Benny and his friend Griffin at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Not a Very Useful Engine

ANN ARBOR, MICH. -- What fresh hell is this? A bunch of wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains are being recalled . Benny has a largeish collection of the trains, including acres of tracks and a special table for them. These trains and accessories were made in China, and the red and yellow paint used is full of lead. I went through Benny's toys and could only find the red stop sign. But there might be poisoned James engine and coal car lurking somewhere in the house.

I'm spitting mad. Is this not totally irresponsible? RC2 Corp., the company that makes the wooden toys, says it will replace the toys and pay shipping costs. Are they f--ing kidding? I'll never buy a toy from this collection again. I was debating whether to bring the table and trains to California and this has decided it. I'm giving all this stuff away (minus the stop sign, which, if I were a good citizen, I would put in a biohazard container and take to Ann Arbor's toxic waste center). There probably won't be room in a San Francisco apartment for a Thomas table anyway.

This is the second recall of a household item we commonly use since Ron left Business Review and, of course, the health insurance. We had hoped to avoid doctor visits until our San Francisco insurance kicked in July 1. But that's tough when the recall of an AMO saline solution (which we used exclusively since the ReNu recall last year) sends Ron and me to the eye doctor, and now the Thomas recall will send Benny to his pediatrician for a blood test for lead.

We managed to dodge the poisoned pet food and the poisonous spinach and Taco Bell food, but am I the only one considering a fat donation to the CPSC?

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