The Little World

I mean, look at us; elderly enthusiasts devoting as much time as we wish to a subject that rewards us handsomely. Retired people who are model builders are the luckiest creatures on the planet. Consider:

a. We are past the age when someone expects us to be:

• Sober. If you are in your own home and quiet about it, no-one gives a shit whether you drink red wine at 3:00 in the afternoon. Or 3:00 in the morning. Just remember to take the rubbish out on Bin Night and everyone is happy.
• Well dressed. At our age, well-dressed is remembering to zip your fly. Everything past that is just swank.
• Sensible. We piggy-back on the mercy shown to the frankly insane by pursuing our kit-building hobby to the extent of obsession, and as long as we are not howling at the moon, we are looked upon as charming.

b. We need not be useful. We have been useful all our lives and the world has gotten neither better nor worse. Now we can lay down the baton of utility and just go our own way. Some of us become artists, and some of us become nuisances.

c. We are never thought of as horrible creatures. Sex scandals never blight our lives. We are never called to Senate enquiries to give evidence. We are rarely arrested for train robbery. Even those of us who pilfer charity stores for money to buy kits are given lenient treatment by the police.

d. We are better served for kits than ever we were as kids. The old kits have a place in our hearts as reminders of the good old days. The good new days see far better mouldings and a far greater choice of subjects.

e. We can be cynical to good purpose. When we see some 50-year-old basic material or procedure touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread, we remember sliced bread and have a basis upon which to judge. A lot of sandwiches have gone under the bridge since we were kids.

f. We have more money now that we did as kids. That the kits cost more is a factor in the equation, but the fact remains that we can buy bigger toys. We no longer have to wait for birthdays or a religious holiday to get our new kit.

Indeed, for many of us, the arrival of a new kit IS a religious holiday.