Week 70: 1971 Maverick Grabber

The Maverick Grabber -- holding this great little Hot Wheels car fully reminds me of how I became entranced about these toys in the first place. I love this car.

In parenting circles, however, grab is not the most positive of words. From frustrated commands, Don't grab that toy from him! to harried and hurried plans, I'm going to try and grab some lunch before I leave to go pick up the kids from _______, grab as a word makes me nervous. Having three kids in the house, I wouldn't want a car called the Grabber anymore than I might want one called a Pooper or a Tantrum SE.

Pre-parenting days I doubt the word would have had much emotional resonance to me. Grab bags, while sounding vaguely dirty, generally were fun things, and the word could have romantic intonations if I wanted to grab you and give you a big kiss. Even the previous mentioned lunch/dinner wasn't so ... busy. Grabbing a bite to eat was a good thing to be anticipated and not something to be hectically done between deadlines with preschools and pediatricians.

I think the word grab is so corrupted for me because when my kids grab, they grab with all their might. I'm remembering one instance when Baby G and Racer A got in an argument over a paper towel tube -- apparently there was some disagreement on ownership of this coveted toy -- and G grabbed onto one end. Neither kid would capitulate, however, and in the few seconds it took for me to reach them that 10 inch cardboard tube had unraveled so it resembled a three-foot cardboard Slinky, with both kids still holding on as if that tube could ever again be used as a sword or spyglass. I had once seen a nature special with two eagles fighting midair, locked by their talons in a death grip, plummeting to the ground. That cardboard tube showdown reminded me of that, except the shrieks from my kitchen were louder.

Listen, I'm okay losing the word grab -- it's not like I was all that fond of it, anyway. It is certainly not the only word I've lost -- if wet was ever a sexynaughty porn star of a word, it is not anymore -- wet now means put a plastic bag down in the car seat because there has been a diaper malfunction.

Things change, we get older, and sometimes words are the collateral damage. I'm okay with that.

Nonetheless, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll just call this week's featured car a Maverick.


Photo of this week's GRABBER courtesy of Phil Pekarcik.