FULL CIRCLE

Many years ago on a wet summer holiday I introduced my son to a game called Hero Quest, a sort of Conan the Barbarian a board game with miniature figures scenery dungeons swords and sorcery.


During the following years Pa and I painted literally hundreds of these tiny figures,not to mention horses castles dragons and demons. My sons friends practically lived at our house during these years and the pain of treading upon a plastic dwarf soon took the place of the Lego morris dance whenever one stepped on a piece unawares.

Gradually as the teen years crept up on us the dungeons and dragons vanished and were replaced by space creatures,metal spiders tanks rhinos and the miniatures as usual needed painting,Pa and I began again with the magnifying glasses and the tiny paintbrushes.

College then university and by now it was considered that playing with miniatures was for the kids and fantasy role playing took over,reigned and ruled until last week.
Suddenly the sophisticated Kamikaze Dugeoneers realised how much they had missed the miniatures and the scenery,since when an endless stream of parcels,books and gaming tables have appeared at the door.

Seemingly endless telephone calls in to the early hours and internet chat has obsessed my son completely and from what I gather his cronies are even more smitten than he spending hundreds of pounds on ready painted figures, citadels, trenches and trees.

In the twenty two years that my son and his friend have been absorbed by these various games they have come full circle and they are as excited as children about their Sunday game. I always loved the intricacy painted figures and Am glad to see them again but I am even more pleased that these highly detailed and decorative objects can now be purchased ready painted as these days my eyesight is not what it was all those years ago.

When we are children little boys are given railway sets to play with and Pa still spends hours with his model railway. Boys are given toy cars,footballs and Hero Quest games and they continue to play with these toys in one form or another all through their lived.

Girls are given toy irons and kitchen appliances,baby dolls that wet their nappies and dolls houses to keep in order, it is unfortunate true that girls to are obliged to play with such toys for the rest of their lives. It seems unfair and yet although I detested dolls and girls toys have enjoyed being a wife and mother and have a passion for cooking so I suppose we must call it fate.