My Dad passed away in Jan and I've been helping my Mom deal with the accumulation of 45 years in our family home. I came across the cigar box that had my marbles in it. I used to love playing marbles when I was a kid. I had some that I considered treasures, because they were so pretty. I would look at them and was facinated at how the light would change as I turned them. Cats eyes were pretty neat, too. I also had some cheap ones that just added volume to the box.
I decided to sort them out, and separate the wheat from the chaff, and put them in plastic containers, so I could take them home with me. They were sitting on a computer chair. I needed to go get the covers, and when I got up, I hit the chair with my knee, and they all fell on the floor. lol What a mess!!!
Finding them after 35 years, or so, reminded me of my mom's most embarressing moment that I caused her as a kid. She was hosting a baby shower and had a housefull of women over. I was instructed to go entertain myself, and stay out of the way. I had to go to the bathroom, so I passed through the room. I did my thing, and then blew my nose, and tossed the kleenex away. I saw a tampon inserter in wastebasket, and it caught my eye. I had never seen anything like that, but it looked like it would make a good marble shooter. I took it to my room to try out my idea. I pulled the tube open and stuck a marble in the larger tube. It fit perfectly, and when I hit the smaller tube, it fired the marble out with the accuracy of a gun. It worked like a charm!! I was able to hit just about every shot. I was so excited. I could picture myself using it and cleaning up in the marble yard.
I just had to know what this thing was, so I went into the party, held up the tampon inserter and said,,, "Mom, can I have this??? It works great as a marble shooter." Her jaw dropped open and she said,,, "Go throw that away, and wash your hands". All the women were laughing, and I said "What is this thing??". She wouldn't tell me. I'm thinking,,, wow,,, what's going on here??
Later, my Dad told me what they were,,, and I understood, sort of. I could see that a used inserter would have germs, but I couldn't see any reason not to use an unused one as a marble shooter. My Mom disagreed, so that ended that.
I decided to sort them out, and separate the wheat from the chaff, and put them in plastic containers, so I could take them home with me. They were sitting on a computer chair. I needed to go get the covers, and when I got up, I hit the chair with my knee, and they all fell on the floor. lol What a mess!!!
Finding them after 35 years, or so, reminded me of my mom's most embarressing moment that I caused her as a kid. She was hosting a baby shower and had a housefull of women over. I was instructed to go entertain myself, and stay out of the way. I had to go to the bathroom, so I passed through the room. I did my thing, and then blew my nose, and tossed the kleenex away. I saw a tampon inserter in wastebasket, and it caught my eye. I had never seen anything like that, but it looked like it would make a good marble shooter. I took it to my room to try out my idea. I pulled the tube open and stuck a marble in the larger tube. It fit perfectly, and when I hit the smaller tube, it fired the marble out with the accuracy of a gun. It worked like a charm!! I was able to hit just about every shot. I was so excited. I could picture myself using it and cleaning up in the marble yard.
I just had to know what this thing was, so I went into the party, held up the tampon inserter and said,,, "Mom, can I have this??? It works great as a marble shooter." Her jaw dropped open and she said,,, "Go throw that away, and wash your hands". All the women were laughing, and I said "What is this thing??". She wouldn't tell me. I'm thinking,,, wow,,, what's going on here??
Later, my Dad told me what they were,,, and I understood, sort of. I could see that a used inserter would have germs, but I couldn't see any reason not to use an unused one as a marble shooter. My Mom disagreed, so that ended that.

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