It's a Small World

The other night in the chat room, our friend Agent Air asked if any of us had heard the Disney song, It's A Small World.

Of course we all have, and as soon as he mentioned the title, the tune started running through my head. Over and over, as that song will do to anyone. But I started thinking of other parts of our lives that the song applies to. And since we'd all just returned from the 3rd Annual Hot Wheels nationals, I began to look at the way the song applies to the collecting community.

There are collectors everywhere. In every shape, size, color, ethnicity, and economic stature. This was evident during the event in Cincinnati. From Mattel corporate heads, to kids in strollers, it ran the gamut.

I met a lot of people, shook a lot of hands, and talked with people until I was hoarse. In fact, it took about three days to get my voice back. We talked about world events, toy cars, sports, toy cars, the weather, toy cars, slow elevators, toy cars, brands of beer, toy cars, etc. Do you see a pattern? No matter who was in the conversation, we always discussed toy cars at some point. This hobby of ours is like a big umbrella. No matter who we are, what we have, where we're from, or where we're going, we all have a common love for these little chunks of metal and plastic.

And in this unstable world, it's a very comforting thing. Folks need to get together with others who share a common interest. A lot of us are lucky enough to have a club or collecting group in our neighborhood, which is good. And we all have the bigger neighborhood, the internet, to garner news and info, and to share stories of triumph and loss in our quest to fill the holes in our collections. But nothing compares to the feeling one gets when you can actually sit down, face to face, and talk about toys!

Everything else disappears. Status is gone. Mattel graphics designers and folks who can't draw a stick man (like me) become equal. Corporate big wigs and regular folks become equal. The folks with money to burn and the guy who's saved for a year to go to the show become equal. It's wonderful to see the interaction; non-judgmental, very personal, all bound by that love of the car. Even online adversaries become friends at these events. Something changes when you can meet someone and really get to know the person behind the keyboard.

If you've never attended a Convention or the Nationals, I encourage you to do so in the future. You cannot fully comprehend what is happening from the various online updates and pictures. You have to experience it first hand. And once you do, you too will realize that it really is a Small World After All.

--Joe