the other day I had this conversation with my parents about getting me some new toys. like I wouldn’t have enough already. it was one of this standard moment in my childhood when I felt a sudden urge to get myself something new, maybe a bit more shiny, maybe a bit bigger. or just a little bit different to my usual stock.

they were both sitting in the living room when I bluntly approached them and suggested that maybe we should go to the toyshop? at first it seemed like they both kind liked the idea, after all we don’t get that many Lego bricks in the house from nowhere, but then they both held on their horses.

dad told me that I have enough of the toys already and there’s no point of buying new ones since I’m not even playing with the older ones anymore. I should have said that it’s pretty much the same with him since he keeps on buying the new books only to have them on the shelves, but not to read them. and if doesn’t matter if he read them all when he was a young boy or not. but I said nothing.

than he told me that the only way for us to get more toys is to get rid of the old ones by either putting them to the bin or sell them. that idea left me quite shaken, I have to admit. sell of my toys he reckons? never! he first mentioned the very first piano with the little birds jumping and making all the funny noises. at start I thought yes, but then I reminded myself that it was actually the gift from babcia & dziadek, when they came in here for the first time to see me when I was little. so I said no. then he asked me about the wooden one, with the colored keys. the one that can play some tunes, including my dad’s very favorite Ode to Joy. I said to this definitely no as I keep on playing with it. from time to time that is.

then again he asked me about the big white teddy. I said I loved it. so he asked me: what about the big grey teddy, the one he bought that I was still in mama’s belly. to this I also repeated that I loved it and that I don’t want to sell it.

what about the big trucks, mama added to the equation. which ones? I countered. the ones we keep in the shed. the cement truck, the harvester, even the crane. never, I once again declined the offer. never! I love them all!

my dad looked uncertain. it seemed like he wanted me to get rid of something no matter what, but he didn’t have the right idea what else can we get rid of. he said that if I wanted to have it sold, we could display all the old toys in the driveway and call it the garage sale. he even came up with the name for it. Seamo’s gear. my gear? I whispered. do I really have my own gear?

I suppose it remains to be seen…