Within A Budding Grove: The Past Recaptured

This trade ostensibly tells of the irrevocability of time lost, the forfeiture of innocence through experience, the reinstatement of extra-temporal values of time regained, ultimately the trade is both optimistic and set within the context of a humane religious experience, re-stating as it does the concept of intemporality.

But what does it all mean?

It means that another package from dayf arrived on my doorstep.

With any trade, people are trying to capture a little of the glory years. A time when everything seemed right with the world and the possibilities were as endless as root beer floats. But Bruce Springsteen and soda jerks aside, I always look forward to dayf's packages. We agree on an initial trade and then the freaks come out at night.

I knew I was in trouble when I sent a kidnap package to dayf, creatively wrapped with cries of help in different languages. I was in a saucy mood that night, with just the right amount of wicked humor thrown in for good measure.

The tradeway from Illinois to Georgia is always filled with oddities and it creates just as many smiles as it does scratching of heads. Riddles are abound tonight as players of yesteryear await new awakening by a mere opening of a bubble mailer.

I unsheathed my trusty, uh, what did I unsheath? Oh yeah! My turkey baster! ...and thrust a generous portion of giblet gravy unto the package, thus dissolving the many tiny bubbles that protected the treasures inside. Once the protective coating was dealt with, I was able to feast my eyes upon the treasures that lie in wait.

1972 Topps
326 - Pat Kelly

1974 Topps
205 - Victory Leaders - Wilbur Wood (Ron Bryant)

1976 Topps
110 - Carlos May
212 - Pat Kelly
258 - Nyls Nyman

1996 Topps "Laser"
32 - Robin Ventura

1997 Topps Gallery
25 - Tony Phillips

1997 Topps Stars
123 - Jason Dellaero

1998 Bowman
240 - Frank Thomas

1998 Pinnacle Plus
24 - Frank Thomas

1998 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Retrospect
MJR3 - Michael Jordan

1998 Upper Deck Retro
107 - Jim Parque FUTURAMA!

1999 Bowman's Best
115 - Paul Konerko

2001 SP Authentic
193 - Carlos Lee

2001 SPx
163 - Carlos Lee

2001 Upper Deck Gold Glove
36 - Magglio Ordonez

2004 Donruss Press Proof
107 - Paul Konerko

2004 Ultra
371 - Ryan Meaux

2007 Allen & Ginter Mini
132 - Paul Konerko

2009 Topps Heritage
458 - White Sox Coaches - Joey Cora, Harold Baines, Jeff Cox

Thanks, dayf! As always, it was an adventure. I will not subject the readers to the sinful debauchery of Paul Konerko's Donruss card. Attached to the plastic holder was a Post-It note.

Careful - this one is subtle - Enjoy!

Subtle indeed, but not that subtle. It appears that Paulie might be stockpiling his walnuts behind his glove hand. It takes a sick mind to think of that. It takes a disturbed mind to report that. Nicely done, dayf. The only thing missing was a piece of Big Pink. It's the only gum with the breath-freshening power of ham.