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I've shown this friction-drive DALEK before, but not the box, so because the art is just as evocative of the '60s as the toy itself, I thought you might like to see it. I got my first MARX Dalek from R.S. McCOLL's in 1967, and there's a story relating to it which I may as well recount while I've got your attention.
I'd spotted this toy some days before and told my parents about it, whereupon they said they'd buy it for me at the weekend on a trip to the shops. On the earmarked Saturday, one of my pals turned up at the door as we were preparing to leave. A hasty 'phone call to his parents to see if it was all right to take him with us, and we were off. (In stark contrast to his parents, who'd simply have said they were going out and closed the door in my face.)
While I was buying my Dalek, my pal disappeared, and my concerned parents searched for him for a while before returning home in case he'd made his own way back there. Sure enough, he was sitting on our front doorstep, talking to my brother and showing him a MAJOR MATT MASON MOON-SUIT he'd mysteriously acquired. My parents told him off for wandering off on his own, as they'd been charged with looking after him.
Regarding the moon-suit, he said that one of his friends, whose family owned a baby/toy shop called NURSERYLAND, had given it to him when he'd called in for a look-around, but it was obvious from his shifty and self-conscious manner that he'd nicked it. Funny thing is though, that because of that, forever after and right to this day, I've always associated these two toys from the '60s with one another.
Anyway, enjoy the piccies - the self-indulgent and uninteresting reminiscence is entirely free.
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That story reminds of a day when I went to town with my father and my friend, Martin, who lived next door came too. We'd just come out of a shop and Martin was bouncing one of those really bouncy little rubber balls. My father asked where did that come from and Martin said he'd pinched it. My dad went absolutely beserk and grabbed Martin's collar, shoved him against a wall and started screaming at him "You f*****g do that again and I'll f*****g kill you !!!" - everybody was looking and it was rather embarrassing but I don't blame him for reacting that way.
ReplyDeleteYour friend Martin seems like a thicko, CJ, for admitting to it. He'd have been better saying "It was in my pocket." Not that I'm condoning theft, but your father's anger might've attracted attention from those in the shop and led to discovery. What age were you and Martin at the time?
ReplyDeleteNice to see the box pics, Kid. The hand of Richard Jennings, perchance?
ReplyDeleteDon't have a clue, to be honest, JP.
ReplyDeleteKid, Martin and I were about ten at the time (Martin was five months younger than me). The point is he was showing off about the fact that he'd pinched the ball and gotten away with it but he certainly didn't expect that reaction. To be fair he didn't normally do that kind of thing as far as I know. A few years later I had a schoolfriend called Jason who became a serial shoplifter - he was so cocky he used to take orders and he'd pinch something for you. Of course he got caught but they didn't know about about all the other stuff he'd pinched and he got off fairly lightly. But he completely stopped his shoplifting ways after that.
ReplyDeleteIn that case, CJ, being only 10, did you ever think your father was perhaps a bit too aggressive (even violent) with him? I'd have been angry, but I don't think I would lay hands on someone else's 10 year old son, or swear at them. I'd have taken the ball off him and said that if he ever did that again, his parents would be told. I'd also have taken the ball into the shop and handed it back, saying I'd found it on the floor.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're right but he had a short fuse at the best of times and that's just how he reacted on that occasion. We didn't take the ball back anyway. And Martin continued to come to town with us - he also came to the seaside with us on day-trips so all was forgiven.
ReplyDeleteSob! I love a happy ending.
ReplyDelete