Planes, Trains and Automobiles

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES -

WHEN THE KID WITHIN WANTS TO PLAY WITH TOYS - WHY NOT?

AS I HAVE EXPLAINED IN PREVIOUS BLOGS, I GREW UP AS A POOR KID. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS POOR. IT'S JUST WHAT THE OTHER KIDS CALLED ME. MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE MY TOES STUCK OUT OF THE HOLES IN MY SOCKS, OR THE FACT I HAD MORE PATCHES ON MY PANTS THAN ORIGINAL FABRIC. BUT BY GOLLY, THEY NEVER ONCE CALLED ME "PATCHES." I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. BEING CALLED "POOR" WAS GENERIC….BUT "PATCHES" WAS PERSONAL.

I KNEW MY FAMILY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH, AND THAT EXPLAINED THE FACT I HAD TO WEAR WINTER AND SPRING BOOTS, WITH MASSIVE HOLES IN THE BOTTOM. MY MOTHER JUST KEPT WASHING AND DRYING MY SOCKS EVERY NIGHT. I HATED HAVING WET FEET AT SCHOOL, AND YOU COULD ALWAYS TELL HOW WET IT WAS OUTSIDE, BY FOLLOWING MY SOGGY FOOTSTEPS THROUGH THE SCHOOL HALLWAY. I WAS NEVER MAD ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE MY PARENTS TRIED AS HARD AS THEY COULD TO GIVE ME A DECENT UPBRINGING, AND ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T LIKE THEM ARGUING THEY WAY THEY DID, (USUALLY ABOUT MONEY) I CAME OUT OF CHILDHOOD RELATIVELY UNSCATHED. WRINKLED SKIN ON MY FEET. YOU BET. SMILE ON MY FACE. IT'S STILL THERE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

MY POINT FOR HIGHLIGHTING OUR FAMILY'S LACK OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES, ISN'T TO REFLECT ON OUR SADDER THAN SAD SITUATION. IT WASN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL. MERLE KEPT A CLEAN APARTMENT, AND GOOD FOOD FOR OUR THREE SQUARES A DAY. I WOULD HAVE SACRIFICED MY FEET IN HOLE-RIDDEN BOOTS, AS LONG AS THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD IN THAT TINY KITCHEN, IN THE WEBER APARTMENTS, UP ON BRACEBRIDGE'S ALICE STREET. THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE MONTH FOR FRILLS, LIKE EXTRA CLOTHING FOR ME. I HAD ENOUGH TO GET BY. TWO PAIRS OF GOOD PANTS, ANOTHER IN CASE I'D HAVE TO ATTEND A CHURCH SERVICE, FUNERAL OR WEDDING; THREE SHIRTS, ALWAYS LONG-SLEEVE, A DOZEN MISMATCHED SOCKS AND FOUR OR FIVE PAIRS OF UNDERWEAR, IN ACCEPTABLE….BUT NOT GREAT CONDITION. THE BANDS WERE ALWAYS FIRST TO LET LOOSE, USUALLY WHILE PLAYING FOOTBALL AT SCHOOL, OR BRITISH BULLDOG, AND I'D SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY YANKING THEM UP. I DIDN'T ASK FOR NEW CLOTHES. I KNEW IF THERE WAS MONEY IN THE BUDGET, MERLE NEEDED MUCH MORE THAN I DID. ED WAS THE SAME. THERE WAS NO EXTRAVAGANCE IN THE CURRIE HOUSEHOLD, EXCEPT FOR FOOD, AND MY DAD'S ALLOTMENT OF O'KEEFE ALE. THE ALE CAME BEFORE MY NEW UNDERWEAR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT…..BUT MERLE ARGUED THAT IT HELPED HIM HANDLE THE STRESS OF HIS WORK, FOR A LOCAL LUMBER COMPANY. I DIDN'T ARGUE ABOUT IT BUT SHE FELT OBLIGATED TO BRING IT UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, JUST SO I WOULDN'T FORGET IT.

AS I'VE ALSO WRITTEN ABOUT BEFORE, CHRISTMAS WAS ONE OF THE THOSE OCCASIONS OF THE ROLLING YEAR, I THINK MERLE AND ED DREADED THE MOST. HAVING TO FIND THE RESOURCES TO BUY THE ARTICLES I CIRCLED IN THE SIMPSON'S AND EATON'S CATALOGUE……A PROJECT I COMMENCED WHEN THE BOOKS ARRIVED ON OUR DOORSTEP IN THE FALL. THEY WOULD ONLY EVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD A QUARTER OF MY CHRISTMAS LIST, FROM THOSE READ AND RE-READ CATALOGUES. ONE CHRISTMAS, MY DAD CAME HOME WITH A LIONEL TRAIN SET……A DANDY. IT WAS PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST ONE HE COULD ACQUIRE. IT HAD A METAL LOCOMOTIVE, A COAL CAR, A PASSENGER CAR, AND A CABOOSE, MADE OF TIN, AND A SMALL CIRCLE OF TRACK WITH A TRANSFORMER. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO ME IN THE EARLY 1960'S, BEFORE WE MOVED TO BRACEBRIDGE. WE WERE LIVING IN A NICE APARTMENT JUST UP FROM TORRANCE AVENUE, IN BURLINGTON, A CHESTNUT TREE-LINED STREET, ONE BLOCK FROM THE SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO. MY FIRST AND LAST LIONEL TRAIN SET. I DON'T THINK IT WAS NEW WHEN IT ARRIVED UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE. I COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS ABOUT THAT FACT, OTHER THAN IF THE BOY BEFORE ME HAD BROKEN IT, AND THEN PASSED IT OFF TO A DUMB KID LIKE ME. I DIDN'T NEED IT TO BE NEW. WORKING HOWEVER, WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIFIC. THAT SUCKER NEVER WORKED FOR MORE THAN THREE LAPS OF THE TRACK BEFORE IT WOULD QUIT. AS MY FATHER WAS NOT HANDY WITH ANYTHING AROUND THE HOUSE, HE'D TOUCH IT, UNPLUG AND RE-PLUG IT IN, SHAKE IT, STUDY IT, ADJUST THE TRACKS, AND THEN SAY….."I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT?" YOU MIGHT THINK THAT, BUT YOU DON'T SAY IT TO A KID WITH HIS FACE HANGING OUT, AND EYES WIDE OPEN. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT WHEN HE WALKED AWAY, SAYING "JUST PUSH IT AROUND THE TRACK…..THAT'LL BE OKAY."

IT WASN'T OKAY. I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE HAD THE TRAIN, AT ALL, IF IT DIDN'T WORK. THERE WAS NOTHING MORE DISTRESSING TO A KID ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, THAN TO BE TOLD THE TRAIN DOESN'T WORK, SO GET OVER-IT. IF THERE ARE ANY ELECTRIC TRAIN LOVERS OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY LIONEL COLLECTORS, THE STORY I'VE JUST RELATED, PROBABLY HAS THESE FOLKS EXPERIENCING PALPITATIONS. HOW COULD ANY ONE BE SO CRUEL…..TO GIVE A KID A LIONEL, AND THEN NOT GIVE A DAMN WHETHER IT WORKED OR NOT? IT'S JUST UNHOLY IN THE ELECTRIC TRAIN WORLD, TO SUGGEST AN OWNER "JUST PUSH THE TRAIN AROUND THE TRACKS." GADS, I COULDN'T STAND-IT. EVERY KID WHO CAME INTO OUR APARTMENT, BACK THEN, TOOK A TURN AT TRYING TO GET THE IRON HORSE TO WORK ON THAT AGGRAVATING, HARD TO PUT-TOGETHER TRACK. I'D PINCH MY FINGERS EVERY TIME, TRYING TO SLIDE THEM TOGETHER. WE TOOK THEM A PART A LOT, THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT WASN'T GETTING TO THE TRAIN ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD SOUND AS IF IT WAS GOING TO TRAVEL AROUND THE TRACK, AND MOVE A FRACTION OF AN INCH, BEFORE STOPPING ALTOGETHER. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, ED WOULD ASK FROM TIME TO TIME, "SO HOW'S THE TRAIN WORKING." "STILL PUSHING IT AROUND THE TRACK DAD; THANKS FOR ASKING." I REALLY HATED THAT IT DIDN'T WORK, AND FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME…..I DON'T HATE MUCH IN THIS LIFE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO POLLUTE, AND THOSE WHO HAVE LIONELS THAT ACTUALLY WORK. ONLY KIDDING ABOUT THAT ONE.

I HAD THAT "PUSH" TRAIN UP UNTIL THE TIME I ENTERED UNIVERSITY, AND MY MOTHER MERLE COMMENCED GIVING MY SMALL, NOT-WORKING-SO-WELL TOY COLLECTION. AWAY TO SOME OTHER KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNEW THE KIDS, AND IT WAS TRUE THAT THEY COULD MAKE GOOD USE OF THE TRAIN AND TABLE-HOCKEY GAME. THEY WERE POOR KIDS, AND OF THAT I COULD RELATE. I WONDER IF THEY WERE AS PISSED AS I WAS, TO HAVE TO PUSH THAT TRAIN AROUND THE TRACK, PRETENDING IT WORKED? MAYBE THEY GOT IT GOING. I NEVER ASKED THEM.

I JUST WISH THE OLD LIONEL TRAIN HAD WORKED…..I MEAN REALLY, REALLY WORKED SO I COULD HONESTLY SAY TODAY……"I HAD ONE…..ENJOYED IT…..AND MOVED ON!" INSTEAD OF, "I HAD ONE, IT NEVER WORKED, I NEVER KNEW IF I LIKED IT OR NOT." I'M PRETTY SURE, TO REPURCHASE THAT SIMPLE, NO FRILLS LIONEL TRAIN SET TODAY, WOULD COST A KING'S RANSOM. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT AT 55 YEARS OF AGE, I'M STILL LOOKING FOR ONE, AND OF ALL THE ANTIQUE SHOPS WE HIT IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, I'VE NEVER COME UPON A COMPLETE "WORKING" SET LIKE THE ONE I HAD……AND LOST.

I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR ADULTS WHO PLAY WITH ELECTRIC TRAINS. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT ELECTRIC TRAINS, THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY LIBERATING. WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE ELABORATE LANDSCAPES MODEL RAILROADERS CONSTRUCT, TO SUIT THEIR PARTICULAR TRAIN GUAGE AND INTENT, WHAT FUN THAT MUST BE……TO WALK AWAY FROM TELEVISION SETS AND COMPUTER SCREENS, TO RE-LIVE THE DAY OF THE TRAIN…..THE DAYS OF YOUTH WHEN BASIC PLEASURES WERE ALL WE NEEDED……BEFORE THE DAWN OF THE CELL PHONE, AND SOCIAL NETWORKING. WE HAD THESE LENGTHS OF INTERLOCKING TRACK, THE RUMBLING OF LOCOMOTIVE AND TRAIN CARS, PASSING THROUGH FORESTS, AND VALLEYS, ACROSS TIMBER TRESTLES, AND INTO..….AND OUT OF, THOSE LONG MOUNTAIN SIDE TUNNELS, WITH THE CHUG OF THE ENGINE, THE ECHO OF HORN, AND CLICK-CLACK OF TRACK. IT WAS 3D IMAGINATION, WITH A CONTROLLER.

EVEN WITH THAT "PUSH" LIONEL TRAIN SET, MY IMAGINATION WAS THE POWER-SOURCE. I SET UP MANY VILLAGE SCENES, WITH LITTLE BUILDINGS I MADE OUT OF CARDBOARD, WITH DINKY TOYS POSITIONED ON DEFINED ROADS, AND IN DRIVEWAYS OF RE-MAKES OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOMES. I COULD HAVE JUST PACKED THE TRAIN UP. ON THE OTHER HAND, I KNEW I WAS STILL A LUCKY KID TO HAVE SUCH A NEAT TRAIN SET….WITH OR WITHOUT THE POWER TO MAKE MORE THAN THREE LAPS OF THE TRACK EACH YEAR. I SAT IT UP ON A SHELF IN MY ROOM AS A SORT OF TROPHY. MY DAD EVENTUALLY STOPPED ASKING IF IT WORKED. "LOOKS NICE UP THERE TED," HE'D SAY, POKING HIS HEAD IN TO SEE WHAT I WAS UP TO.

I WAS FORTUNATE AS A KID TO HAVE CHUMS, LIKE AL AND RICK HILLMAN, WHO HAD LOTS OF HAND-ME-DOWN TOYS, THAT THEIR OLDER BROTHERS HAD WHEN THEY WERE KIDS. WHEN RICK BROUGHT OUT THOSE CORGI AND DINKY TOYS, BY GOLLY, WE HAD THE WHOLE CONSTRUCTION THEME GOING ON…..EARTH MOVERS AND DUMP TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS AND CRANES. WE'D FIND A PLACE LIKE THE "SAND PIT" BEHIND OUR APARTMENT, ON ALICE STREET, TO CREATE HUGE CITYSCAPES, WITH AN EXPANSIVE NETWORK OF INTERCONNECTING HIGHWAYS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ROADWAYS THAT TOOK HOURS AND HOURS TO CONSTRUCT. YOU'D WELL UP WITH TEARS WHEN YOU FELT THOSE FIRST RAINDROPS, THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY CLEANSE THE LANDSCAPE ONCE AGAIN, OF ANYTHING KID-MADE.

RICK AND AL ALSO HAD LOTS OF ARMY MEN AND TANKS THAT WE USED, TO RE-ENACT ALL THE BATTLES OF WORLD WAR TWO…..AND I ALWAYS HAD TO BE THE GERMAN SIDE……WHICH OF COURSE NEVER WON. THAT DIDN'T MATTER AS MUCH, AS BEING ABLE TO PLAY WITH THESE TOYS. ALAN HAD A WIDE ARRAY OF MODEL PLANES, SOME OF WOOD, AND THE TRADITIONAL PLASTIC KIND, AND HE WAS ALWAYS BUILDING SOMETHING OR OTHER IN HIS FRONT PORCH. HE WAS GIFTED THIS WAY, AND EVEN TODAY, I CAN REMEMBER WATCHING HIM PUT TOGETHER MODELS WITH A TRILLION PIECES, AND HOW WONDERFUL THEY LOOKED WHEN PAINTED. I WAS JUST FASCINATED TO WATCH. I DID BUY MODELS FROM THE LOCAL FIVE AND DIME, AND I MOOCHED PAINT AND BRUSHES OFF AL AND RICK. MY MODELS NEVER ONCE TURNED OUT AS GOOD AS THEIR PLANES. YUP, I SPENT A GOOD PORTION OF MY CHILDHOOD BEING JEALOUS. BUT WITH KIND FRIENDS, AND I DO MEAN THIS, I GOT TO USE THEIR TOYS, AS IF THEY WERE MY OWN. UNTIL WE'D HAVE A DUST-UP…..YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS….WHEN I DECIDED THE GERMANS SHOULD WIN A COUPLE OF BATTLES NOW AND AGAIN.

ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, AFTER A HAIR TRIM AT BILL ANDERSON'S BARBER SHOP, IN THE CORNER OF THE OLD PATTERSON HOTEL, I'D WHIP OVER TO SEE THE OTHER "BILL,"……BILL ELLIOT, AT ELIOTT'S FIVE AND DIME (WE ALWAYS CALLED IT STEDMANS), WHERE I'D SALIVATE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, LOOKING AT THE CORGI AND DINKY TOY DISPLAY….TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD, IF I PUT MY ALLOWANCES TOGETHER, FOR SAY….A MONTH. THE BASIC MATCHBOX CARS AND TRUCKS WERE 49 CENTS. I NEVER SEEMED TO HAVE MORE THAN A QUARTER IN MY POCKET AT THE TIME. TRUTH IS, I COULDN'T GET OUT OF BILL'S SHOP WITHOUT STOPPING AT THE CANDY COUNTER……AND WELL, THAT QUARTER WAS GONE BY TIME I HIT THE DOOR. SO THERE WAS NO WAY OF POOLING RESOURCES.

NOW HERE'S A FIRST TIME STORY FOR YOU, THAT I'M NOT PARTICULARLY PROUD OF. IT'S WHY I ALWAYS BUY APPLES FROM BOY SCOUTS. AS A FLEDGLING CUB, I ALSO HAD TO SELL APPLES TO RAISE MONEY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. I HAD TO STAND IN FRONT OF ELLIOTS WITH MY TRAY OF SHINY APPLES HUNG AROUND MY NECK. IT WAS A COLD EVENING LET ME TELL YOU, AND FRANKLY I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF THE EXPERIENCE. WHILE I WAS STANDING THERE SHIVERING, A LADY CAME UP TO ME, SAID "MY DEAR, YOU SHOULD BE WEARING A BETTER COAT THAN THAT," WHILE PUTTING FIFTY CENTS IN THE MONEY SLOT OF THE TRAY. THEN SHE LOOKED ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYE, AND HANDED ME A QUARTER, SUGGESTING I GO TO THE RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR TO BUY A HOT CHOCOLATE. I NODDED MY THANKS FOR HER KINDNESS AND PUT THE QUARTER IN MY POCKET. WHEN THE NEXT APPLE CUSTOMER CAME ALONG, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT IT WASN'T HARD, TO GET THEM TO PUT THEIR DONATION IN MY HAND, INSTEAD OF THE MONEY SLOT. I THOUGHT THESE KIND CITIZENS MIGHT ALSO HAVE WISHED TO BUY ME A HOT CHOCOLATE. OH THE JUSTIFICATIONS I CAME UP WITH, ON THAT COLD AUTUMN NIGHT, TO SCAM THE CUB SCOUTS OF THEIR DONATION MONEY.

I MISAPPROPRIATED ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A RED DINKY TOY TRUCK. I MUST HAVE LOOKED PRETTY GUILTY THAT NIGHT, WALKING INTO ELLIOT'S, AND STANDING THERE AT THE COUNTER PAYING FOR THE TOY, WITH THE APPLE TRAY STILL STRUNG AROUND MY NECK. I STOOD OUTSIDE, AFTER PAYING FOR IT, STILL TRYING TO SELL APPLES, PONDERING HOW MUCH MORE CASH I COULD SKIM. THERE WERE SOME CORGIS I WANTED AS WELL. FORTUNATELY, MY SHIFT ENDED BEFORE I COULD SCOOP-UP ANOTHER DIME. WHEN I GOT HOME THAT NIGHT, I FELT LIKE CRAP. THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED? IT DROPPED OUT OF MY COAT POCKET AT MERLE'S FEET. "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT TOY, TEDDY." SHE DEMANDED. "OH, IT'S NOT MINE. IT'S RICK HILLMANS. HE SAID I COULD BORROW IT." I WAS GOOD. I COULD HAVE PASSED A LIE DETECTOR TEST, AT THAT MOMENT. SHE BOUGHT IT, BECAUSE MERLE WOULD NEVER HAVE BELIEVED I COULD STEAL ANYTHING FROM ANYONE, FOR ANY REASON. AND THAT'S WHAT CUT LIKE A KNIFE…..THE FACT IT WOULD BREAK THE POOR WOMAN'S HEART IF SHE KNEW I HAD RIPPED OFF THE CUBS. WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH BUT WE MADE DO. SO I HAD TO LIVE WITH MY SHORT-LIVED CAREER AS A THIEF. IT'S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY. CRIME DOESN'T PAY. IT HAS COST BE DEARLY FOR ALL THESE YEARS. THAT'S ONE TOY I DON'T WANT BACK.

ONE DAY, AFTER FEELING THE TRUTH HAD TO BE KNOWN, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PERFECT TIME TO CONFESS MY PAST SINS. WITH MERLE VERY ELDERLY BUT ENTIRELY COGNIZANT….., AND MY COZYING UP TO A BOTTLE OF WINE. I STARTED TELLING THE POOR WOMAN ABOUT MY CHILDHOOD TRANSGRESSIONS. SHE WASN'T CATHOLIC BUT SHE STARTED TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, AGAINST HER CHEST, AND IT WAS THE LOOK OF OUTRIGHT FEAR OF KNOWING THIS STUFF, THAT MADE ME QUIT LONG BEFORE I HIT THE STORY ABOUT THE DINKY TOY. I LOST HER IN THE EARLY GOING, WHEN I TOLD HER I MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO, UNDER THE LAKESHORE AVENUE BRIDGE, WALKING THE BANK ALONG RAMBLE CREEK FROM OUR HOME. WHEN I'D GET BACK HOME, ON THOSE DAYS, SHE'D SNIFF MY COAT OR SHIRT, AND IF I SMELLED "FISHY," IT MEANT I'D BEEN CLOSE TO THE LAKE. WELL, TO BORROW A RULE FROM A GAME, CLOSE ONLY COUNTS IN HORSESHOES. I TOLD HER I CROSSED THE LEDGE OF THE TUNNEL, BORDERING THE DEEP WATER BELOW, AND ACTUALLY SAW A TANKER SAILING BY ON LAKE ONTARIO. "MY GOD, MY GOD, I MUST HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE PARENT," SHE STARTED CALLING OUT TO THE LORD, LIKE REDD FOX, WHO, WHENEVER IN CRISIS, ON HIS COMEDY SHOW, USED TO CALL UP TO HIS DEPARTED WIFE, "I'M COMING ELIZABETH….THIS IS THE BIG ONE." GEEZ, AND I WAS GOING TO TELL HER ABOUT THE TIME THREE OF US BUDDIES, WOUND UP DRIVING ACROSS SKELETON LAKE ON THE ICE ROAD, TRYING TO GET TO A HOCKEY GAME IN SUNDRIDGE. TOOK A WRONG TURN AT WINDERMERE CORNERS. SO RATHER THAN KILL MY MOTHER, I JUST STOPPED TRYING TO EASE MY CONSCIENCE, AND BEGAN A TRADITION OF BUYING APPLES OFF THE CUB SCOUTS TO REPAY MY DINKY TOY DEBT.

FOR THOSE ADULTS WHO PLAY WITH TOYS…….LIONELS THAT ACTUALLY WORK, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. I EVEN MADE A REQUEST THIS CHRISTMAS, FOR NEXT YEAR'S PRESENTS…..OTHER THAN THE WONDERFUL ARRAY OF IMPORTED BEER THE BOYS LAVISH UPON ME. I WANT TO HAVE SOME OF MY OLD HOT WHEELS BACK. AND YES, WE WERE SO POOR, MY PARENTS COULD AFFORD THE CARS, JUST NOT THE TRACK. NOW IF YOU'RE A HOT WHEELS LOVER, AND I WAS, NOT HAVING THE TRACK TO GO WITH THE CARS, IS LIKE HAVING A "PUSH" LIONEL. GOD BLESS MY PARENTS FOR TRYING SO HARD NONE THE LESS. THEY MEANT WELL FOR THEIR ONLY CHILD. TRUTH IS, I WAS HAPPY WITH ALL MY POSSESSIONS….EXCEPT AN ILL-GOTTEN RED PICKUP TRUCK THAT I CONVENIENTLY LOST IN THE MIRE OF THE ALICE STREET SAND PIT. I HEARD SOME TIME LATER, A KID FOUND IT…….AND THANKFULLY, KEPT IT!