Bedtime Stories!

6. Robert (The Doll)

* This story is about a doll named Robert and is haunted...Robert is 111-years-old and now lives at the in Key West, Florida. Before that he was the property of Robert Eugene Otto, an eccentric artist and member of a prominent Key West family.*

The Ottos were known to be stern with their servants sometimes even mistreating them. A woman was hired to take care of their son Gene. One day, Mrs. Otto supposedly witnessed her practicing black magic in their backyard and fired her.

Before she left, the woman gave Gene a life-like doll which stood 3ft tall, button for eyes, human hair (believed to be Gene's). Gene named the doll-Robert, which is his real name (Robert Eugene Otto.)

He often dressed it in his clothes. Robert the doll became his trustworthy companion. (He took it with him on shopping trips in to town. The doll had a seat at the dinner table where Robert would sneak it bites of food when his parents weren't looking. Robert would even be tucked in to bed with the boy at night.) Soon this innocent relationship took on a strange nature.

Gene was often heard in his toy room having conversations with Robert. Gene would say something in his childish manner and response could be heard in a much lower voice.

Household objects would be found thrown across the room. Gene's toys turned up mutilated, giggling could be heard.

As conflict became frequent in the house, or if Gene ever misbehaved, the little boy would always have the same person to blame. ROBERT!

"It was Robert,"

"Robert did it! Robert did it!"

Gene's parents removed Robert from his care and placed him in a box in the attic. This is where he resided for many years.

When Gene's father died, Gene got the will of the house and he moved into his family home.
He got married and had a wife named Annette,

He went to the attic and dusted off his childhood toy. He became attached to the doll despite his wife's displeasure.

In the early 1970's, Gene became ill. Instead of spending time with his wife and excepting her comfort, he locked himself all alone in the guest room. With Robert by his side.

In 1972, Eugene died. In the guest room. Obviously, with Robert beside him.

Several years later, another family bought the home. Shortly after moving in, the new family discovered Robert. Nearly squashed beneath the boxes. Which probably resulted in one of his broken off ears.

The couple of this new family took one look at Robert and knew that they didn't want something like this in there new lifestyle and home.

The 10 year old daughter of the family, surprisingly, liked the doll and added it to the collection of her china dolls and stuffed animals!

It didn't take long for the family to realize that was obviously something very wrong with the doll.

Like, Eugene, the little girl would wake up in the middle of night screaming a crying. She said she saw Robert running and jumping up and down around her room. Then climbing on her bed and attacking her.

To this day, after more than 30 years, this woman now in her 40's still claims "that the doll WAS alive and wanted to kill her."
Shortly after this occurrence, the family got rid of it for good and brought it to the Key West Florida Martello Museum. Now, Robert is displayed in a glass case for all visitors to see his scary face.

Some say he'll even curse you. If you want to take a picture of him, you must ask politely. He'll tilt his head in permission. However, if he doesn't and you take the picture anyways, a curse will befall upon you and anyone who accompanied you to the museum. The same will happen if you make fun of him.

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Do you have a doll? is it your favorite?

P.S. - I had this chubby doll when I was little, I used to draw make up on her face...and It was fun at that time when I was a kid...I was very attached to the doll...sooner we shifted to another place and I lost my doll there...
The thing is now when I look at my old pic holding that doll...it creeps me out...that doll looked so horrible cuz the makeup I used to Draw on her face...as a kid I never thought it looked horrible...but now fully grown up...I can't look at the pic of my doll...it gives me nightmare. ( I think she's going to take revenge, that I draw on her face)