Five Cabbage Patch dolls saved for 40 years, found to be worth saving. Photo provided by John ‘Butch’ Dale.

By John ‘Butch’ Dale
Guest Columnist

I think most of you would agree that many people today are part of the “throwaway society.” After making something, completing a project, or replacing a used item with something new, what happens with the leftovers? Yep, everything goes to the dumpster.

Now I will admit that with many items, there is no choice … not practical … no room to store it … or obviously just plain junk. But many times, if at all possible, some things should always be saved. Those of you who grew up during the Great Depression, and those of you who are the children of the depression era folks, know what I am talking about.

John ‘Butch’ Dale

When a person grows up not having much, it makes you want to hold onto everything you do have. Why? Because you just never know when you might need that button, scrap piece of wood, leftover ball of string, old can … well, you get the idea.

I am proud to say, to my wife’s chagrin, that I save almost everything. I learned this from my parents, who were born in 1924 and were 5 years old when the Great Depression began. Also, Mom had six siblings, and Dad had five siblings.

Both went through tough times as youngsters and had few material possessions … and on a few occasions, very little food to go around. That’s one reason why I was told over and over, “You are not getting up from the table until you finish everything on your plate … There are people in Africa who are starving.” And to this day, I DO finish everything on my plate … at home or when I go out to eat. Too much prepared food? Hey, leftovers are fine with me!

Dad made lots of things out of wood when we lived on the farm. He saved almost every scrap piece. I couldn’t understand why … until later on when he needed just the right piece for another project … proving he did not have to make a trip to Metzger Lumber to purchase it. I save all but the tiniest of scrap lumber in a shed by the barn.

Mom was the same way. She was an excellent seamstress, and she saved scrap pieces of cloth for recycling to be used on a future sewing project, or to give to Grandma Dale, who enjoyed making quilts for family members. In fact, she made a wonderful quilt from scrap cloth for my wife and me as a wedding gift.

As a youngster, when I had outgrown some of my toys and playthings, they were handed down to my brother Gary, who was four years younger. I’m not sure whether he appreciated the fact he was receiving “secondhand” toys, but I do know there was one thing he was glad to receive … my prized Cushman motor scooter, which I got when I was 13, and he inherited when I received my driver’s license at age 16.

A few weeks ago my wife and I were discussing some of the toys that our four kids had when they were little … how some of those toys are now “collector” items worth lots of money. For instance, the Star Wars toys and figures we had purchased for Neil, our oldest son. We ended up giving those to some kids who lived nearby, as their family was quite poor.

My son Clark had a Dukes of Hazzard pedal car, which he eventually outgrew … and we gave it to another little boy.

The same goes for Brett’s Ninja turtles collection. We always tried to recycle toys to youngsters whose parents perhaps could not afford many things.

During this discussion, I asked my wife what had happened to our daughter’s Cabbage Patch kids. I recalled spending hours waiting in line to purchase those dolls in the early 1980s. Early one morning I drove to Lafayette and stood in line at Service Merchandise, along with hundreds of others, to buy a Cabbage Patch kid. On another occasion, I met up with someone to buy one of those dolls in a private transaction … knowing I was going to pay an exorbitant price, so Shelle could have it for Christmas. My wife thought for awhile … after all, it had been 40 years ago.

“I’m not sure what happened to those. I don’t think we gave them away.” The next morning I decided to look upstairs in all three closets. No luck. The only other place might be the attic … the door not opened in at least 20 years. After brushing away the cobwebs, I shone my flashlight into the small space, where old trunks, boxes, and other loose odds and ends lay covered with dust.

In the first box were drinking glasses which had belonged to my mother-in-law. In the second box were stacks of moldy-smelling books and photo albums, along with warped 33 rpm records. Next to those was a large black garbage bag. I tore open a small hole in the middle and peered inside … old stuffed animals.

I brought the bag out into the room, and opened it … and there … staring me in the face, was a Cabbage Patch kid! All together, there were FIVE dolls inside … their faces a little dirty, and their clothes a little musty-smelling, but no holes, or tears, or imperfections. I had saved them! I took the dolls downstairs for my wife to see when she arrived home from work. She was amazed that they were in such good condition after all of these years, but while I was at work the next day, she spent the entire afternoon cleaning the dolls up and washing their clothes. They looked like new!

A few days later, I took the dolls to the library, and called Shelle, who teaches school, to see if she might stop by after work. I hid the dolls from view, and when she arrived, I told her, “There are five little kids who want to see you.” With a puzzled look on her face she replied, “What kids? I don’t see anyone.” I then led her over to the couch, where her Cabbage Patch kids were lined up, with a sign I had made…”SHELLE, WE HAVE MISSED YOU!”

Well, you should have seen the look on her face … and then a big smile. She exclaimed, “Wow, I can’t believe it … this is great! I will certainly find a place to display my precious little Cabbage Patch kids. … Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Shelle gave me a big hug and called my wife to thank her, too … Yes folks, there are definitely some things worth saving. …