Seemingly everywhere we went in Florida, particularly in the
museums, we saw collections of toys.
Often, they were related to the space program, or popular Sci-Fi
movies and TV shows. Seeing so many great
toys reminded me of all the toys I played with in my youth. (Remember the spaceman that flew out onto the
freeway when I spacewalked him too close to our car’s half-open rear
window?) After "Star Wars" came out, the
toy market exploded with Sci-Fi toys. I collected a few (Okay, maybe more than a
few), including a lot of the Kenner Star Wars action figurines. I never really played with them much, like
Dark Helmet did in the movie “Spaceballs,” but I enjoyed looking at them.
When Pixar released their movies on DVD, interviews with the
filmmakers showed office walls full of childhood toys. It quickly grew clear that their love of toys
influenced them to make movies such as “Toy Story.” They saw playing with toys not as a guilty
pleasure, but as an aid to the creative process. Interestingly, many of their movies contain
strong elements of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Several years ago, I fell into conversation with a man at a
nearby restaurant. Like me, he regularly
frequented the establishment, and he noticed that I was always working. When he realized that I was a writer, he
began to share with me stories of the Science Fiction writers he had met. He also gave me two things: a “Doc Savage” reprint,
and a little Matchbox car in the shape of a green dragon. With the latter gift, he specifically said,
“I hope this helps give you ideas when you’re writing.” That car sits on a shelf above my desk, and
every time I see it, I think of him.
A green dragon will feature prominently in my novel, so
perhaps he had a hand in that character’s creation or development. Like many who have influenced me in
countless ways, life has taken us along diverging paths. Nonetheless, he figures prominently in my consciousness,
while others have faded with time. Wherever you are, my friend, thank you for
the stories, the book, and the cool Sci-Fi toy.
What do you think: do toys make one more whimsical or
creative? Do they serve as an aid to the imagination? Or do they just make life more
fun?
Dragon Dave
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