Week 3: '57 GMC Pickup

 

My kids buggered up my blog plan for this week.

The concept was to be a discussion on the tipping point in one's age when something moves from unexciting to cool. I planned on illustrating it with the Matchbox replica of what I now view as  an incredibly cool vehicle (and Matchbox), this week's entry, the 1957 GMC pickup.

No flames, skulls, or screaming-down-the-road racing looks, just an old-style pickup. The kids won't be impressed, I thought. As a child I wouldn't have been interested, and even though these trucks were still on the road when I was a kid, at least 13 years would span between when that vehicle rolled off the assembly line and me as a seven-yr-old Matchbox/Hot Wheels enthusiast -- it wouldn't even have a new factor to me.

So when I showed my soon-to-be-four-year-old car enthusiast Racer A the truck, I was caught off guard when he said, "That's pretty cool."

"What?" I asked, visibly disappointed.

"That truck is pretty awesome. Can I hold it?"

"No," I muttered, "What's awesome about it?"

I could salvage this yet. Maybe he was only saying it to get his hands on the hands-off vehicle.

"I like the way it looks," A said. "It's cool, Dad. Doesn't look too fast."

AHA, I thought. Now to just get him talking.

"No? You like fast cars, then?"

"Yeah," said A, but then finished the discussion. "It's okay if it isn't fast. I still think that truck is awesome. I like it a whole lot." And Racer A moved off to play.

Okay. So that didn't go as planned, but I would definitely get my point illustration with my fifth grader Z.

                                                                   ...the next day...

"That's a cool truck you bought for this week."

"What? Really?" I asked my ten-year-old son. I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Yes. I like that it looks old-fashioned. I would enjoy having that truck in real life." (Racer Z tends to talk in complete sentences and use antiquated expressions like "not my cup of tea" so he sounds like he might actually be from the same era as my truck).

"Why do you like it?" I asked. I now just wanted to know.

"I like how it is designed. Also, I bet there are not [Racer Z seldom uses contractions] many of those trucks driving around, so I would look pretty good driving one."

"Huh," I said. "Good point."

"Plus, I like that color."

"You like aquamarine?"

"Yes. I like aquamarine. Good choice, Dad."

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So, I didn't get my philosophical point on how an aquamarine '57 GMC pickup would be cool to me but not to my kids, but hey, what can I say? Cool is cool... AND my son likes aquamarine.

That's my boy.

 Above is a restored 1963 Ford pickup belonging to Racer Z's grandfather, who also understands the coolness of an old truck. Trust me, if I see a Matchbox of that, I'm snagging it.

Pictured aquamarine pickup number 38 of Matchbox's 2010 collection.

Photograph of Matchbox car courtesy of Andy Bindernagel. Photograph of 1963 Ford pickup courtesy of Grandpa Phil.

Matchbox and Hot Wheels are registered trademarks of Mattel, Inc.