Member-only story
I Sold My Childhood
We all have to move on some time
When you fall out of love with the things you once loved, it’s an indication to move on from them.
When I was young, I had a great collection of diecast cars, Legos, and other hobbies. I took pride in gathering them, searching for what was rare, and organising the shelves in my room, where all my treasured possessions were.
For most, they were just bits of plastic and metal shells, but for me, a child who didn’t have many close friends or places to go, my collection was my childhood.
I spent most of what I’d earnt from delivering newspapers acquiring new collectibles, and dusted my shelves each night, because nothing else served me much purpose for the better part of fifteen years.
But as the end of high school neared, I knew that it was time for me to give them up. Having and craving the best collection used to mean the world to me, but as time went on, the very things that were invaluable to me, became nothing but possessions I had in my room.
The special meanings behind each diecast model and Lego set was gone, and the plastic bits and metal shells on my shelves became all but a memory. A lost one.
It was time to be a big boy, and there was no more time for the little boy toys. I had to ask myself the hard questions. I knew I was moving out soon and couldn’t take my collection with me. I knew there was no place I could keep or maintain them.
So I had no choice but to give my collection up. To someone who could take care of it for me.
With each passing summer and winter holiday, I put large bundles of my collection up for sale. I was no longer obsessed with collecting diecast, but rather trying my best to get rid of what I had before it was too late, since it was still worth some.
I sold the vast majority of my collection on Kijiji and went to the deals myself with strangers who I’d never met, but had hearts like mine. Some collectibles aged and became more valuable. Some less. I remembered to keep most of the boxes at least, which I later found out made me a few extra cents.
There are a lot of great people out there who proudly shared my interests, and some who were on the rowdy…
