My Grandfather used to collect Hess Trucks. Each year a unique but oil-related version, all branded with Hess green and white would be available and sometimes hard to get just after Thanksgiving. In 1988 they changed up the design and made a truck that carried a race car. This annoyed my Grandfather. This one was off-script. He said it was against tradition. they were supposed to be Oil trucks, gas carriers, even a barge, but it was always a vehicle that was in the Hess fleet over time. Not a race car. I remember the conversation, and I asked why he still got a couple for himself and one for my brother and me if he did not like it? He said he had to keep the collection complete. We continued getting them for Christmas until he passed ten years later. It turned out that the new design was one of the most popular versions and set into motion similar designs that were not Oil-related—space shuttles, campers, helicopters, motorcycles, plenty of “non-traditional” versions.

Now every year I avoid complaining about a year on the way out of it, the alternative is not getting one. So if I am still here then it was a good year. Simple rules. 2020 complicates that. Not my favorite year – hard to think of one I dislike more, but going by my rule I am here, so… this is the year I accept to complete and continue my collection. Everyone who collects something, in an effort to get the whole set has to have that one or more “widget” in the series that is not the favorite – maybe it even annoys you like that race car did my Grandfather, but without it the set is not complete. Hess Trucks, Beanie Babies, Teaspoons, Comic-books, Smurfs, and even years. Not sure if my point is clear, so to wrap this up, my grandfather would have hated this year – it sucked. Here is to a simple oil truck in 2021.

tr/trp