The dolls were super excited about viewing Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Their plane had just arrived in Paris at Charles de Gaulle Airport, and they hadn’t slept a wink during the entire flight.
This was the first time Attorney Malkah had ever traveled with her living dolls, but the cast had insisted. It was a long weekend, and they were all antsy to go somewhere. Exactly how did these dainty figures turn into little humanoids? Malkah had noticed that the longer the cast remained animated, the more human-like they became. It was no wonder the sassy bunch agreed on Paris for their first destination.
It was a massive responsibility for Attorney Malkah, since the lot of them had become such a feisty, mischievous bunch, always getting into some sort of shenanigans. Anything could go wrong, and it usually did, especially when Rebecca Loca was around.
There in the airport, it was all she could do to contain the dolls without making a commotion amongst passersby, for their playful curiosity was out of control!
“What are those moving circles with bags on them?!”
Wondered Saucy, as suitcases clunked around on the baggage carousel.
“Look, dollies! It’s a go-cart!”
Cried Rebecca, as she jumped onto an empty baggage cart just as another passenger had released it.
“Woo! Hoo! Come on, Saucy! Let’s go for a ride!”
Saucy darted onto the cart and grasped Rebecca around the waist and the two dashed off through the crowded baggage claim area, Saucy almost falling off!
“Wow! I never thought Paris would be this much fun!”
Screamed Saucy, as the dolls got rowdy, and the scene escalated. Malkah dropped her bags.
“Fanny, watch our stuff!”
And sprinted toward the two unruly dolls, turning heads everywhere. Malkah caught up with Rebecca and Saucy, narrowly avoiding two security officers as she pulled the luggage cart to a screeching halt, ending the dollies’ rebellious escapade.
Out of breath, Malkah claimed,
“If this is how you two are going to behave, then we’ll just head straight back home, and you’ll go back to being inanimate dolls!”
Clearly, Attorney Malkah was infuriated.
“Gosh, Malkah. We were just having fun.”
Defied Rebecca with a smirk on her face.
“Okay, Malkah. We’ll behave.”
Confessed Saucy, flashing her shiniest smile.
“Taxi!!!”
Hailed Malkah.
[girls talking and laughing, getting into the cab. Cab driving off.]
Arriving at the hotel, the dolls’ eyes popped open after a brief snooze in the back of the cab as the portier de voiture opened the car door.
“Bonjour mesdames, bienvenue à La Maison de Trouble, the hotel where nothing works. And we don’t care!”
[gasp! The nerve]
“Je m’appelle Monsieur Stuckup, at your service.”
The dolls were impressed by Monsieur Stuckup’s thick, French accent, but somewhat troubled not only by the name of the hotel, but his name, as well. Little did they know what they were in for!
Nonetheless, the girls were excited! And jumped out of the cab excited for their afternoon visit to the Eiffel Tower. But as the cab zoomed off, Monsieur Stuckup disappeared, leaving the girls alone at the curbside with all their bags.
They all thought the service was rather strange and felt that something was ‘off’ at La Maison de Trouble. In contract, the foyer itself was remarkably elegant, boasting a massive floral centerpiece which enveloped Malkah and the dolls with a velvety, floral scent. Personnel buzzed about, carrying stacks of snowy white linens and trays topped with steamy café crèmes and croissants . Just beyond the grand, floral centerpiece appeared to be the concierge, where a thin lady with a massive blonde buffont shuffled papers and pushed pens. Her phone continued to ring, and yet the puffy-haired woman took the time to re-paint her already thickly glossed red lips.
No one paid even a speck of attention to Malkah and the dolls as a feeling of awkwardness set in, counteracting the elegant aesthetic that characterized La Maison de Trouble. Suddenly, Saucy overheard sharp whispers between 3 female personnel near the entrance,
“Those girls are the strange, doll-looking tourists from Daisy’s World!”
As one of the three pointed a long, skinny finger in their direction while the other two shot a wide-eyed, glaring look straight at Saucy.
[female gasp]
Saucy gasped, shocked by what she had over heard. In a split second, she could not process whether she was impressed by their lean, chic appearances, or offended by their sharp remarks. How did the hotel personnel know that Malkah and the dolls were from Daisy’s World?
But before Saucy could utter a word to the others, Attorney Malkah made her way to the concierge to claim their hotel room, not waiting another second for any sort of hospitable greeting. Since it was obvious that Madame Blonde Buffont was not going to acknowledge the group, Malkah asserted,
“Bonjour Mademoiselle. Nous aimerions avoir notre chambre d’hôtel s’il vous plaît.”
Taken aback by Malkah’s assertive greeting, the dolls whispered curiously amongst themselves,
“I didn’t know Malkah could speak French!”
“Me neither!”
The cheugy, fashion-backward woman halted her lip painting and stared blankly at Malkah, as though looking straight through her, flattly ignoring the ear-cracking rings of her phone. The woman senslessly shuffled papers for for all eternity, as Malkah noticed that her name tag read ‘Bea’. How fitting for a beehive-like hairdo! Abruptly, the abrasive woman slapped a paper and slammed a pen on the countertop, startling Malkah, and instructing,
“Sign here and sign there.”
In the heaviest of a New York accent!
No sooner could Malkah scribble her signature than Madame Bea Buffont slam a key next to the signed papers, triggering Malkah to jump,
“Your room is on the 4th floor. The stairs are over there. ”
Waving her chunky hand in some random direction.
Malkah was stunned by the lady’s rude service. In fact, she almost forgot to take the key as she stared into the flat eyes of a woman obviously clueless to fashion. Resisting the urge to shoot dagars of insults, . Malkah set a good example for the staring dolls with jaws aghast and replied,
“Merci beaucoup.”
Which means thank you very… well, I think we all know what it means in English!
Not surprisingly, no one at La Maison de Trouble offered to assist the girls with their bags. So, they all set foot to the four flights of stairs, panting as they finally reached their room.
But once inside, Malkah and the dolls could not believe their eyes! For beyond the ornate, provincial beds was a magnficent veranda, with open French doors, welcoming a direct view of the Eiffel Tower. The plush, traditional decor definitely compensated for the rude service that characterized La Maison de Trouble. The dolls squeeled in delight as they all dropped their bags and ran onto the veranda.
[dolls commenting and chatting]
“This is so beautiful!”
“Look at the Eiffel Tower! I can practically touch it!”
“Let’s order lunch!”
As they all dropped into cushy chairs surrounding a large, glass table topped with a basket of beautiful, ripe fruit begging to be eaten. As they all gaized on the Tower, fatigue from jetlag began to set in as the dolls grew weary.
“Dollies, remember our plan to go to the Eiffel Tower. And later, dinner at the Café Montorgueil. We can rest later!”
[dolls chatting]
“Cafe what?? I want McDonalds!”
“She’s doing it again! She’s speaking French!”
“Mmm! I bet they have the best croissants.”
“Wait, is that French?”
“I just wannt go to a trendy nightclub!”
“I wanna speak French like Malkah!”
Well, by now, you listeners can probably guess which doll said what!
Little did the animated creatures realize that Attorney Malkah was taking them to one of the most charming streets in Paris for a dazzling culinary experience at a well known bistro. It certainly was not McDonalds, even though most of the dolls, except for one, had somehow developed palets more refined than some humans! Malkah was not sure how that happened, since dolls don’t need to eat, unless they want to.
For the next 30 minutes, all the belles femmes beautified, including Malkah, utlimately regaled in drip attire, swag as swaggy can be, even by Parisian standards. Malkah was secretly proud of her dollcast.
Out on the streets of Paris, Saucy pranced in her high heel sneakers and white mini, while Rebecca boasted a black leather jacket and trousers. Fanny fancied a more ‘me’ look in roomy jeans and a loosely-fitted T. All in all, the dollcast sported an undeniably fire look, ready to take the city by storm.
A round of confidence accessorized the girls as they all radiated unabashed enjoyment, celebrating the these moments during the short walk to the Eiffel Tower.
As the group strolled through the Champ de Mars, Fanny snapped photos while Rebecca and Saucy compared cartwheels along the grassy stretch. Malkah made sure that the cast behaved and didn’t get out of line. So far, the afternoon was perfect!
As the cast reached the Eiffel Tower, they unanimously decided to take the stairs to the top. This was a daring feat as there are more than 1,600 stairs!
“Dollies, are you ready? I know we can do this!”
Challenged Rebecca.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea, dollies. But let’s give it a try.”
Accepted Attorney Malkah.
“I brought a change of sneakers in my purse and I’m good at climbing stairs!”
Declared Saucy, as she changed out of her high heel sneakers.
Fanny did not seem too excited about the idea, but she was outnumbered by the rest of the group.
“I don’t know. I’ll give it best efforts.”
[climbing stairs]
And the climbing began.
[more stairs, panting breath, crowd sounds]
“Woo!Hoo! Look what I can do?!”
Rebecca squealed.
As Malkah and the dolls turned around, they screeched in horror and Rebecca swung in midair from one of the iron beams on the outside of the Tower!
“Rebecca! Get down from there right now. That’s dangerous!”
Without further warning, a security guard rushed up to the scene as fellow stair climbers gathered round, gasping at the scene of a bold doll dangling from mid air. But before they could reach the group, Rebecca swung herself and landed at Malkah’s side, letting out a rebellious cackle.
[Rebecca laughing]
“I’m sorry, Officer. I thought I dropped my purse. It won’t happen again.”
Rebecca innocently declared to the man in uniform. The glare of the authoritative figure quickly melted into a blushing smile as Rebecca flashed one of her flirty grins and batted her eyelashes.
Well, Rebecca was anything but innocent and Malkah was furious.
“I can’t take you dolls anywhere! Rebecca, mind your manners!”
Malkah scolded as the other dollies could not help but chuckle. They were accustomed to rebellious Rebecca Loca being their go-to entertainer. And this was a good one!
Soon, Malkah and the entire dollcast reached the top of the Eiffel Tower. The clear, sunny weather yielded a spectacular view for miles.
“Wow! The view is breathtaking!”
“Look over there! It’s the Arc de Triomphe!”
“Hey, dolls! There’s the Grand Palais! Malkah, do we have time to go there?”
“Wait! There’s the Louvre! I’d rather go there!”
“You dolls go wherever. I’m going to the Notre Dame – right over there!”
Wait. How could the dolls spot so many monuments, wondered Malkah. They were in fact, just dolls, weren’t they?
“Dollies, how do you girls know about all these famous monuments?”
Curiously asked Malkah. She was really impressed.
Just then, Saucy pulled a bulky tourist book from her giant purse that looked more like an encyclopedia.
“We’ve been studying up on Paris!”
Proudly announced Fanny, as the dolls giggled.
[dolls giggling]
Before long, large, purple clouds hovered above the city and it began to rain. Raindrops soon turned into buckets and the girls got drenched.
[rain]
“Quick, dollies! Let’s catch the elevator before everyone else gets the same idea!”
[fast walking, elevator sounds]
A few minutes, later, Malkah and the dolls reached the bottom floor safely, just as the rain lightened. But then, Saucy claimed,
“Oh no! I don’t have my purse! I must have left it on the bench when we were looking at the city views!”
“Saucy, didn’t we put our hotel key in your purse?”
Reluctantly asked Malkah.
“Yes, we did. Along with my wallet! And there’s money in it!”
[dolls gasping Oh no!]
Responded Saucy. Malkah had no idea that Saucy had a wallet, much less money. This dollcast situation was really getting out of hand.
“Dollies, wait here!”
Instructed Malkah, to the rescue. Suddenly in fight or flight mode, a fierce look of defense washed over Malkah’s flushed face as she sprinted to the top of the stairs with super human speed! She knew she had to act fast before anyone stole Saucy’s purse, if they hadn’t already.
Just as she reached the top of the stairs, out of breath but moving at like the speed of light, she spotted Saucy’s bag. And sure enough! A shady looking man was eyeing the bag and about to snatch it!
With fearless intent and a racing heart, Attorney Malkah lunged toward the man just as he moved toward the lonely bag. She grabbed his arm and yelled,
“That is NOT your bag, sir!”
Only she said it in French:
“Ce n’est pas votre tasse de thé, monsieur!”
A look of horror washed over the startled man’s face as he looked Malkah straight in her fierce eyes and sensed trouble. Horror quickly turned to embarassed, self-defense as the guilty man claimed,
“Mais madame. Je pensais seulement que le sac appartenait à ma femme.”
Yeah, right. The bag belonged to his wife. Just as two of his buddies approached and caught him in his lie.
“But you’re not married, Pierre!”
The accused, in English.
“I’ll catch up with you later!”
Huffed Malkah, as she dashed into the elevator, just as the doors were closing.
Once at the ground floor, Malkah was greeted by the dolls with a group hug and a round of ‘thank you’s’ as the entire dollcast noticed that she had saved Saucy’s bag and therefore the day.
“Oh, Malkah! Thank you so much!”
Said Saucy.
“Wow, Malkah. That was fast! How’d you do it?”
“Yeah, how’d you do it?”
“Well, dollies, there is something called ‘fight or flight’. It basically means that in a dangerous or urgent situation, a physiological response sets in the body the react in ways that it would not normally be able to do. Such as, how fast I sprinted up the stairs; or how I forcibly stopped that man from stealing your bag, Saucy.”
Rebecca didn’t quite understand what Malkah was talking about and neither did Saucy. Fanny totally got it. But Saucy did understand that Malkah saved her bag and all of the valuables inside.
“You’re just incredible, Malkah.”
“Yeah! Not to mention, we didn’t know that you speak French!”
“Mai Ouis!”
“Oh dollies, it was nothing, really. I’m just happy everything is ok.”
Responded Malkah, as she wrapped her arms around her dolly friends as she and the dollcast headed back to their lovely hotel. None of them noticed all the Parisians and tourists gawking at a young, human girl walking and chatting with living dolls as the creatures awkwardly walked along the Zeine River, one sporting high sneaker heels.
It was during this touching moment that Attorney Malkah realized the value of the friendships she had with the living dolls that she brought to life with the power of her mind. It was after all, an unexplainable talent that she possessed, even if it did defy the laws of nature. But that’s another story for another time.
The sassy group headed back to their hotel room for a much-needed rest as jetlag was setting in. Later, they would make their way to enjoy a fabulous dinner at the well-known Café Montorgueil for some delicious French cuisine and sensational people watching. Oops! Did I say that?
Meanwhile, while Malkah got a second wind and decided to step out for a bit of shopping while the dolls got their beauty rest.
[crowds, door w bell open and closing at boutique]
At a lovely Parisian boutique, Malkah discovered an exquisite, vintage bisque doll from the 18th century, tucked away on the back of a shelf. Ornately dressed in a gold and tan silk ensemble and wearing a sweet green straw chapeau atop her golden locks of curls, she resembled royalty.
Just as Malkah noticed the price tag attached to her sleeve, the porcelain figure winked at her! Malkah thought she was seeing things. But as she continued to place the doll back on the shelf, she noticed a tear in her left eye, as her pretty pink smile took on the shape of sadness. That is the moment when Malkah knew that she must have her.
And so it was, that Poppy Violette became the newest addition to Malkah’s Dollcast.
Daisy French on Social
Popular Stories
CATEGORIES
