Rainy day. Well today (technically yesterday since it’s midnight now) I went to the doll show and it was blah. To start off, I went to the wrong convention center, the one up north, 35 minutes away from my house (goes to show I don’t pay attention in the mornings, I’m still asleep). After pulling up at an empty parking lot I turned around and zoomed home so I could call Sherri or Evelyn to see where it was. It was at the Parmer center 10 minutes from my house =_=

As I was walking to the entrance of the building there was a lady sitting out front of the expo center in her station wagon, smoking a cigarette with black lips from eating chocolate cookies.
Lady: *screaming to me incoherently in a scratchy I smoke too many cigarettes voice* HEY!!! Do they sell dolls here?
Me: I beg your pardon?
Lady: Are they having a doll and bear show?
Me: *turns to look at the expo door that has “DOLL AND BEAR SHOW” poster taped on it* Yes. Yes they are.
Lady: *still screaming* Do they sell dolls there?
Me: *walking closer to the car so she doesn’t scream* Yes they sell dolls.
Lady: Is it all new dolls?
Me: No it’s like a garage sale. They have new and old things there.
Lady: Oh good. Do they sell bears there?
Me: Yes they do.
Lady: Oh good! Do they have cheap stuff?
Me: Yes, like I said, it’s like a garage sale so you can find good bargains.
Lady: Oh good. Because I only have $40 with me.
Me: Oh you can find something for $40 definitely.
Lady: Is the stuff expensive in there??? I only have $40 with me.
Me: They have cheap stuff in there… >_<
Lady: Oh good! Is the parking expensive?
Me: Well if you park here it’s $7 but you can find someplace around here for free and walk back.
Lady: Oh I can’t walk, I have this condition see where I went to the doctors where I went and got surgery but it screwed up my hip and my daughter said…

O_O She went on for about 15 minutes talking and asking the same question over and over again about finding cheap Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. Finally her husband returned to the car all angry.

Husband: You have to go in there I can’t tell what they have and you have to pay to get in and I’m not paying.

She asked if I could walk with her inside while her husband parked the car because she’s never been to a doll show. Being the good little girl scout I am, I said I’d escort her in.

Lady: Can I hang out with you inside?
Me: O__O ;;; Well I uh, I have some friends I need to meet up with and–

She asked that I stay with her until her husband he came in. While we were walking down the hallway, she kept slapping my arm and hugging me. I wasn’t creeped out or annoyed. I just felt like she was a bit of a mental case and I should have been nice to her…. so I just gave her that happy fake smile of mine and helped her to the front of the show. As we were walking into the center, she asked EVERYONE who passed by “Did you find good stuff in there? Was it cheap? Do they have dolls??” The people looked at me like she was nuts. I shot them back a “just go along with it before she goes psycho on you” smile.

As we walked into the show, she grabbed a wheelchair on the side and piled her stuff in it. They ladies at the front table had to call her back, since that wheelchair actually belonged to someone. I just stood on the side and smiled. At least the lady wasn’t throwing a fit or anything. As soon as we walked in and she saw all the dolls though, she darted off on her own. As soon as she got 10 feet away from me I darted off to the far corner of the showroom floor. I could just tell she would be someone who would pick up a doll, drop it or stain it somehow and get in big trouble because “she didn’t know” kind of deal. I wanted to be as far away from that when it happened. It never did, and I didn’t see her again during the show. Thank goodness. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t crazy and I’m just exaggerating but boy oh boy…

Anyways, I did more visiting with old doll acquaintances than I did shopping. Most of the doll people in Austin know each other and we have an odd kind of history together because of a defunct club we used to all attend. I think we all tread lightly with each other and watch what we say now. I spoke with a lot of folks from that group but said general vague things that wouldn’t get me in trouble with someone else and is nothing worth repeating here… [edit: sorry, I wrote a whole lot right here but decided to edit it out so I wouldn’t be called on it later by someone XD … gotta protect mah neck!!!!] Unfortunately… (the whole point of this post, yes there is a point) the show didn’t have much. I bought two wigs for my SDs and another Modern Circle Ken to customize. But otherwise nothing tempted me. Not a disappointment since I didn’t have any money to be spending in the first place. But as a whole today’s doll show was just weird.