http://www.harpers.org/HighMaintenance.html
High Maintenance Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006.
>From the instructions for REALdoll, a $6,500 life-size silicone sex
doll. Customers can choose among nine body types, fifteen faces, five
skin tones, and three pubic-hair styles. The company has sold 3,400
dolls in the last ten years. Originally from Harper's Magazine,
January 2006.
Your REALdoll's internal skeleton is jointed much like a real human being; certain positions are stressful on the joints. In other words, your doll is NOT meant to be put in unusual or unnatural positions! Do not position your doll doing a "split" or spread the legs in an extreme fashion. Always be as gentle as possible when positioning your doll. Be careful with your doll's fingers—they can be easily damaged. When posing the hand, grasp the wrist, not the fingers.
The doll weighs as much as a real woman, so certain positions are not advisable. Prolonged kneeling is not advised due to the stress placed on the knee joints. Another position that is difficult to attain is "doggie style," as this places considerable pressure on the elbows, shoulders, and knee joints. It is not advised that your doll be left standing for more than fifteen minutes, as the weight could start to damage the feet. For standing poses, we do advise creative uses of the neck hook.
Experiment with different ways of moving your doll to find what works best for you. Using a wheeled office chair to assist in going from room to room is a common solution. When seated, the ideal position is legs parted 24" with hands flat on her thighs.
Very tight or binding straps left on your doll over an extended period can form dents in the flesh, as on a real person. It is therefore preferable to store your doll in the nude.
Small tears eventually happen. You can repair a tear with caulking. Damage to your doll's skeletal structure is very unlikely; however, if you believe something internal is broken, please call us for information.
When you first receive your doll, you may notice a slight tackiness on its skin. This will lessen over time but is initially remedied with baby powder. A regular powdering of the skin will give it a smooth, lifelike feel. Powdering is especially recommended after bathing your doll, which should be done at least once a month when the doll is used on a regular basis.
Bathing can be done in an actual bathtub or in the recommended "sponge bath" fashion. When cleaning your doll, be as gentle as possible, especially around pubic hair, eyebrows, and any painted areas. Also, brush your doll's hair on a regular basis or it will quickly become unmanageable.
To avoid damage to painted areas such as the face, nipples, and vagina, avoid rubbing these areas without lubrication.
Special note for cleaning the oral entry: Carefully remove the tongue from your doll's mouth with your fingers; it should come out easily when the mouth is lubricated. Rinse the tongue separately and replace it once the orifice is clean.
Care for Your REALdoll FACE System: Always remove the face slowly, working fingers between Velcro pads to separate and going from the outside in. When putting on a Face, some adjustments in alignment may be required. Eyes may need to be adjusted after seating the face into position. Tightening the jaw can be done with a Phillips-head screwdriver. By removing the back portion of the skullcap, the neck can be adjusted with an Allen wrench.
For times when you wish to use your REALdoll in the "face down" positions, it is highly recommended that you remove her face. This will absolutely save on wear and tear AND eyelashes!
Treat your doll like a very expensive work of art, which is what it is!
This is High Maintenance, a reading, originally from January 2006, published Monday, March 13, 2006. It is part of Arts & Letters, which is part of Readings, which is part of Harpers.org.
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Colin Brace
Amsterdam