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Subject: 
Dark Ages story
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Thu, 11 Mar 1999 14:33:34 GMT
Viewed: 
921 times
  
I wonder if most people entered their dark ages gradually, without
really noticing that Lego was becoming less and less important to them
or whether people remember making an abrupt decision to stop using
Lego.  For me, the former was true.

I do remember two distinct incidents that vaulted me into my dark ages,
however.  One was in a specialty toy store, where my mother and I were
looking at Lego.  This was a toy store in another town that we sometimes
went to as part of a day trip.  I loved that toy store because they had
a large, original castle display set up (obviously from the model shops
at TLG) and they carried items other merchants didn't (like trains,
lights, etc.)  I was looking at a passenger train coach and my mother
asked me if I would like it (offering to buy it for me).  I didn't want
it.  That was the first time I didn't want Lego that was offered to me.

Another incident really marked the end of my childhood fascination with
Lego.  I had a town/train setup for years in my room.  I would often
play with the cowboy-hat-wearing fig from the Exxon Gas station,

http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=6375-2

pretending that he was the mayor of the town.  This went on for YEARS.
I would create stories of how he began as an outlaw on the fringes of
society, made connections with the railway unions, and eventualy came to
power and overthrew the former mayor (who was the chief of police in set
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=588-1)  He was a very corrupt
ruler, btw.  Well, one day, I made up the end story.  Of how this fig
lost all power, caused the destruction of the Lego town (which he did on
a regular basis anyway IIRC), and met his death.  I took the fig (my
favorite) and threw him in a small creek by my childhood home.  It was
the first time I had ever thrown away Lego.  And he was the symbol of my
stopping Lego play (at least for 15 years or so).

I always thought it would be neat if I found that fig now.  When I heard
about Lego appearing on the coast of Florida it renewed my hope.  That
would really be magic, I think, to find that fig after all these years.
What's the probability (the mind boggles)?  Anyway, if you see him....

--
Thomas Main
main@appstate.edu



Message has 8 Replies:
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
My devotion for LEGO both ended and resurrected with the 5580 Highway Rig. (URL) the age of 13-14 or so, I got this set. I bought it with my own saved money, despite my mother's comment that I was too old for LEGO. When I had built the 5580, I (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
(...) I made a consious decision to switch my attention to Meccano[1] at quite an early age. At the time Technic had not been invented (and I'm not sure about those giant gears you could get once). Meccano was far more flexible at the time because (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  Buried toys story (was Re: Dark Ages story
 
<snip> I took the fig (my (...) This reminds me of a (non-LEGO) event from my childhood. As a child one day I put a handful of plastic toy soldiers in a bag and buried it in our back garden. I don't exactly recall why I did this; I suppose I (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
(...) I think my interest in Lego had been fading gradually for a while before 1990, when my younger brother was born. In the interest of not having my pieces devoured, I put my collection into storage for a few years. I was 15 at the time, and (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  (canceled)
 
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
Thomas Main wrote in message <36E7D43E.A8ECD4EF@a...te.edu>... (...) My dark ages started abruptly... I went off to college. However, starting around 1984-85, I really was not interested in acquiring new sets. At that time, my interest was (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
(...) Great story! Write that one down for your grandkids. I never had Lego as a kid, but have always enjoyed it with my boys. One Christmas the great debate with my SO was the choice between the monorail or a race track. He went out to buy the (...) (25 years ago, 27-Mar-99, to lugnet.general)
  Re: Dark Ages story
 
(...) I've had two distinct Dark Age periods; the first lasted from 1988 to 1992, which coincided with high school and my thoroughly time (and money)-consuming interest in the opposite sex. Although I did not buy any new sets during this period, I (...) (25 years ago, 14-Sep-99, to lugnet.general)

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