A New Toolbox

 

This past month the latch on my old toolbox decided to give up the ghost.  Since I’m retired and no longer depend on having my toolbox wherever I go, it stays in the general-purpose closet until such time as it’s needed.  But, even then it would be nice to be able to pick up the toolbox by lifting its handle rather than scooping it up with both hands to prevent everything from falling on the floor.

Friday, while in Huntsville doing our grocery shopping, it occurred to me that it would be a good time to visit the Academy store that’s in the same shopping center.  I should mention that I prefer using plastic tackle boxes rather than metal toolboxes; a habit gained from knowing a plastic tackle box with my tools in it didn’t leave marks on a customer’s front seat while working on their vehicle as a locksmith. 

Academy had a nice selection of medium sized tackle boxes.  The one I picked was basically the same as the one it was replacing.  While standing in line at the cash register, I mentioned they just don’t make tackle boxes like they used to, mine only lasted twenty years and the latch broke off. Nobody flinched as the weak attempt at humor evaporated into thin air.  I paid cash, got my receipt and exited Academy with my new toolbox.

There’s an oval brass identification band that had been fastened to Max’s dog collar.  One of the fasteners had disintegrated so the band needed to be reattached.  I couldn’t find the pop rivet gun, the one I’d used as a locksmith.  It’s in the house somewhere, maybe it’s in the storage unit; doesn’t matter if I can’t find it.  I figured I could place a small bolt and nut through the hole instead of a pop rivet.  I picked up the old toolbox, took it to the kitchen and got to work.

With a little effort and creativity, the brass identification band, the one with the veterinarian’s phone number, had been restored to its location on the dog collar. A couple of drops of Superglue would work as well as Loctite to keep the nut from backing off.  Since we were about to head into town, I left the toolbox on the counter, figuring today was a good day to switch out to the new toolbox. 

It occurred to me that switching out an old toolbox with its replacement is similar to obtaining a brand-new wallet.  You get attached to these items, a personal relationship of sorts that’s difficult to abandon. I put off the inevitable transfer of tools until a while ago when we got back from a trip to the post office, Tractor Supply for some dog food and a haircut.

After placing screw drivers, plyers, drill bits, Allen wrench sets, hammer, chisel, pocketknife, extraction wires and other assorted tools into their respective slots, it became obvious there was a lot of junk that didn’t need to be transferred into the new toolbox.  Small specialty lubrication packets for ignition switches I’d never need now that I’m retired, hundreds of automotive style lock wafers for matching up car locks to existing key combinations, springs and things like that would remain in the old toolbox; an old toolbox that would become a permanent part of the closet, something my kids could do with it as they desire after I’ve left mortality.