So I had the song, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” stuck in my head. Perhaps because it’s that time of year. And I was struck by the line about Janice and Jen. You know, the one where they want talking, walking dolls.
And I shuddered.
I realize that the song was written in 1951, before haunted doll movies were popular. But let’s be real. What child really wants a doll that talks to them and walks around the house when they’re not there? Even in 1951 that should have given everyone the creeps.
Or perhaps the writer of the song knew something we didn’t. Perhaps there was something wrong with Janice and Jen. Maybe Janice and Jen had some wicked designs on the rest of their family and were hoping the dolls would take them out. I mean, Mom and Dad were waiting for school to start again. Janice and Jen may not have wanted to go back.
Or perhaps they had something against Barney and Ben? Those boys want a pistol, so it’s not impossible that Janice and Jen were just trying to protect themselves.
Really, unless Janice and Jen come forward to tell us what they were thinking, we’ll never know. That assumes, that the girls weren’t murdered by their walking, talking doll.