Buddha in a gas mask

Being an inveterate hoarder of rubbish collector, I quite often find bits and pieces best described as Pimlicos¹. Usually, they do not reside simply in the kitchen drawer, but pop up anywhere around the house. Very occasionally, I know what the damned thing is, even if I have no real use for it.

Amongst the many things in my hoard collection, is a large (probably too large) selection of 12” – mainly, but not exclusively - WW2 uniformed collectible figures: high quality and accuracy, collectible Action Man²style figures (Don’t ask. You already knew I’m a nerd, it’s not as if I haven’t ‘fessed up a number of times).

Anyway, one of the items I dug out was a 1/6 scale WW1 British trench gas mask. The figure to which it originally belonged has long since gone the way of all mortal flesh, but for some reason, the gas mask endures. Now, boredom is a wonderful thing if properly harnessed, and under the correct conditions. Having discovered this model gas mask, I of course put it in my pocket. I don’t know why; it’s a bloke thing, I guess. So, some hours later, sitting at my PC, I reach into my pocket to find my cigarette lighter and fish out the gas mask. There is, of course, a moment’s puzzlement before the stroke of inspiration.

You see, instead of doing the obvious thing and just binning the damned thing, it seemed more logical to find somewhere to put it. Of course, I can’t display it on any of the action figures, they are all from the wrong period, and at a deep, nerdy, visceral level, I couldn’t have that. Oh, no. But, when your eye lands on the little wooden Buddha sitting next to your PC, you get to wonder…

And the answer is, a resounding “Yes”. The gas mask does fit over his head, if not in as entirely snug a manner as one might hope, but nonetheless. So, Arkwright³, my own personal Buddha, now sits contentedly in the knowledge that he is safe from mustard gas attack, on the right hand speaker of my PC.

There’s a message here; probably not a good or enlightening one, either. I’ll shut up now.

¹PIMLICO (n.) Small odd-shaped piece of plastic or curious metal component found in the bottom of kitchen rummage drawer when spring-cleaning or looking for Sellotape.
²For US/Canadian readers, Action Man is the UK (and perhaps European) equivalent of GI Joe.
³Everything should have a name, not just a description or job title.

Buddha in a gas mask

Being an inveterate hoarder of rubbish collector, I quite often find bits and pieces best described as Pimlicos¹. Usually, they do not reside simply in the kitchen drawer, but pop up anywhere around the house. Very occasionally, I know what the damned thing is, even if I have no real use for it.

Amongst the many things in my hoard collection, is a large (probably too large) selection of 12” – mainly, but not exclusively - WW2 uniformed collectible figures: high quality and accuracy, collectible Action Man²style figures (Don’t ask. You already knew I’m a nerd, it’s not as if I haven’t ‘fessed up a number of times).

Anyway, one of the items I dug out was a 1/6 scale WW1 British trench gas mask. The figure to which it originally belonged has long since gone the way of all mortal flesh, but for some reason, the gas mask endures. Now, boredom is a wonderful thing if properly harnessed, and under the correct conditions. Having discovered this model gas mask, I of course put it in my pocket. I don’t know why; it’s a bloke thing, I guess. So, some hours later, sitting at my PC, I reach into my pocket to find my cigarette lighter and fish out the gas mask. There is, of course, a moment’s puzzlement before the stroke of inspiration.

You see, instead of doing the obvious thing and just binning the damned thing, it seemed more logical to find somewhere to put it. Of course, I can’t display it on any of the action figures, they are all from the wrong period, and at a deep, nerdy, visceral level, I couldn’t have that. Oh, no. But, when your eye lands on the little wooden Buddha sitting next to your PC, you get to wonder…

And the answer is, a resounding “Yes”. The gas mask does fit over his head, if not in as entirely snug a manner as one might hope, but nonetheless. So, Arkwright³, my own personal Buddha, now sits contentedly in the knowledge that he is safe from mustard gas attack, on the right hand speaker of my PC.

There’s a message here; probably not a good or enlightening one, either. I’ll shut up now.

¹PIMLICO (n.) Small odd-shaped piece of plastic or curious metal component found in the bottom of kitchen rummage drawer when spring-cleaning or looking for Sellotape.
²For US/Canadian readers, Action Man is the UK (and perhaps European) equivalent of GI Joe.
³Everything should have a name, not just a description or job title.