i like vintage toys - who doesn't?!
At least once a week Sue comes up with a good shop story and this week it was about a young lady no more than ten years old who came into the shop with her mom. As you might imagine, most kids who come in, mope around half bored waiting for their parents to get done looking at “dumb ol’ stuff” but this girl was different. Which I can fully relate to having spent countless hours of childhood in the fabric store with my mom. This young lady, on the other hand, looked at absolutely everything before spying a vintage Fisher Price airplane over in the corner. Sue could tell it was love at first sight, but unfortunately, mom said no and they left.
The youngster must have been super persistent because about 30 minutes later they were back. Maybe the girl will go into sales some day (lol). Regardless, with mom on board, the plane and its new pilot left happy; telling Sue about all the things she was going to stash inside it.
Kids who love vintage stuff are the best! And when Sue recounted the story it was fun since I was the one who picked the plane to begin with! Then it dawned on me, we also have a Fisher Price dog that Sue should have given her to be the first passenger – but oh, well, missed opportunity… or… maybe not! The very next day, they returned with mom explaining that her daughter could not stop talking about coming back, like a true collector, looking for a needle in the haystack!
Turns out she often goes antiquing with grandma and really enjoys it. And this was the perfect opportunity for Sue to pass the little dog (which I also picked) along to the girl to make the plane more fun! Sue took the time to talk to her about the little people and encourage her to look for them when she’s out antiquing… probably seeding a lifelong quest for Fisher Price people! But, hey, it could be worse, right?! Besides (and not trying to justify – wink wink) BUT as time goes by those little wood people will become scarce.
Truth be told, I’m not a picker
Having a short list of things to look for resonates with me because, at heart, I’m not a picker or a collector so, when we’re out I have my mental shortlist, which makes it easier to thoroughly enjoy the treasure-hunt aspect of picking! (Kinda like a scavenger hunt) Of course, now you know Fisher Price vintage toys are on my list along with wood carvings, VW memorabilia and advertising, mid century barware and glasses plus other random weird stuff. I once found a vintage book about magic mushrooms which isn’t on my list but is weird enough to want and the artwork was super retro 70s psychedelic (no big surprise). It also sold in the shop recently but not to a child, of course!
liberating the plane
Before COVID — we ended up in Tacoma for some reason, had lunch at a favorite teriyaki joint in Freighthouse Square, and cruised through the antique shops on the way to the car. We walked out with a bunch of stuff including the plane which I spotted on the tippity-top of a shelf, way back there (neglected). Seeing it shot me back to childhood like one of those clown cannons at the circus and I got a good deal on it – not for me, not even for Sooz Foster Program. I got a deal on it so we could bring it into the shop so the young lady who came in on Thursday could have an awesome experience that makes my experience finding it – even better!
Liberating the dog
The dog is a different story. I found it in a bin of toys at the Grays Harbor Swap Meet that’s held at the County Fairgrounds in Elma. We’ve only been a couple of times, it’s fun and everything you’d expect from a small, mostly rural county swap meet. I found the dog, and a little chair for him to sit in and put him in the kitchen window sill over our sink where he kept my company while washing dishes for over a year before I decided it was time for him to go to the shop. Being that I’m not a collector, I like to hang on to some stuff and then at some point let it go to a new home.
Now I’m having fun imagining the young lady searching for little Fisher Price wooden people to be partners in crime with the dog as they jet off on marvelous adventures in their plane!!
