":And then, just as I was learning to love my decidedly inferior Barbie, her left foot was gnawed off by Ralph, our dog.

Those were difficult times, emotionally. I wrestled with issues of unconditional versus conditional love, of guilt versus anger. I believe that was when I learned to sigh.

She was my beautiful, beloved, short-haired, one-footed Barbie, and I only wish she were here with me now to help blow out her 50 candles."

My wife collected Barbies, mostly the multinational and historical editions. I still have some three dozen in storage.

Personally I had a GI Joe.

I never had Barbies because I was too old for them or so I was told. (If Barbie is 50 then I was 6 when she was created.) My sister when she was 6 got Barbies. I remember one she had that came with two different wigs.

@iamonetoo:

A little girl went to the mall one December day to talk to Santa. She got on his lap and went through the usual list of things - a pony, some clothes, a Beanie baby - then she said, "Oh, and I want a Barbie and a G.I. Joe."

Santa blinked and said, "But doesn't Barbie always come with Ken?"

The girl said, "No Santa. She fakes it with Ken. She comes with G.I. Joe."

@Jorjor,
Just to clarify, now I have a G.I. Jane