The Little World

This post may anger some people. It is predicated upon bourgeoise riches and wretched excess. The proletariat has likely been trodden under the iron heel of capitalism and no mercy has been shown to the victims.

I have a stash.

A stash of 1:72 model kits, I hasten to add – and the thing grows or shrinks according to what has arrived in the shops. I used to be ashamed of kit hoarding but now I am delighted with it – as it provides me with constant employment whenever a project flags.

If I am waiting for paint layers to cure during a week – I work on another model. If I have finished something – there is another waiting in the wings to take the stage. If I get bored and out of sorts – I switch focus. The life of a pampered modeller, eh?

‘Twas not always thus, but there are times when ’twas. I used to build R/C model boats and indulged myself in plans from MAP in England for a whole fleet of planned vessels. I loaned them one day to a man and never saw them ever again…But while I did have them and the passion for boats, I was often confronted with a problem; I would finish one project after months of work and want to start another but could never decide which of the plans to pursue. I would lay them all out on the lounge room floor and agonise over the various merits or difficulties I could imagine.

In reality, I could have had as much fun just building from the top of the plan stack to the bottom in no order whatsoever. And so also with the stash of plastic model airplanes.

But I still sit here debating about which one I want to start next. It is futile – I want to build them all. I suppose there ought to be some sort of rhythm in it – fighter, then bomber, then trainer, etc. But it proceeds in a random fashion and I eventually find I am having a good time anyway.

There is no menu for fun. You just eat from the top down.