June 30, 2005

Gyroscopes

Remember those? I had one when I was a kid--it was all part of that excitement about space and science back before the phrase "If we can put a man on the moon, you'd think we'd be able to [insert relatively simple task here]" was coined. Pretty cool toy. Then again, we didn't have GameCubes.

ANYway, the other day I had Jonathan and Catherine with me and we were at the grocery store and passed by the toy aisle. Of course, they had to stop and start looking at the wonderful world of cheap plasticware that China pumps out, and in that perusing, Boy found a gyroscope. He'd never seen one before--"Is it a top?"

"Well, kinda--you can make it balance on stuff, like on a string, and you can also use it as part of the guidance system on the ICBM you're building in your room." COOL!

Remembering my own hours of pleasure exploring rotational inertia, I figured a buck was worth spending. Got it home and found I wasn't quite right about that.

In the world of cheaply produced toys, this one is right up there as one of the worst. The cage around the flywheel is flexible, meaning one wrong tug of the toothed plastic pull handle (nope--no old-fashioned strings for this baby!) meant you were holding two unworkable parts in your hand instead of just one functioning gyroscope. Add to this the axle pivots that would sieze up without warning if you ever DID get is spinning, which would send the whole works skittering across the table. And that darned pull handle--pull it too hard, and it would just strip out of the teeth on the wheel. Pull it too soft, and the gyroscope wouldn't gyro OR scope.

But, even with those drawbacks, when we could get it working, it was quite the pleasing sight. The main problem being that Catherine was terribly hurt that she could never get it to work right. In a fit of ill-advised daddy-will-make-it-rightism, I promised her I would get her a gyroscope that she could use.

"WHEN!?"

"Uh, well, sometime. I'll have to find one."

In the intervening month, she has pestered me nearly every day about the status of her gyroscope purchase. "Sometime, Sugar--that is, unless you keep asking about it, in which case I might forget all about it."

"Don't worry, Daddy--I'll remind you!"

Yeah.

ANYway, while I was home yesterday, it occurred to me that I needed to fix supper, and it further occurred to me that we needed some meat for supper, and it further occurred to me that since I was going to have to go shopping anyway, and since I had a bit more time than usual, maybe I could take Cat with me and we could finally find her a suitable gyroscope.

She was quite pleased by this proposal.

AND THUS BEGINS THE QUEST FOR A SPINNING TOY.

First stop, down at the foot of the hill across from the hardware store, there's one of those places that sells school supplies and teaching things. It's called Teaching Things. We walked in and Cat ran off to go look at the bright shiny things, and the lady at the counter asked me if I needed some help.

"Yes, do you have gyroscopes?"

I knew from the blank look she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

"You know--the spinny thing kinda like a top?"

"Ohhh. Uhhmm. I don't think so." She asked another lady, "Do we have gyroscopes?"

"Uhhm, well, if we do, they might be over here." No. "Oh! Let's look in the catalog!" said one to the other, who agreed that this was a great idea.

First stop, science toys. Nope. "I don't suppose we have them then."

Not to be outdone, I asked, "Not even under the Gs?"

"OH, hadn't even thought about that!" She dutifully turned over to the G section and started at the top--you know "Giro--" I glanced at the bottom of the list and saw it wasn't on there, "G-Y-R--I don't think you have them, ma'am." She agreed.

Off to the next stop with Cat in tow--"Could we get something else not a gyroscope?" No. This is now a quest, and to settle for less would be an admission of defeat. Not gonna happen. "No, baby--we'll look around a bit more and find one. How about we go to Target?!"

She agreed. I thought I remembered them having a section of toys for those stylish parents who want their children to grow up to be very smart. Well, doggone it, how smart will they be if they don't have gyroscopes!? Not a single one anywhere. Not even one by Michael Graves.

"Can I get a kitty?"

"No, you've already got too many stuffed kitties. You don't have a gyroscope. Let's go one more place." I had a vague recollection of a small toy shop in one of the strip malls nearby, but it must have just been some sort of dream or something. "Hmm--well, let's go to Wal-Mart!"

Hooray for Wal-Mart! They have EVERYthing!

Except for gyroscopes. "Can I get this kitty, PLEEEEEEEASE? Please, Daddy? I'll be good!" "Put it on your Christmas list for Santa Claus--now, let's go get some meat for supper." Grr.

Does NObody have gyroscopes anymore?!

Oh, of course they do--you just have to know where to look. Although, if I'd been unsuccessful this time, I was just going to cave and buy her a stuffed kitty. My store of last recourse? Homewood Toy and Hobby Shop. One of those stores that have been around forever, and one in which I spent many hard-earned childhood dollars. Obviously, I had to look around at all the model kits before I actually got around to looking for the gyroscope. Ah, such memories. I used to have a huge collection of plastic models.

ANYway--things to do. I walked around toward the toy side of the shop and was met by a stunningly beautiful slim young brunette woman in jeans and a sleevless white tee-shirt (not that I noticed what she looked like or anything) who asked if she could help me find something. "Do you have gyroscopes?" Which, when removed from its context, sounds like it could be vaguely off-color. Without missing a beat, she knew exactly what I needed and grabbed one off the lower shelf and handed it to me. "Oh, and we also have Wheel-Os if you're looking for those." No, not today.

BUT, I finally had my treasure--a good old American made Tedco Gyroscope. Not quite as I remember them, though. I seem to recall that they were either chromed or had a high polish to them, but this one is dull metal, and you can see where the cage is welded together, and the flywheel is sort of a dull, tarnished brass color. But, it should work just fine.

Even if it's not a kitty.

Oh, and I went ahead and got one for Boy, too. No use having them fight over just one.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 01:35 PM
Comments

I think she needs a real kitty to help her play with the gyroscope. And she would love it and pet it and call it Geor----one of those “K” names.

Posted by: jim at June 30, 2005 01:43 PM

Shhhhhh! Don't say such things out loud!

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 01:52 PM

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty.
Fun for the whole family and a great stress reducer.

Posted by: jim at June 30, 2005 01:54 PM

We have to get a fence first.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 02:09 PM

Sara Evans says “you can’t fence time.”
Jimbo says “you can’t fence a cat.”

Posted by: jim at June 30, 2005 02:17 PM

Yes, they have a very difficult time holding the foil.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 02:52 PM

Terry!!!!
Is it really you. My days of wishing the Mc... Newsletter was still in circulation are overrrrrr.

Yeah, worthless scarcastic diatribes! I am so excited. P. S. I think Cracker Barrel has those Gyo things. Seth and I were showing our 4 year old son how neat they are.

Anyway, I was trying to find out some info on the christian school that Reba works with in Irondale. I am actually on our churches playschool board and I am looking for some out of the box ideas.

It is so nice to see your ablility to ramble on is still alive and well.

How are the kids... and Jeffy?

xxoo

Posted by: Tracy Hodges Thompson at June 30, 2005 02:57 PM

Busted!

Posted by: Jordana at June 30, 2005 02:59 PM

OOOOhhh. You in trouble now, Mr. Possum. I bet yesterday's, umm, descriptive posts are gonna go over REEEEALLLL well with the missus.

Not to mention the slim brunette woman, not that I noticed or anything.

Posted by: skinnydan at June 30, 2005 03:02 PM

OH HOLY MOTHER OF EDGAR! My secret blogging life has been DISCOVERED by someone I know! EEEK!

Everyone, this is Tracy, better know to those of you who've been long-time readers as My Friend Tracy, the good-looking tall lanky blonde girl I used to work with at The Bad Place, whom I would make stand in the gutter so I could give her a proper hug, seeing as how she's like nine feet tall.

YES, Tracy, this is the same Ogleberry whose hair you used to maliciously tousle. I've been doing this mess since December of 2001, and frankly I'm surprised you haven't found it sooner. The older stuff can be reached by clicking over on the side where it says Old Possumblog, or whatever it says.

As for the school, Reba left there four years ago--she's since been at another place that must not be named, and for the last six months is working at a nearby nursing home. Jeffy's fine--he is who I referred to as My Friend Jeff in the post earlier today.

The kids? Well, you'll just have to read the last 3 1/2 years of sarcastic diatribes.

I sure have missed you, sugar!

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 03:07 PM

Well, I was gonna ask if a wheel-o was what I used to play with and Grandmother and Grandfather's house, but that seems like a pointless question after the unfolding of such drama!

Posted by: Lenise at June 30, 2005 08:45 PM

Lenise--you should know by now that pointlessness is the hallmark of Possumblog (aside from the drama).

I'm not sure what you played with at the grand's house, but this is a link to information about the marvelous Wheel-O.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at July 1, 2005 08:12 AM

Yessss!!! That's it. It was cool =]

Posted by: Lenise at July 1, 2005 11:16 AM

Glad to be of service, as always!

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at July 1, 2005 11:21 AM