How the Toy Collection Started

I personally have enjoyed every moment of Turkys Towing and all of the toy tow trucks. I remember way back in November 92 when I went to my first toy show at a motel by Opryland. I was at the door trying to get in, but the man at the door would not let me in 20 minutes early. Then, I watched a guy walk up with a hand truck stacked with boxes, and he asked for a vendor ticket for $25 instead of the regular $9 ticket that I was waiting another 20 minutes for.

As soon as that guy paid and went through the door, I walked back up to the man in charge and said, “I want a vendor ticket, please.” He looked at me and asked me where my “stuff” was and I said,”Do you want my $25 cash or not?” He sold me a ticket and in I went. While walking around looking at all the toys I had as a kid and toys I wanted as a kid, but did not get for one reason or another, I heard a voice from behind a table stacked with toys ask me, “What you looking for?” I looked up to see who the voice was talking to and saw a big black guy perched behind the table and it was he that had asked me the question.

My response was,”I don’t know, I’m just looking.” “Well, what kind of business are you in?” he asked me.

“I’m in the towing business,” I replied. He leaned over and poked around in some boxes and bags under the table and came up with a toy tow truck – a red Buddy L wrecker. He held it out across the table and said,”Here you go…give me $35.” I thought for a minute and said,”$35 for a $2 old toy? I’ll give you $20″,I said.

“Give me $25 and get your collection started” said the guy laughing. I paid that much just to get in the toy show. So, what the hell, I handed over the $25 and Ralph put my new “treasure” in a plastic grocery bag and off I went. And that boys & girls, is how it all began with Ralph and Turky 14 years ago this November, 2006(2006-1992=14). Seems longer to me too!

I still have the ticket I bought that day in 1992 inside the red toy tow truck I bought from you! At that toy show I picked up a flyer on a table by the door announcing another toy show in Atlanta the next day, Sunday. I called Delta Airlines and changed my flights around so I could go to that toy show also and indeed I did!

When I got home on Sunday night, I had 8 plastic bags filled with all kinds of toy tow trucks, 44 I think was the total. They ranged in size from Matchbox to Tonka & Buddy L pressed steel. I even came home with a mint MIC wrecker with the box, but the story about that box will have to be told another time. See ya, Turky.