TOYS

One long standing, wanna-be wisdom says ‘The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.” The implications are not as gender biased as it would seem. I think we all have a child buried down in the subconscious who would neither grow up nor be left behind. That child benefits from all of our experience without any loss of innocence. So as we grow up to be responsible and productive, the child still gets to weigh in when it comes to toys. I remember in 1979 when I wanted a 10 speed bicycle; I could have settled for the $69 special at Western Auto but I went to a bicycle shop and chose the $220, Volkscycle with aluminum wheels and Shimano components. I took some heat at home but then I spent even more on 10 speeds for the kids. I took them with me on rides and that got me, to some extent, off the hook. Between what you want and what you need, if you listen to the inner child, the responsible adult who knows better will find a way too satisfy both. I listen to the child all the time. He says, “Let’s go.” I say, “Can’t afford it.” Then he says, “Find a way.” I think about it and say, “O.K.” After a while, I figure out a way and we go. My daughter and I are going to float the Grand Canyon in September. You have to schedule with a white water outfitter a year in advance. I can’t afford it but then, I can’t afford not to. “Find a way.” - “O.K.” 

A few years back, I was working/volunteering with the National Parks Service in Alaska. There is a big flea market in Anchorage every Saturday where you can buy any/everything Alaskan and many things you would not expect. I met an old Russian from a village up the Matanuska Valley who was selling old, wind up pocket watches. I looked at them all and chose an Illinois watch that I could afford. He unscrewed the back and we watched the gears and wheels turn and tick. It looked great. He guaranteed it to be in good shape and I took it home. Four months later it stopped working. After a significant investment it was running again, only to break down again. It has 16 jewels, not precision enough to be rated as a “Railroad-grade” watch but a good watch never the less. 

I have a thing about wind up clocks and watches, something to do maybe with the inner child. In ’03 I  bought a chiming mantle clock in Michigan at an antique store. It didn’t work but the price was right. Then I found a real-deal Clock Doctor who gave me the short course in, ‘Investing in old, time pieces.’ Lots of ‘Smithies’ will fix your clock so it runs, at a cheap price. But it’s not a repair, it’s a patch. To get my mantle clock right, it would be $450 plus or minus and he was back logged six months. Six months and $438 later I got my clock back. The clock still runs perfectly. 

Two years ago I was back in Anchorage, the old Russian was still selling watches at the flea market. I told him about the watch he sold me and he asked why I didn't bring it back to him. Long story short, my clock guru convinced me; if you want an old time-piece to work like new, you must find a dedicated watch maker. I was still interested in his watches but I knew they all probably needed work, even it they appeared to be in good condition. This time I chose another Illinois watch, a Bunn Special, 23 jewell, Railroad-grade watch, nearly a hundred years old. It cost more than the one I bought earlier but it was worth it. He guaranteed it, just like the first one but we both knew I’d not bring it back to him if I needed help. As expected, after a couple of months, it stopped. 

I researched on line, found a man in Portland, Oregon who does nothing but restoration of pocket watches. His story sounded much like my clock guy in Kansas City. You don’t find the problem then fix it. You take the watch completely apart, inspect each piece and part, repair or replace any damaged/worn parts and rebuild it from scratch. Another long wait and many dead presidents. Then my Bunn Special came back to me FedEx. It runs perfect, loses or gains a few seconds a week. The designation, ‘Railroad-grade’ was all about accuracy. Different railroads required one particular watch or another for their engineers, conductors and station agents. They needed to know exactly, if a train was ahead of or behind schedule, and by how many minutes/seconds. It was understandably important to know you could reach the next siding before the oncoming train reached you. 

I keep my ‘Bunn Special’ in a little box, beside my computer. I wind it every morning, take it with me occasionally, when I can keep it on its chain in my coat or shirt pocket. It’s almost as much effort to take out my watch as checking my smart phone but it feels oh-so-much better. Across a hundred years, how many railroaders carried this watch? The fact that I don't know the stories this watch could tell, if it could tell, makes my story even richer. My current bicycle is only ten years old but it is all aluminum with 21 speeds and it cost a lot more than my $220 Volkscycle back in ’79. I don’t ride that much now but when I do, we go up and down hills with amazing ease and whatever it cost is worth it. My watch spends most of its time in its box but when I wind it in the morning and don't have to check to know it's on time, money well spent. Men & Boys, the price of their toys: I would rather believe it's good natured ribbing rather than anything mean spirited.