Stringing people along AND the cheapest fashion doll ever

Big Head Maude's drummer, Billie, is surprised to meet a new neighbor emerging from a pod. Meet Don, who must be a professor, since he wears his graduation robes everywhere.

Zia Records has a string-doll vending machine in its lobby. One dollar in quarters gets a surprise doll, currently from the "careers" series. (So maybe Don's meant to be a perpetual student, working on his fourth bachelor's degree.) While the head is smaller and there's less detailing than on Billie, Trisha, and Maude, one dollar compares favorably to the $8-$10 each that I paid for the main cast.

Across the street, at Dollar General, I identified the absolute cheapest new fashion doll available.

Fashion Girl costs $1. She offers waxy skin, an inane expression, and hair that elicits no faith in ever being able to comb or style it. It is entirely possible that she's living on the streets, battling a drug problem.

There is an African-American version, and she does look considerably more alert and intelligent, though her skin tone has an eerie glow. (The photos are lousy because this particular Dollar General makes a big deal of keeping an eye on shoppers, and I didn't want to be kicked out before I was ready to leave.)

Hidden down on the bottom shelf was Gothic Girl, who appears to be Draculaura's cousin from an unfortunate liaison with a Bratz. Rumor has it that Gothic Girl used to be sold at Dollar Tree, while Ghastly Girlfriends were Dollar General's knock-off line. (The truth of Mattel's report that Ever After High isn't taking off the way Monster High did is surely in the lack of EAH discount knock-offs. There were at least half a dozen MH knock-off lines. Fairy Tale High doesn't count because it was previewed before EAH launched.)

Being unarticulated, she was in no danger of coming home. Also, I think Draculaura would be a bit embarrassed at having to introduce her to anybody.

This seemed like the moment to take a group portrait of the big-headed string dolls, all but the two who are at the office due to a project that's never been photographed because I intend to redo it. The animals at each end were $1 when the Red Hot Robot went under a couple years ago.