Kirsten is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1854, and Nellie is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1906. Mini Kit is a 6-inch-tall doll from 1934--though she's rather more interested in fantasy than her own time period.
Hey, there was some fantasy literature in the 1930s. Look it up!
But true to the title of this page, this story is ALL about Kirsten! No framing device needed!
We were in Chicago almost a year ago (!), having secured a stellar deal on the business-class Swissotel.
Hey, it's a real hotel! Look it up!
I went out to ogle the view of Navy Pier from the hallway.
Meanwhile, Kirsten started writing...
She had seen something lovely in our trip to American Girl Place Chicago, and was very disappointed that I didn't buy a single thing for her at the MCM sale. So she had a humble request:
Please buy my Two-Tone boots please
Love
Kirsten
"You don't need another pair of shoes, Kirsten," I argued. "You have your Meet boots, black boots, and red boots. And Nellie would let you wear any of hers if you wanted to be anachronistic. How many different types of boots do you need?" Exasperated, I went to the bed, only to find this note:
I would like my two-tone boots please. I have been very pretty good.
Thank you
Love
Kirsten
"Kirsten!" I yelled. "I appreciate that you have been very pretty good, but American Girl Place is almost a mile away."
Kirsten ran away. "Kirsten?" I asked, looking around for her. I found her in the strange bathroom (I'm sorry, but a separate tub and shower is something I've never seen before, business hotel or no!).
"Kirsten? What are you doing in here?" And sure enough, right on the seat...
Dear Cheap Lady,
Can I please have my two-tone boots?
Please please please please please please please please please?
Adoringly,
Kirsten
P.S. I love you?
"That's a very nice try, Kirsten, but I'm not walking to American Girl Place."
"You could get a cab!" Kirsten is always very free with my money.
"No!"
"You really are a Cheap Lady." Kirsten stormed off in a huff. I couldn't face her anymore, so I decided to go for a walk.
Insert Chicago photo montage.
The clock tower's clock had no hands. :( But the buildings were so beautiful!
When I came home, Kirsten was still pouting.
"In the right light, these don't look very red," she murmured. "But they're still not two-tone boots. She brought me all the way to Chicago and Wisconsin and didn't buy me a single thing..."
"Kirsten?" I called.
Kirsten turned glanced over, and then...
"You got them!" Kirsten squealed. "I can't believe you bought them!" She hesitated, frowning. "Wait...they are for me, right? You're not planning to use them as finger-boots for yourself?"
"No, Kirsten."
"Or give them to Nellie?"
"No."
"Or let Mini Kit use the laces for a bodice?"
"They're yours, Kirsten!"
She smiled again. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! Did you take a cab?"
"It wasn't that far," I said. "I just started walking and then before I knew it I was only a block away and I figured I might as well stop by since I was in the neighborhood."
"So you're a cheap lady, but at least not a lazy lady!"
I guess she meant that as a compliment.
Kirsten was so excited she hardly stopped to examine the plastic soles before she put her new boots on.
"Look how beautiful I am!" Kirsten said.
"You were always beautiful!" I replied.
"Look how much more beautiful I am!" Kirsten amended. She ran over to me...
...and gave me a big doll hug. "Thank you! I won't make fun of your ridiculous mannish cargo pants anymore, I promise! Oh...and I'm sorry about what I did to the mini bar."
"What?"
"I only removed a dozen items," Kirsten said. "I figured if you weren't going to buy me my boots, at least we could have some candy. (And then I missed you so much, I had to eat some of it to make myself feel better...)"
Oh dear.
"Kirsten!"
And so, I craftily tried to distract everyone from the mystery I set up in the last adventure! Did it work?
(Ah, I'll be at my sewing machine until the next adventure....)
On to 6.3.08