I remember hearing someone interviewed on the radio about
their childhood. They were asked if they
could remember what games they played growing up.
The woman said, “Oh yes.
I remember playing with a time machine.
It was endless fun.”
“Pardon?” said the interviewer. “What did you use as a time machine?”
“Well,” said the woman.
“My older brother would lift me up and put me inside the top-loading
washing-machine, with my head sticking out the top. Then he would put a cardboard box over
my head so that I couldn’t see. Next, he
would make some beeps and odd noises, and shake me about. Then he would say that we had arrived in
ancient Egypt, or the Roman Empire, or in an Aztec temple.”
“Well surely you would realise that you hadn’t travelled to
ancient Egypt as soon as you took the cardboard box off your head?” said the
interviewer.
“Oh yes, I suppose so.
That’s why he never took the cardboard box off my head.”
What a cool older brother!
He realised the power of imagination and helped his sister to travel to
far-off, exotic lands without even spending money on a picture book.
I used to love looking at maps and pictures of ancient artefacts
and travelling to far-off places in my mind as well.
I was thinking about cheap toys the other day while my son
was playing with a plastic bottle. He is
10 months old now and generally gets just as much pleasure from seemingly mundane
items as from expensive toys. He
likes bashing plastic bottles. He
loves trying to rip up the cork mat on the floor. He enjoys escaping from underneath a towel
you throw over his head. I just hope
that he continues to enjoy playing with these cheap, everyday items long into
the future. It could save us a lot of
money.
“Son, I know you were hoping for a car for your 18th
birthday, but I’ve got you another kind of vehicle instead. This one is, in its own way, much
better. It will not only take you to far
off places, but really broaden your mind as well. Now close your eyes until I bring it out...
Okay, open them!”
“Dad, that’s a cardboard box.”
“No, it’s not, Son.
It’s a time machine! Now put it
on your head and you can thank me when you get back from ancient Athens.”
Ps. Please don’t put children inside washing-machines. Time machines work just as well with only the
cardboard box component.
Vocabulary:
to make do – to manage with the limited things available
make-believe – pretend; imaginary
top-loading – of an item such as a washing-machine or dish-washer,
built so that things are put in at the top
to stick out – to emerge past the edge of something; to be
not fully inside or covered
a cardboard box - a box made of cheap, thick paper-like
material, often used to carry or package goods
an artefact – an item made for a purpose, especially one
considered to have cultural or historical significance
mundane – commonplace; unremarkable
to bash – to hit with force
to broaden one’s mind – to increase one’s experiences; allow
one to think more widely
a component – a part, especially of a complex machine
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