Child's play

I consider myself a fairly fun and youthful person. I have not lost my childlike sense of wonder -- usually over landscapes, nature, art, music, things like that.

But I do not play games or play with toys. I don't read comic books, I don't go to see comic book/cartoon movies (Spiderman, et al), I don't play video games. I don't like playing cards and I don't like those bars where they stock old Hasbro offerings like Risk or Stratego or Sorry. And I definitely do not play "bags" or "cornhole" or whatever the kids are calling it these days.

And I think adults who do get into these things are, well, weird. There's a difference between childlike and childish.

But last weekend I found myself at a mall -- an actual suburban mall -- for the first time in years. (But at least I biked there, so that makes it less ... suburban-like.) Anyway, at the Brookstone store they had these little remote control helicopters. And I thought and I thought and I thought and finally decided, hell yeah, I'm gonna waste 40 bucks (with tax and batteries) and buy this damned helicopter because this thing is going to be F-U-N fun! I never had anything cool like it when I was a kid!

So I brought it home and set it up and started playing. Well, it skittled and corkscrewed around the floor like a dragonfly with one lame wing, knocking into chair legs and knotting its rotors up in rug fringe. Something to do with the "trim" settings, which I worked hard to adjust, finally managing to get it 6 inches off the floor. Then it quickly crashed and knocked into things and then finally stopped working altogether.

So back it goes to Brookstone. (If I ever make it out to the 'burbs again -- who knew they closed their downtown store?)

That is what I get for being childish. (And, to be honest, a big part of its appeal was the potential for mystifying and harassing domesticated animals. Very adult, I know.)

And back I go to grown-up toys. The new iPods were unveiled today, but I have to wait until next week for the model I think I want.