Summer's been winding down, so a few Sundays ago I made yet another trek down to the local Flea Market before it got too cold to look at other people's crap.
Usually I try to make it to these things earlier in the day, but this particular time I showed up around 1pm, the time when most of the vendors start packing it in for the day. I came to think that all of the good stuff would've been gone by then.
But I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong. The Flea Market Gods (whom I've always imagined to be a group of middle aged women in ugly sweaters. Think the mom from The Goldbergs) decided to smile down upon me this week and I actually struck a little pay dirt. Let's look at all the cool stuff I saw.
My first find of the day was a stack of old novelty records from the 60s. The 1960s just seemed like the best decade for music, both the good, the bad, and, well, this. Hell if I know how a story about Snoopy fighting the Red Baron became associated with Christmas, but The Royal Guardsman somehow found a way to tie it all in together through song. And just look at that great artwork, the Red Baron looks downright embarrassed that he's getting his ass handed to him by a dog pretending to fly its own doghouse.
If I actually had something to play it on, you know damn well I would've bought it.
This too. Man do I love 60s Alvin & The Chipmunks the best. And this album isn't the famous one with the Christmas songs, this is a soundtrack to The Alvin Show, the original cartoon.
And you know what? This find actually parallels the Simpsons, when Bart found a Melvin & The Squirrels record at a swap meet.
Thank you, internet, for proving once again that there is a Simpsons reference for everything.
Most of the albums in that pile were old Disney records, mostly movie soundtracks. Like the others, there was lots of rad artwork, but this Winnie The Pooh record was the standout. Tigger looks so...wrong. Maybe that's why he's looking at himself in the mirror? Wondering who was responsible for his incredibly off-model look? I mean, I'm only assuming that's Tigger. That's how unlike Tigger he looks.
An old-style McDonalds model made for train sets (this was at a table that sold model train stuff). As a lover of obscure McDonald's merch, I had to get it...until I turned it over and saw it covered in gunk and sadness. Maybe next time.
On that topic, I found some sweet McDonald's glasses straight from the 80s! These glasses take me back to my childhood with my Grandma, she only drank her water out of these. I would've bought these, but as I've said before, I don't really drink out of glasses enough to justify buying them. Also, I still don't trust myself around fragile drinking glasses older than I am.
Two of them are from a Great Muppet Caper promotion, two more have Grimace and the Apple Pie Tree, and then there's the one that caught my eye:
A glass commemorating the McDLT! And apparently there was a vote in 1986 for Burger of The Year? Seriously, if anyone can fill me in on this promotion, that'd be great, since Google is turning up nothing but endless copies of the famous commercial.
I miss when fast food commercials actually TRIED.
Seriously, I found more results for that Melvin and the Squirrels picture than on information on this promotion. And you guys have to check out the other side of that glass:
Well, it might be 30 years too late but it has my vote. Mine and, of course, Jason Alexander's.
Old times slot machines! Too rusty for my tastes, but can you agree that they're awesome?
And here's another! I apologize if these pictures didn't come out too well, but you get the gist of it, right?
And I found Jesus...next to this old diner jukebox.
Want a bowl of pilot wings from Eastern Airlines? Even if the entire bowl was a dollar I'd feel it was too much.
Or an accordion?
Anyone who's anyone would buy the novelization of The Addams Family Values.
How about a tub? Someone was selling tubs. And literally a kitchen sink but I didn't get a picture of it.
There were a lot of buttons for sale, but this Jerry Lewis Telethon button wins my award for Most Esoteric, and I'm counting all the buttons rooting for Hubert H. Humphrey's presidency.
Hey, a sword! A real live sword! I was assured it was the real thing, and it was heavy as hell to prove it. This would've set me back $100, but I didn't have that much money to spend, even if that was a great deal for a sword like that.
My favorite find of the day has to be this unopened box of Star Wars Dixie cups priced at $95. Yes, this topped the sword.
And you might be asking "did you actually buy something this time?" And my answer is yes. Yes I did.
Yes, Happy Meal toys! But not any toys, an actual Mac Tonight toy I didn't have! He's riding in a jeep and he looks like he's not giving a fuck while doing so.
Next to him is a tiny Scrooge McDuck in his own car. Scrooge is one of my favorite Disney character, so he was an automatic buy from me, but I found him sitting on his own. This was a win on its own because hey, who wouldn't want a tiny Scrooge McDuck to sit on things? If you answered "not me," then why are you reading this?
As I was about to walk home with my Scrooge, I spotted a tiny car on the other side of the table that seemed perfect for a duck in a weird sitting position. And of course he fit! I felt like I made out like a bandit, and the guy I bought it from seemed to agree, since he had no idea that Scrooge had his own tiny car.
His loss I suppose. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to pit these two racers in the greatest toy drag race this blog's ever seen.
