Week 25: GMC Wrecker

As a blog diary, I could easily connect today's diecast pick, a GMC tow truck, to my morning.

I've been weak, weak, weak for two days from a cold and have barely been out of bed -- my hands so cold I can chill beverages like one of those swirly water wine chillers in stores -- hand me your can or bottle and within minutes my zombietouch will remove all warmth. Trust me you don't want my hands on your back.

Feverish and asleep for 12 hours, I was only vaguely aware of goings on this morning -- my ten year old was keeping an eye on his two younger brothers while my wife went to an appointment. I was of course foreman to this operation. I fell back into my fevered sleep...

...to hear my wife angrily announcing that Baby G's diaper had fallen off and was around his ankle, kept somewhat in place by the pajama leg. Other substances, however, were not so contained.

With credit to his clever baby wisdom, Baby G did figure since the diaper was no longer functional he would need to find an absorbent replacement. He settled on his little cloth chair (a funny little scale model of an adult easy chair), where he was found seated when my wife arrived.

I of course was completely unaware, and I thought the commotion was part of a fever dream. Best to just go back to sleep.

When I later pushed my son as to why he did not come wake me, he said he had previously got in trouble with mom for lying about one of his chores and was not allowed to watch television.

I didn't see a connection. Was this more fever dream?

My son had decided to plop his brothers down in front of cartoons to keep them out of trouble, but did not himself want to get in trouble for watching TV when mom returned, so went in his room to read. How was he to know the diaper fell off?

So I could tie a tow truck, a symbol of help in fixing emergencies and mishaps, to this morning.

Trust me, I've thematically connected cars to previous blogs with much shakier premises.

I could connect it, but I won't.

For one, the picture was taken before any of this saga was revealed, although that still wouldn't be enough to stop me from using it.

No, for two, this truck was selected for Daddy's Tiny Cars because of the detail.

One of the elements that makes diecast cars so fun is unexpected detail -- a hood that opens, a detailed dashboard visible through the window, a spare tire under the car.

This truck is so great because of how the decals are so meticulous and readable. Check that picture out -- that is actually a picture of my Matchbox truck, and while Photoshop has made it look life size, the detail is sufficient that it looks like a real tow truck.

This really is a beauty of a Matchbox.

See, that's why I like these little toys. You can be fevered, weak and have zombie hands and your baby son can be using a chair as a diaper while you sleep, but everything seems a little better when you look at a toy car.

Or this is the fever talking. Either way, everything seems a little better now.

I think I'm going to sneak up on my on Racer Z and put my hands on his back.



This incredible photo, complete with ominous crow and apocalyptic sky, courtesy of Phil Pekarcik, who indeed has electricity again thanks for asking. This Matchbox is number 73 of the Matchbox 2010 collection and is part of the City Action group.