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I first posted Sophie’s tale a few weeks ago, but since it’s her turn to find a new home via ebay I thought I’d post it again for those who might come here to read more of her story. You can see her listing here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sweet-Sophie-a-PERFECT-21-Vintage-Composition-Cloth-Doll-thats-not-perfect-/140984270037?pt=US_Dolls_Bears_Toys&hash=item20d3513cd5

Outfit by Ruth the Runner.

Meet Sweet Sophie “The Faithful.” She was all set to leave me, and as with all of my dolls she was very excited to go to the place where she was needed most. Then, the night before she was supposed to go, we had a BAT ATTACK.

There I was, sleeping PEACEFULLY in my bed – or almost, when Ziiiipp!!! A dark shadow flittered past, breaking the constant stream of light between my eyelids and my Sponge Bob nightlight – er, the MOON. I knew instantly What It Was. And my heart started.

“Boom-BOOM Boom-BOOM Boom-BOOM Boom-BOOM!”…only, FASTER.

And I screamed. It sounded kind of funny though, because after a split second I was screaming through closed lips. The curse of a vivid imagination: Bats like caves. What if my mouth resembled a dark, cozy cave admidst my howling?

“Ruth!” Sophie called out from her room across the hall. “It’s okay! Before I came here I was hidden away for fifty years in an abandoned farmhouse where there were hundreds of bats. I know what to do!”

I hid under a sheet and waited for her instructions, willing my heart to quiet down. There was silence. I peeked out to make sure that the rest of the group hadn’t deserted me. Just then, the bat zipped back into my room.

“RUN!”

“RUN!!!!!!” Sophie yelled.

What? That’s IT?! I could have come up with THAT myself! Granted, my fear was making me a little cranky, but I did it. I grabbed my dog Teddy and my sheet and all and I RAN.

Sophie and the rest of the dolls and I nearly collided in the hallway.

“Turn on your bedroom light and close the door,” Sophie instructed.

Oh. Good. So more than just “RUN” then. I hurried so fast that I almost crushed my fingers. FIRST the light switch. THEN the door. Check.

We all headed down the stairs and out into the yard and peered up to the windows of my bedroom, hoping to see the bat.

We could! There he was! Climbing the screen in one of my windows…while my CAT uselessly gazed out the other, looking down at us. If she could talk, she’d say, “Hey! Whatcha doin’ down there? Doh-de-doh!”

Finally, she saw the bat. And She. Did. Nothing.

I started looking around for long reeds or blades of grass. Perhaps I could weave some sort of tent. We could just live outdoors. Forever.

Alas! This was not a realistic plan. We had to take care of that bat. Waiting until it was high up in a corner of the window screen and with Sophie the Brave at my side, we went back up the stairs, broom in hand. Unlatching the window, and with a little encouragement, the bat flew away.

“Sophie! It’s so late! We need to get you back to bed. Tomorrow’s your big day! Thank you so much for your help tonight,” I said, still shaking a bit.

Just then Sophie had an epiphany. Me! It was ME who needed her most. She’s been with me now a very long time, vowing to stay until I am bat free for a season. Did I mention she’s been with me for a long time?

Sophie even tries to make me laugh about the whole thing, staging re-enactments, getting other dolls to get in on the act.

“Ooh! We so SCARED!

Nope! STILL not funny. But I’m glad she’s here.

Naturally, this story is fantasy based on reality. Ever since I started writing “Hazel Twigg & the Hollyhock Hideaway,” I’ve worked on intertwining the two. In reality, the part of Sophie was played by my Princess-style phone, and the voice in my ear was my sister Julie, who said, “This is going to be the hardest ten feet of your life. But when next the bat flies into your room, RUN!”

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