"He's just an old nit, he doesn't let anybody have any fun.  And
always he's with Georgia-why can he go to breakfast with her and
nobody else?"

Panda had felt neglected, too, and gave cautious consent.
Encouraged, Golly went on: "I just won't put up with it any longer.
Today, Teddy goes out the window.  He'll fall into the rubbish bin
and go to the tip."

Baby Doll started crying.  "You can't do that!  Poor Teddy, he'll
get hurt!  And Georgia will miss him terribly!"

"You just shut up!" sneered Golly.  "You don't understand anything,
you're too young.  Just watch yourself, or you'll be in trouble!"

Georgia came back from breakfast and stepped right on Baby Doll,
who had been left lying just inside the door.  Baby Doll gave a
squeal and was put in her cot with hardly any comforting.  Georgia
was growing up and had less time than before for her dolls.  She
put Teddy in his place on the window ledge across from Golly,
picked up her school bag, and went to say good-bye to Mum.

"Mum, you can give away all my dolls now", said Georgia.  "You're
right, I'm too old for them, and I just can't seem to keep my room
tidy with them."

"It's about time", said Mum.  "I was planning to take some things
to St. Vincent de Paul today, anyway, so I'll pack the dolls, as
well.  Bye now!"


As Teddy tumbled out the window, Golly settled comfortably in his
corner and assumed command.  He made the plastic soldiers march
up and down the room for hours without a rest.  The action
figures were divided into two teams and had to fight a guerrilla
war between them.  Golly made Koala climb up the potted citrus
tree until he lost his grip and fell down, while Golly laughed at
him and made fun of his clawless paws.  Baby Doll wasn't able to
go to sleep with all the noise and cried quietly in her cot; she
didn't dare protest because Golly had threatened to make her fall
out the window, too, if she made a nuisance of herself.

"What a mess!" said Mum, and placed a big cardboard box on the
floor.  "Off we go, you guys.  Georgia has finally seen the light.
When a girl starts dating boys, she's too old for dolls.  It's good

"You too, Golly!"  Mum's voice had a sharp twang to it, as she
spied Golly hiding behind the curtain.  "And good riddance.  To
think the bitch had the nerve to give you to Georgia after what
she did to me.  Wonder if Charlie still sees her.  He sure was
sorry that time."

Baby Doll cried aloud as Mum picked her up, cot and all.  "No worries, baby", Mum said.  "You'll go to some sweet little girl who needs you much more than Georgia does.  But first you'll have a nice warm bath so you smell really good."

Coming home from school, Georgia couldn't help feeling a bit sad.  She didn't mind losing the other dolls, but she wished she had told Mum to leave Teddy.  Somehow, Teddy was special--he had always gone along on trips, he had slept in Georgia's bed, and he had always seemed so wise and understanding.  Georgia sighed as she finished her ice cream cone and went to put the wrapper in the rubbish bin at the side of the house.

With a shout of joy, Georgia rushed into the house.  Mum looked up from some paperwork and asked, "What's that, Georgia?"

"Look what I found in the rubbish bin!"  Georgia beamed.  "Teddy wasn't gone after all!  I'm so happy--I really didn't want to lose him!"

"That's right", Mum said, "he wasn't among the toys I packed in that box today.  Wonder how he got into the bin?"

"He was in his place on the window ledge when I left", said Georgia.  "I'm so glad to have him still.  Never mind the other dolls, especially Golly.  Such a mean type, always with that smirk on his face."

"A rather nasty boy picked him up and started banging him around while I was still in the shop", Mum said.  "His mother bought Golly for him, so Golly got what he deserved.  We'll give Teddy a cleaning and fix up his eyes with a new pair of buttons.  I'm really pleased he's still here; he was your first toy.  Dad bought him for you on the day you were born."