Wednesday, November 26, 2008
"...late December back in '63"
17.18 Ten Minutes Late
What with it being only twenty-nine sleeps till Christmas (according to CanoeingInstructor) we were talking about the things we'd always wanted as kids but were never allowed to have. Scalextric, Mr Frosty and those money boxes that dispense miniature dairy milk being favourites.
I always wanted 'Mousetrap'.
During several years of anticipation and anti-climax Mum and Dad trotted out a variety of explanations as to why it wasn't a good idea: ‘It's got too many bits’ was handy, as it had a variety of interpretations. They tried 'You'll lose the bits', but I was almost as annoyingly tidy as a child as I am now, so that excuse mutated into the more plausible 'When your friends come round they'll want to get it out and they'll break the bits' (I was discouraged from 'getting things out' when friends came round. Anyone would think my Mum had spotted what was going on in the Wendy House). Additionally, implicit in the 'too many bits' theory was the inference that it would be too complicated to set up and would never work properly anyway, leading to massive disappointment. Avoidance of situations that could lead to disappointment was a high priority in our house.
It's most likely that it was too pricey and they didn't much fancy having to play it with me.
One of my best things ever was Battling Tops – hardly any setting up and you could play it on your own, after a fashion. I don't remember ever wanting it though which, I suppose, goes to show that sometimes parents do know best. Hours of fun. Although not nearly as enthralling as smearing Copydex on your hand, waiting for it to dry and then peeling it off.
Into My Arms - Nick Cave
Strung Out Again - Elliott Smith
Bulletproof - Rilo Kiley
December '63 (Oh What A Night) - Four Seasons
What with it being only twenty-nine sleeps till Christmas (according to CanoeingInstructor) we were talking about the things we'd always wanted as kids but were never allowed to have. Scalextric, Mr Frosty and those money boxes that dispense miniature dairy milk being favourites.
I always wanted 'Mousetrap'.
During several years of anticipation and anti-climax Mum and Dad trotted out a variety of explanations as to why it wasn't a good idea: ‘It's got too many bits’ was handy, as it had a variety of interpretations. They tried 'You'll lose the bits', but I was almost as annoyingly tidy as a child as I am now, so that excuse mutated into the more plausible 'When your friends come round they'll want to get it out and they'll break the bits' (I was discouraged from 'getting things out' when friends came round. Anyone would think my Mum had spotted what was going on in the Wendy House). Additionally, implicit in the 'too many bits' theory was the inference that it would be too complicated to set up and would never work properly anyway, leading to massive disappointment. Avoidance of situations that could lead to disappointment was a high priority in our house.
It's most likely that it was too pricey and they didn't much fancy having to play it with me.
One of my best things ever was Battling Tops – hardly any setting up and you could play it on your own, after a fashion. I don't remember ever wanting it though which, I suppose, goes to show that sometimes parents do know best. Hours of fun. Although not nearly as enthralling as smearing Copydex on your hand, waiting for it to dry and then peeling it off.
Into My Arms - Nick Cave
Strung Out Again - Elliott Smith
Bulletproof - Rilo Kiley
December '63 (Oh What A Night) - Four Seasons
Labels: nostalgia
