David Lee Dix, Cedar Falls Iowa, circa 1942

When I was a boy in Cedar Falls, Iowa, at my grandparents' home, 2009 Clay Street, it was WW II. We dressed as soldiers and stood at patriotic attention when the American flag was raised and lowered in the front yard.

One of our favorite pastimes back then was to go up in the attic and play with the old toys of Dad and his brothers when they were boys. Grandma was a saver. One of the items from that dusty era is an erector set truck the four brothers crafted, now reposing at raccoon headquarters.

This antique recently turned up during our basement archaeologic dig, ongoing. Money could not buy a truck like this one now. Not from us, anyway............We might dust it, though.

Note evolutionary truck parked outside in 2009.