It was over the Christmas holiday, when Treesa was showing me off to her sisters, that I overheard from Treesa herself why she'd bought me. Basically she said that the 'juxtaposition' of a Frozen Elsa doll wearing a tropical print dress that almost perfectly matched the doll's eyes 'amused' her. I learned pretty quickly that Treesa likes 'specialized' words, as she calls them. And yes, Treesa was waiting for my tag color to go half price before she bought me.
Treesa's reasons for naming me Odessa should also give you an idea how Treesa's mind works. Because most people assume that Frozen is set in a fictionalized version of Norway, and because I'm wearing a summer dress, Treesa looked up who the summer deity is in Norse mythology. Apparently the name of the Norse god of summer is Od. So Treesa added Od to Elsa and got Odelsa. But Treesa didn't like the way that sounded. However Odessa was only one letter different, and Treesa knew that Odessa was the name of a foreign city. Treesa does sometimes make up names for her dolls, but she likes being able to use real words. Treesa also thought Odessa sounded pretty. So she named me Odessa.
Treesa's still trying to work on my hair. She said she's having trouble making sense of the different part lines. Treesa also said she's thinking about trying a 'Downey dunk' because she doesn't trust herself to do 'boil washes' anymore. She said the hair loses too much body when she tries to do boil washes.
I've met some of Treesa's other Frozen dolls. Elsa was very polite, and her sister Anna was ready to give me the cape off her back because she said I looked cold. Treesa was also worried about the same thing, but she couldn't find a jacket that looked good with my dress. Elsa and Anna's little brother Christian is adorable, and Sven the baby reindeer is very well-behaved. I know Treesa has at least one other Frozen doll, Christian's friend Nora. But I haven't met her yet. I've heard she's very shy.
Things have been going really well here at Treesa's house, and I'm very happy. I'll admit, after Treesa bought me and Halle told me how many other dolls Treesa had I was a little worried. I was worried how the other dolls would react to my damaged hand. The toys at the thrift store had felt sorry for me, because they thought that I wouldn't find a new owner. Now I had a new home, but I wasn't sure how Treesa's other dolls would treat me. Would they think they were better than me because I was damaged and they weren't? Or would seeing my damaged hand make them uncomfortable?
As it turned out Treesa has a number of other dolls with 'condition issues', as Suzanne calls them. Suzanne and her family have been with Treesa the longest, and Suzanne has some 'condition issues' herself, so she tries to help Treesa make sure that every doll in the collection feels welcome. Treesa also told me that if I'm really worried about making the other dolls uncomfortable with my damaged hand, she's found a seller on Etsy who makes gloves for various types of dolls, including modern 'Barbie' dolls. I didn't think gloves would work with a summer dress, but Treesa told me there was a time when it wasn't considered 'ladylike' for a woman to go out without gloves, and that a lot of vintage Barbie outfits came with gloves.
However, Treesa's other dolls have been so considerate and welcoming that I can't be sure if I need the gloves or not. I don't want to turn my damaged hand into an issue if none of the other dolls think it is. But I'm worried that seeing my hand might be making the other dolls uncomfortable, and that they just haven't said anything because they don't want to be rude. So I told Treesa that I'd think about the gloves, and let her know when I make a decision.
They say that a new year can be a time to start fresh, to make a new beginning. It certainly has been for me. I have a new home, new friends, and a new chance at life. I do realize just how close I came to being thrown away. My first owner, her parents, or the thrift store employees could all have decided that I was no longer worth anything with my damaged hand. But luck was on my side, and I plan to make the most of this fresh start that the new year has given me.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good night, Odessa
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