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You have a quite a communication gift. Through your reminicing, I can hear and smell my childhood neighborhood. Thanks for sharing!
You have a quite a communication gift. Through your reminicing, I can hear and smell my childhood neighborhood. Thanks for sharing!
Your Carolina stories have been among the most literary of your posts. (I hope you at least had to work hard, editing multiple drafts, to craft such fine pieces!) Finish up that manuscript, get yourself an agent, and start shopping your Carolina-girlhood (up through college) memoirs to publishers. I am totally serious. You've already got the pitch: the genuine American experience of growing up in SC, the stories that haven't been told by Conroy and Allison. You'll give the indie bookstore staffers something new to rave about in their handwritten signs. (Not to mention Amazon reviewers.)
You can save the adventures in parenting and the true confessions of a sex-toy purveyor for your follow-up books.
Your Carolina stories have been among the most literary of your posts. (I hope you at least had to work hard, editing multiple drafts, to craft such fine pieces!) Finish up that manuscript, get yourself an agent, and start shopping your Carolina-girlhood (up through college) memoirs to publishers. I am totally serious. You've already got the pitch: the genuine American experience of growing up in SC, the stories that haven't been told by Conroy and Allison. You'll give the indie bookstore staffers something new to rave about in their handwritten signs. (Not to mention Amazon reviewers.)
You can save the adventures in parenting and the true confessions of a sex-toy purveyor for your follow-up books.
Ha! I didn't have any Ken dolls, so when forced to stay in my girl-friends and I would would create love scenes between the all the barbies! It was awesome...
Hey, have you ever heard Dar Williams' "When I was a boy?" I'm sure you have. I love that song.
Ha! I didn't have any Ken dolls, so when forced to stay in my girl-friends and I would would create love scenes between the all the barbies! It was awesome...
Hey, have you ever heard Dar Williams' "When I was a boy?" I'm sure you have. I love that song.
I've got to agree with Amy about how you should write a book. However, I don't care what it's about, I just think you're one of the best writers I've ever come across.
You are the only person I know who can make me long for children, remember my childhood vividly and snort with laughter with a phrase about a warehouse being like Wal-Mart but all anal, all the time. Or something like that.
You're quite an author. It's an honor to have found your site. Keep up the good work.
I've got to agree with Amy about how you should write a book. However, I don't care what it's about, I just think you're one of the best writers I've ever come across.
You are the only person I know who can make me long for children, remember my childhood vividly and snort with laughter with a phrase about a warehouse being like Wal-Mart but all anal, all the time. Or something like that.
You're quite an author. It's an honor to have found your site. Keep up the good work.
I hadn't remembered you were Southern, but the name Leigh Anne should have been a hint. (In Virginia, at 44, I remain "Frances Lee's child."
It astounds me that you received such mixed messages about your purpose in life, particularly given that the 1950s were long gone. Then again, I have never understood my Southern relatives.
You write beautifully of your childhood, the friedships of girls and how they speak, what brings them together.
Do you think Barbie and Ken simulating sex acts may have played a pivotal role in your career choice? 
(I suspect you stock much more flexible items in your shop.)
It was so easy to buy booze in 1976 -- a little bit of makeup, and you were there. I don't know when this country turned into such fascists about substances -- if we had more access, then we might not care how hideous things political have become. (just a theory)
I hadn't remembered you were Southern, but the name Leigh Anne should have been a hint. (In Virginia, at 44, I remain "Frances Lee's child."
It astounds me that you received such mixed messages about your purpose in life, particularly given that the 1950s were long gone. Then again, I have never understood my Southern relatives.
You write beautifully of your childhood, the friedships of girls and how they speak, what brings them together.
Do you think Barbie and Ken simulating sex acts may have played a pivotal role in your career choice? (I suspect you stock much more flexible items in your shop.)
It was so easy to buy booze in 1976 -- a little bit of makeup, and you were there. I don't know when this country turned into such fascists about substances -- if we had more access, then we might not care how hideous things political have become. (just a theory)
I thought *everybody* made Barbie and Ken have sex! Wasn't that Ken's only purpose?
I thought *everybody* made Barbie and Ken have sex! Wasn't that Ken's only purpose?
Yep.
I sense I should say I'm terribly sorry for your loss.
I sense I should say I'm terribly sorry for your loss.
I didn't make Ken and Barbie simulate sex acts, but my brothers and I did play "Peeping Barbies," wherein some of the Barbies would spy on the others while they were taking baths.
My mother, overhearing our games, chose to assume that such play was merely the mark of highly creative children.
I didn't make Ken and Barbie simulate sex acts, but my brothers and I did play "Peeping Barbies," wherein some of the Barbies would spy on the others while they were taking baths.
My mother, overhearing our games, chose to assume that such play was merely the mark of highly creative children.
Some good writers show you things that are new and foreign, and impress you with novelty.
Some even better writers show you what you already know; what you think is familiar and commonplace, and impress you by showing you that it is remarkable.
You are terrific.
Some good writers show you things that are new and foreign, and impress you with novelty.
Some even better writers show you what you already know; what you think is familiar and commonplace, and impress you by showing you that it is remarkable.
You are terrific.
"Don't sit on those spiky points on your way over," cautioned Allie, "You'll hurt your bird."
The term 'bird' is a new one one me...is that a Southern thing or am I just out of it?
"Don't sit on those spiky points on your way over," cautioned Allie, "You'll hurt your bird."
The term 'bird' is a new one one me...is that a Southern thing or am I just out of it?
I have no idea. We may have made it up. But we did call it that.
I have no idea. We may have made it up. But we did call it that.
Um...Ken doesn't have a winkie...
Anyway, thanks...I know what my daugters are getting for Christmas...
Um...Ken doesn't have a winkie...
Anyway, thanks...I know what my daugters are getting for Christmas...
Dog poo?
Dog poo?
If it's good enough for flea...
If it's good enough for flea...
There really is no point in buying gifts for children who are 6 and under. I had all these toys, and what did I play with? Worms, caterpillars, and dog shit. And my kids are the same way. And yet Steve and I spend more money than we have to buy them stuff they won't play with after Christmas day.
There really is no point in buying gifts for children who are 6 and under. I had all these toys, and what did I play with? Worms, caterpillars, and dog shit. And my kids are the same way. And yet Steve and I spend more money than we have to buy them stuff they won't play with after Christmas day.
Maybe they'll get a gummi-cock ring in their stocking, too. HA! And the penis-pop? My wife said it had been years since one of those had been in her mouth and she didn't want to break a streak.
I agree about toys. Cardboard boxes were generally better than whatever comes in them.
Maybe they'll get a gummi-cock ring in their stocking, too. HA! And the penis-pop? My wife said it had been years since one of those had been in her mouth and she didn't want to break a streak.
I agree about toys. Cardboard boxes were generally better than whatever comes in them.
Sounds like a great afternoon and another strange day. Our childhoods involved more beating eachother up with rolled socks, but the core is the same.
Sounds like a great afternoon and another strange day. Our childhoods involved more beating eachother up with rolled socks, but the core is the same.
Wow, I loved that post. Very well written.
Wow, I loved that post. Very well written.
Great narrative, flea. Thank you. But now I have to worry about the neighbors' kids feeding dog treats to my three-year-old.
As for the dog poo sculptures.....I smell a marketing bonanza!
Great narrative, flea. Thank you. But now I have to worry about the neighbors' kids feeding dog treats to my three-year-old.
As for the dog poo sculptures.....I smell a marketing bonanza!
Never trust the neighbor's children. They are heartless.
Never trust the neighbor's children. They are heartless.
Gods, I love your writing. When is that book coming?
Gods, I love your writing. When is that book coming?
Wow, another great entry! Flea, I can't wait until you write a whole book, but I'm sure grateful you're practicing on us in the meantime!
When my sister and I were kids we never noticed the lack of Ken dolls, we were too busy tying up our Barbies and tearing off their pathetically constructed (by us) paper clothing. Makes me wonder how Barbie keeps that goody-two-shoes reputation intact...
Wow, another great entry! Flea, I can't wait until you write a whole book, but I'm sure grateful you're practicing on us in the meantime!
When my sister and I were kids we never noticed the lack of Ken dolls, we were too busy tying up our Barbies and tearing off their pathetically constructed (by us) paper clothing. Makes me wonder how Barbie keeps that goody-two-shoes reputation intact...
Wow, that was an impressive piece. I agree with the others who said you should get that book published.
I never made Barbie and Ken have sex. I was terrified of Barbie, especially the older models with the fashion-model vacant faces. I used to get them all together and pop their heads off. And they weren't my Barbies. If they were, I would have cut all their hair off.
Wow, that was an impressive piece. I agree with the others who said you should get that book published.
I never made Barbie and Ken have sex. I was terrified of Barbie, especially the older models with the fashion-model vacant faces. I used to get them all together and pop their heads off. And they weren't my Barbies. If they were, I would have cut all their hair off.
As a lifelong resident of South Carolina, I just wanted to say that it's really fantastic to see someone writing fondly about this state. It seems that everything I read online about SC is derogatory, which hardly seems fair, since the people writing it usually either a) haven't ever actually been here or b) are coloring the entire state and all of its residents with something unpleasant that they experienced here. Anyway, thanks for making me smile with this (extremely well-written, image-evoking) post. You rock!
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