Sam used to drive race cars locally, and we started going to racers' auctions and swapmeets, in Wichita, Kansas.
While Sam was looking at "boring" car parts, I was checking out the diecast collectibles they had for sale there.
Then I would bring them home and display them on the walls of out Auto Parts store, which was also our office!
His customers would come in and comment on my collectibles and some of them even wanted to "buy" them! I said,"I can't do that, but the next time I buy some, I will buy extras' of them!"
Pretty soon I was going to all kinds of auctions, and bringing home boxes of collectibles!
About this same time, my oldest son, Stephen, started collecting Hot Wheels. Every time I went to a store or a swapmeet, he wanted me to check for "new" Hot Wheels.
Sam decided he didn't want to sell auto parts anymore, so that gave me a small area to sell my collectibles from, in fact he knocked out a wall and extended the room for me!
One night I was painting my "new" store and I ran out of paint and I knew there wasn't any more paint, the color I needed, in town, so I decided I would drive 45 miles, to the nearest supercenter, so I would be able to finish painting the next day.
After I got to the store, lo and behold, I heard the sounds of a truck being unloaded!! I thought, maybe there'll be some "new" Hot Wheels on the truck!
It was late at night and hardly anybody else in the store, except a couple of young guys, who were intently looking at magazines, so I "tiptoed" around the aisle and stopped a clerk, who was pulling a large pallet full of toys and asked him if there might be any Hot Wheels on the truck. He said, "Yes, there is!"
The next thing I knew, those two young guys, who were so intently looking at magazines, were walking down the aisle, carrying cases of Hot Wheels, on their shoulders, and asking,"Where's that lady, who was wanting Hot Wheels?"
So much for being discreet!! I said, "That must be me!" Then I told them how my son had just started collecting Hot Wheels, and there's never any "new" ones in the store, after he gets off work, so I always check for "new" Hot Wheels for him, even though, I really didn't know a "new" one from an old one!
They said, "Don't worry, we know which ones, he's wanting!" Then they picked through the cases, and put the newest ones in my cart and I was "giddy" with joy!
I almost forgot to get my paint, as I headed up to the front to pay for my stuff! As I headed outside to my truck, those two young guys were waiting outside for me! They said,"Would you like some more of those "new" Hot Wheels?" I said,"YyesS, lead me to them!!" They said," Now, don't freak out, but there's 16 more cases, inside the store!!!!!!!
WwowW ! We went back inside the store, and there was 16 more cases, sitting in carts! They went through every case, and made sure I got the "newest" ones ! Jeff, from Owasso, Oklahoma, and your friend, from Vinita, Oklahoma, you guys are the best, and I will never forget you!
I've been "hooked" on finding "new" Hot Wheels ever since! Unfortunately, it is a lot harder to find any "new" ones in a store, now, but I keep trying, even if I have to drive to Mexico to get them!
Thanks for stopping by and please check out my "HOT LINKS" and Happy Hot Wheels to you!
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