20081209

Dollhouse

by Stephen J. Davis

When Monica was four, she demanded — quite insistently — that she wanted a dollhouse, but not a prefabricated one like the other two in her playroom. No, she required an exact replica of our house, complete with details like matching furniture and décor. This was a request beyond reason, I felt, as the cost alone would’ve been astounding. Eventually, though, I gave in — her insistence was unnerving. I had everything built at a 1/12 scale and included matching dolls of the family. Our miniature representations eat, talk and play together constantly, just as we did before cancer took her mother away.

6S

Stephen J. Davis is an elementary teacher near San Francisco, California. He lives with his wife, daughter and two cats.