Tuesdays From The Toybox - They Called Me A Runaway

 

When I was a kid my father was station in southern Germany. This was also the time in my life when I got the greatest toys. Co-incidentally it was also a time period in the early 70s when most of the coolest action figures of all time were being made. Big Jim, Evel Knievel, Planet of The Apes, Mego Superheroes and especially the 12 inch G.I. Joes. So many great vehicles and costumes in that line could be found for all the adventures you could imagine

 

Where we lived it rarely snowed so I didn't have to wait until summer to play with the Skyhawk. You flew it like a kite and then when it got to the appropriate height you could unhook the string and wait for your toy to fly gently to the ground. Of course no one figured out at the time that this was so well designed and balanced that it was going to catch the wind and take off in it's own direction, despite what the stupid child on the ground may have wanted.

 

When I realized what was happening the Skyhawk and my original GI JOE figure were almost out of site. I knew if I didn't grab my boots and go on the chase that some kid would find my toy in a field come spring time or before. There was only a half hour left of daylight but that didn't prevent me from running out into the sunset without telling anyone where I was going and what I was doing. I figured a bright orange piece of plastic would be easy to see against a dark field, even at night, and I would be home before anyone noticed I was gone.

 

 

I was more afraid of losing my toy than being alone in the dark and was actually happy when I saw the flashlights and heard the voices in the search party. We finally had enough people and some light to do the search for my Skyhawk right. No one, however, would help me find the Skyhawk and only wanted me to go home. That made NO sense to me I have to give my parent's credit, though. They didn't wait until finding me missing in the morning to start looking for me.

 

So I went home that night without finding my Skyhawk. I went on expeditions several more times, hoping I would find it hanging in a tree somewhere but I never came across that toy again. I felt so bad for losing a present that my father had bought me but he reminded me that I was only playing with it in the way it was intended to be played with. It wasn't my fault that the toy designers were idiots. He always had a way of finding perspective in any situation.

 

I wonder how many other kids shared my experience with this product in the 70s?

 

ACTION MAN was what they called GI JOE in England but this is the same product.