As the sun sets on another lonely Saturday, I have decided to cheer up the house a bit with my little X-mas tree. This “Mr. Christmas Insta-Shape Tree” has great sentimental value to me, as my dad bought it for my grandpa for his last Christmas in 1990 when he lay stricken with Lou Gehrig’s Disease in a nursing home in Palm Springs, California. I have very intense, bittersweet memories of that time.
While most people grace the bases of their trees with model trains, I naturally use model cars like the gearhead I am. This year I went with a ring of Tyco track and a selection of T-Jets from both my Muscle and Numbered Racing Fleets. Although there is no power supply-they are for display only-its still a nice touch for the living room, and the display is augmented by a few vintage very early 1970’s Matchbox cars, which were made right around the time I was brought into this world.
Since the disintegration of my marriage many years ago, I have never been able to put up the big tree we used to have, and the ornaments that I collected with my partner remained stashed to this day, likely never to see the light of day again. So I go back further in time to something I remember from the days when I was just coming into manhood and there still seemed to be a future to look forward too. This little tree isn’t much, but it has survived all these years and still lights my living room in Colorado today. Toy cars have been a part of my life since I was born, and they always will be.
I have fond memories of you and that tree. Valiant is a word that comes to mind. The addition of the track to the traditional cast of cars is a very nice addition!