Stoneman's Quarry

Well, once again I'm late with my update. But then again, it seems everyone is running behind for one reason or another lately.
Also once again, I've racked my brain to the point of hurting for something to write about. Seems that either I or one of the other "staff" have pretty much covered everything; at least everything that Boss Lady will allow on the site! :-)
Now if she'd open up the door to other subjects ....................... who knows what I'd come up with!

Anyway, I did come up with something for this column and the funny thing is, I wasn't even trying at the time.
While on vacation this past week, I was shopping in a Walmart store around 7:00 PM and figured I'd go down the "boy toys" aisle even though I figured it was a lost cause anyway. I'd been there maybe all of 2-3 minutes when I noticed a family of three (mother, father, son), which included a boy I guess was about 5-6 years old. His mother asked him if he'd like a certain Hot Wheels car and his father said, "That's a neat one!" The boy said, "No, he didn't like that one". The mother then asked, "What about this one?" His Dad said, "Yeah that's a cool one, isn't it?" Once again the boy said no and wanted to look at some more. His Mom then asked him about another car and got the same "No thanks" response. This scene was repeated yet another time with the same results. Finally, in frustration, his mother asked, "You know, we've asked you about several cars, but you keep saying no. What's the deal? Do you not like them or what?" Her son answered by saying, "Yeah, I like them a lot!"
His Mom then asked, "Then what's your problem; do you want a car or not?" To which the boy, in straight forward, childhood innocence answered, "Yeah, but I want one that Dad doesn't like!" When asked why on earth he'd want one his Dad didn't like, he answered that if he got one his Dad liked, he'd have to wait til his Dad got done with it, before he could play with it!
At this point I had to get away from there, around the end cap or someplace to stop from losing it!

I don't know whether or not the father collected or what the deal was, but it got me to thinking. I've had aquaintences who bought cars "for their boys" and would go so far as to give them to the kids, but tell them they couldn't open them to play with. And I'm talking kids from say 4-8 years old! Naturally, the children would get upset when the car was taken away from them and put up.

I don't think a gift should be interpetted as a punishment of some kind.

Talk about cruel and unusual punishment; a gift given at that age should be to play with, not taken away and put up. If a gift at that age is for "collector value", it should be put up at that time and never even be shown to the child. Down the road, when the child is older and has an understanding and/or appreciation of whatever it is, then tell him or her about it and give it to them then if so desired. Unfortunately, the internet, scalpers, and yes, even some collectors have perpetuated the notion that these toy cars (regardless of what they are) are going to increase in value. Heck, who can blame some of the parents, grand parents, etc. when at any given time, you can go on the internet, visit a flea market, or go to a specialty shop and find $1 cars for sale or sold at $3 or more!? Most people that are not educated collectors don't know how to tell the difference between a regular issue car and one that is truly limited or is a "real" older version. You can go to any flea market or antique store and find examples everywhere. I see tags all the time on newer castings that make reference to the date on the bottom of the chassis. I've seen "commemoratives" and reissues passed off as older genuines. And what about the trashed out cars that "book" at $30 mint?
You guessed it ......... they'll be priced at $30. I saw this exact example on this same vacation and I wouldn't have given even $1 for it in the condition it was in! Oh sure it was a redline; well, at least it used to be ..... and it had chrome at one time in its life, but it was way too far gone to be worth anything but a repaint. And it wasn't a Staff Car, for those of you who are wondering; I'm not that stupid. :-P
Well, I've done it again; gone totally off what I originally wrote about. Anyway, just remember to keep collecting fun and if children are involved, try to keep things in perspective or see them through a child's point of view. Afterall, we all have a little child in us, otherwise we wouldn't be collecting toy cars in the first place, right?
Keep it real & keep it fun, Stoneman