Dollar

Regular dollar stores are kinda depressing, because there's just so much crap that has been made with such obvious lack of care. But I had occasion to browse some of the small, independent dollar stores on Mount Pleasant Ave this week, and though they're a bit depressing, they're mostly just strange. They cater to a primarily Latino audience, I think, and the merchandise often seems to have appeared out of some time warp -- like an entire garage sale of items still in their original packaging. It was hard to imagine anyone actually buying much of it, and I was the only customer in the three store I went into. I half wondered if they're a front for something, but I really wanted to ask where they got their inscrutable mishmash of useless household items.

It may be that much of the stuff was originally made to be sold in Latin America or other developing countries. I think that's probably the case with this doll:

Note that her ill-fitting outfit is baring the holes in her midriff (where the Fever Concert sounds come from, presumably) . Dear, your speaker is showing.

Anyway, the purpose of my visit was actually to look for dolls. I tried to buy Ms. Fever Concert, but $18.99 is pretty steep, and I only bargained the owner down a dollar, so I had to pass. I eventually found some less pricey ones, and used them to make a prop for the DC Listening Lounge show, "Sound Scene: The Human Body." It's this Friday night (5/8) -- check it out if you're in DC. More info is at the website.