This picture was posted on the G.I. Joe forum Hisstank.com the other day and it made me wish, yet again, that I had a time machine:

Holy bejeebus, just look at that. Those G.I. Joe toys are just dominating that side of the aisle. I can’t really tell what’s on the other side, but if they’re not Joe toys that’s a lot of friggen space for one figure line regardless. Today we have the benefit of a lot more variety, so it’s rare to see that much of one thing.

Like many toy collectors, if I had a time machine the first thing I’d do (besides Marylin Monroe and punching jocks who were mean to me in the nuts) would be to go hog wild buying old toys. Even if I couldn’t bring them back with me, I’d still have fun while I was there. In fact, for years I had dreams where I’d go into Toys R Us and it was exactly like this picture, where any toy I ever wanted as a child was available. I’d fill up my cart and then I’d wake up, sad and angry at my teasing dreams. Then Kenner started making Star Wars toys again and I became a toy collector. The dreams mostly vanished at that point, yet pictures like this certainly brings out the old desire to go nuts in a store like this.