| My Lonely Lisa
by Cathy Breining I have been collecting dolls since my daughter Heather was born 18 years ago. They range from porcelain to rubber, and I love them all. For the last 15 years I was haunted by a doll I received in the early 60s as a Christmas present. Her name was Lonely Lisa and I first laid eyes on her as a very young child in a front window display at an upscale department store. I felt a kindred spirit with her immediately. The store front was displayed for the upcoming Christmas season, and I believed she was just part of the display, and not for sale. My Mother must have noticed how taken I was with this doll for that Christmas morning I awoke to a very special package under our tree (one I would treasure for years to come) in it was Lonely Lisa. My parents divorced when I was 13 years old, all of my dolls, and other toys were either sold or thrown away without my consent. Lisa was amongst them - my Lisa was lost to me. I began dreaming of Lonely Lisa shortly after I got married. I even found one like her in a doll exhibit at a local family owned museum, but she wasn't for sale.As the years went on I would think of her often, and wished I could find a way of locating one like her. In 1998, I entered the world of the Internet and my quest began in search of Lisa. I had almost given up hope when I found a site where I could post a wanted message. In two weeks time I had three responses and one from a woman who sent pictures of dolls that were pretty, but not my Lonely Lisa. I e-mailed her a message and thanked her for her time but I wasn't interested. She promptly wrote back and asked me to view another picture at the web site, and there was my Lonely Lisa! I received Lisa in 2001 for a nominal fee from this wonderful woman who opened up her heart to me and sold me her childhood doll. I should add that I began my search in earnest once I was diagnosed with breast cancer and felt compelled to find my old friend whom I've loved and missed for many years. Lisa is a rubber doll with long blonde hair and large brown, sad eyes. To most she would not be considered a collectible - to me she is my most prized possession. Although she is in need of repair, I display her proudly and each and every time I gaze at her I am taken back to my childhood when I first laid eyes on her in that storefront window. Thank you Baudette (original mother of Lonely Lisa) for making my dream a reality.
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