named Joy Baby and Ginny was her Little Mama, she told Joy Baby all about it. And she never again in her whole life gave away something that belonged to someone else. No, she did not.