Audio Chimera podcast episodes #64 and #65 are about Lost Toys. Well, that’s not actually true; #64 is more about a lost possibility of a career that, on this later-in-life reflection, never was a real possibility at all. I would have made a terrible auto mechanic. Even an early aptitude test said I scored low in mechanical reasoning. But beyond, “I like cars,” what was I thinking? Listen to the episode for more.
Episode #65 talks about toys I valued as a child. I include some photos below of Huckleberry Hound, which I think must be from the Christmas I got him. I also have a photo of the replacement Huck, purchased years later on eBay. Not the same model, but he does stir up some memories.
Incidentally, one of the differences between the original Huck and his successor is the hands, and my original clearly wore “opera gloves.” That set me wondering; what is it with cartoon characters and gloves? So I googled it, and found this article:
The other Lost Toys are GI Joes, and I recall accumulating a lot: figures, uniforms, accessories. I even had the Crash Crew firetruck with the aluminum foil-looking crash outfit. While I never bought in (literally) to the realistic/fuzzy-haired Joes, I did go wild for the international ones. And then, years later, when examining a Banana Republic catalog, I realized I was trying to dress like my GI Joes: not so much in a military way, but in color scheme, and sweater and shirt styles.
Banana Republic clothing was intended for travelers, or would-be travelers, or someone who wanted a different style.You can see more about Banana Republic here.
So what happened to all those toys? I wish I knew. My mother and aunt gave them away to someone, I guess. What a personal loss…and a financial one as well; my cousin Bill tells me that some of the GI Joe stuff could be worth thousands. Alas, you fighting man from head to toe!
I’ll add links to these podcast episodes when they’re available.
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