When I was a kid, it seemed like every Christmas there was the ONE gift I wanted above and beyond all others - you recall it - that feeling of "if I don't get fill-in-the-blank" life will no longer be worth living.
The year I was 10, that gift was "Derry Daring."
What? You don't remember Derry Daring?
Derry Daring was a doll, slightly smaller than Barbie, who came with her own motorcycle and leather outfit. You placed her on the bike, and the bike on a gadget that you then wound up by hand. Once released, Derry would then shoot across the room, or over a ramp that you'd set up on the coffee table.
Think Evel Knievel for girls.
I wanted Derry Daring more than anything in 1976.
1976 was probably the last year I cared about toys and Derry represented everything I wanted to be: she was original, had long blonde hair (my Mom was still making me keep my hair short at that stage of life) and most of all, Derry Daring was, well, DARING.
She was fearless! Anything the boys could do - even Evel Knievel - Derry could do - oft-time BETTER!
I can remember having pre-holiday conversations with my Dad - who, of course, had a direct line to Santa Claus:
"A motorcycle chick? Really Lolly? You wouldn't rather have a life-sized Barbie head hair salon? Or maybe a Spirograph? How about some Weebles?"
Nope - I had my heart set on Derry Daring.
And Santa must have been paying attention that year - because unlike previous years when I had requested an Easy Bake Oven and a LiteBrite - Christmas morning the full Derry Daring play set was under the tree.
Overjoyed doesn't begin to capture how excited I was.
Derry and I were best buds the rest of my 5th grade year - long after my brother got sick of his Evel Knievel playset.
I think Derry was the last actual toy I ever asked Santa to deliver. In subsequent years, I recall well wishing for and receiving such gifts as a microscope, chemistry set, roller skates (with bright orange pom-poms!) and even a Commodore 64 computer.
Clearly post-Derry, my wishes well-corresponded with the person I am today.
But for one brief shining year, I was a daredevil - jumping over stacks of Matchbox cars in the backyard, long blonde hair shimmering from under my hot-pink motorcycle helmet.
Go Derry Daring Go!
1 comment:
The Derry Daring Motorcyle Girl was my all time favorite toy in the 70's. She survived my childhood. It was a well made toy, they don't make them last like they used to. I still have the doll (with a missing leg) and the motorcycle without the wind up machine. I bought an Evel Knievel remake just for the wind up machine. It was a great toy because it was a doll that did something ... much funner than Baby Alive that dirtied her diapers.
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