Luther

This is Luther.  Pardon his sloven appearance, but he's had a hard, neglected life.  

My ex-daughter-in-law bought Luther for her baby boy, Arick, for his first Christmas.  Or perhaps it was his third Christmas.  Somewhere around 1986, '87, or '88.  Cabbage patch kids were still pretty hot items at the time.

Arick never so much as looked at the doll, as far as I can remember.  I tried to get him interested, but when it came to Luther, he may as well have been blind.  Like many of his Christmas gifts back then, the doll ended up in my junk room.  

As with all Cabbage Patch babies, Luther came with a name and a birth certificate.  It was quite a coincidence, his name, because our son, Arick's dad, has the middle name "Luther".  That's because we named him after both his grandfathers:  James Luther.  The Cabbage Patch Kid's birth certificate is long gone.  

At some point in time, Arick, his sister Amber, and their mom came to spend some time with us.  Maybe during Dessert Storm, I don't know.  Amber played with Luther some, although she was more into Barbies.  Mostly what she did was remove all Luther's clothes every chance she got.  I'd put them back on, she'd take them off.  At some point, his pants disappeared forever, although the shirt you see in the above picture is the one that came with him.  

The overalls he's wearing are far too big for him.  They were Arick's when he was perhaps four months old.  I bought them at Walmart on clearance (why do I remember trivia like that?).  Arick came home from the hospital with the bib Luther is wearing, so it is as old as Arick, however old that is.  Twenty-seven?  I don't know.  
    
The Little Princess has decided maybe she likes Luther.  She was carrying on a conversation with him today.  Her conversations consist of "Huh?  Huh?  Huh?"  She was also poking at his eyes and checking out his hands.  Maybe poor Luther will have someone to love him yet.  At least until Cora reaches that age when, like most little girls, she decides to strip him of his clothes every chance she gets and then moves on to Barbies.