This is an addition to my
Two Monsters post earlier this week. My niece Devin was over to visit a few days ago (babysitting while her parents were busy). I love any time spent with her. My workshop (as Devin calls it) is fun for her because of the toy decor. Star Wars toys are the main theme. She wanted to play with my collection again. I wrote about her first Star Wars toy play time last month as one of
life's little jokes. Click on the previous purple words to read those posts. This week's visit was almost the same.
Devin climbed on the couch reaching for characters in a new adventure...
Before she destroyed my entire display, I thought I'd be clever this go round. I asked if she would help me clean and re arrange the toys (they needed it). She loved the idea.
Devin sat with feather duster at the ready. Everything went great. Starting with my RETURN OF THE JEDI shelf, I would hand her a figure to clean as she asked about the character. I was soon giving her them in order of appearance in the movie, telling the story.
It was a lot of fun until we got halfway into the tale. She got confused over Princess Leia and Luke being siblings and Darth Vader their Father (if you don't know what I'm talking about, please re watch the movies). I over explained the story to Devin. I started taking toys from other shelves trying to help her make sense of it all. She was into hearing it but I was now going backwards. Every action figure was being used to tell the saga. The clever idea backfired. I was wrecking my entire toy display myself ! I summed it all up telling her Princess Leia won in the end. It made her happy. We then focused on putting stuff back on the shelf. I tried telling her where it all went. She didn't listen and did her own thing.
I've argued with network execs over designs. I've stood toe to toe with well known designers debating ideas. I've fired assists who don't listen to me. No experience has come close to working with Devin. She listened to me but countered every time saying...
"Wait, I have an idea. Let me just do this."
I'd set something up, she'd take it apart and re do it. I've quit jobs before being so micro managed...she was lucky I still had to feed her lunch and be there when her parents came to pick her up. Otherwise I would of had a dramatic blow up and stormed out!
She wore me down and I gave up, letting her go at it. I stepped back to watch. She took long pauses thinking her ideas out. It must of had meaning. I guess she was telling her version of the story. Here is...
Devin's Star Wars Saga Special EditionAttack of the Clones - Padme and Anakin stop off at Cloud City for gas on the road to rescue Obi Wan on Geonosis. They visit the carbon freeze chamber. "Look I'm frozen! Take my picture." Padme loved tourist photo ops...
Return of the Jedi - Jabba's dancing girls had cramped dressing rooms under the main stage...
Star Wars (A New Hope) - Luke met a crazy old wizard named Dr. Brown at the cantina on Tatooine. He had a
time machine. Luke brought his Mom back to the future. He confronted Vader..."Turn the Death Star off man or I'll cut her, I'll do it... I will! I've got no memory of my mother so I don't care! It's not impossible, I've cut womp rats from my t-16 back home!"
Return of the Jedi - Jabba hated "Stairway to Heaven" and warned all the bands that played in his palace that he would drop a rock on their heads if he ever heard it.
At the end of the day, the RETURN OF THE JEDI toy shelf was bare with most of the action figures scattered on the desk, coffee table, floor, outside and places yet found.
Toy collection + little kid = playtime.
As it should be.
