June 17, 2004
#128 :: Army
I've never bought into the new-Lego ethos - the sort of Harry-Potter-diorama-with-instructions-sheet folderol that passes as a creative plaything these days. I grew up with a sackful of green plates and simple 1x2s, 2x2s, 2x3s, 2x4s and 2x8s in nothing more elaborate than black, white, red and blue. I think we had one set of wheels. But we built airships, houses, fortresses and monsters out of 'em, and they were good enough for us. (Tramps off, stage left, muttering and glowering behind his bifocals.) Anyway, we've been buying odd lots of Lego off of eBay - the sort of weird, grab-baggy assortments that make for some bizarre constructs and brilliant flights of fancy in the hands of a 2½-year-old and a 4½-year-old. My wife built me this little battalion one night. I don't know where they're going, but they're obviously loaded for bear.