Another reason not to open cards in the car

A little over a week ago, I wrote a post about the Turn Back The Clock series that Topps included in its sets in 1977 and from 1986-90.

I own all of the cards from those series except for three from 1990. I casually mentioned that fact in the post and stole some images from Check Out My Cards to illustrate the cards that I did not have. But even though I never mentioned that I wanted those missing TBTC cards, readers obviously felt that I did.

Or they just wanted to get rid of some junk wax.

At any rate, a mere few days after the post, one of those missing 1990 TBTC cards -- the Fred Lynn one above -- appeared in the mail from reader Mark. He sent some other cool stuff that you'll see later.

But the Lynn was an unexpected addition. Mark had obviously read my post.

A couple of days later, I was preparing for a work road trip when I grabbed the mail on the way out. There were three card packages in the mail. Two of them were PWEs, and I thought they would be handy for the road trip.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Cards? On a road trip? While you're driving?

And, yes, mom, you're exactly right. I don't like that I do this, I've scolded myself for this once before, and I don't do it very often at all, but, yes, I did it. I opened a couple of PWEs while I was driving.

Think of it this way: how many people a day do you see talking on their cell while driving? This is my cardboard version of that -- except waaaaaaaaaaaay less often.

Besides I needed those cards to keep me sane. The trip I was going on is an hour and a half through a barren, rural county on a single two-lane state road in the dark. The only way I make it through is by cranking the music as high as it will go and pretending I'm in a night club.

And when I got to one of those semi-lit, one-traffic-light towns, I quickly tore into a PWE and held up the contents before darkness enveloped me again. The cards were from Jeff of One Man's Junk (Wax), appropriately enough.

It was another unexpected package and it completed the 1990 TBTC set for me.

There is Lynn (again)

And there is Schmidty.

But before I show you the final one, let me say that I am a good driver and even if I rip open an envelope on a lonely country road in the middle of the night, I make sure to have one hand on the wheel. But that means, I'm pretty sloppy opening my cards.

So the cards kind of fell out of my hands and landed wherever because ONCOMING TRAFFIC!

But I'm pleased to report I made it there in once piece.

After a long journey to my destination, too much talking and garbage, a long journey back, and more work at the office, I finally came home. From the car, I pulled all the folders and papers from work, food wrappers from the trip, CDs from the night club, and the cards and envelopes, opened the back door, and collapsed. I didn't even realize there was a card missing.

After that, I had a day of recovery in which I discovered a card was missing. But I was too tired to go find it. Then, while everyone enjoyed their three-day weekend, I worked every one of those three days. And, oh yeah, there was a snowstorm. No time to think about the missing card.

So, today, on my day off, I was running some errands and I remembered "hey, that missing TBTC card from Jeff! I've got to find it!"

I bent down in the driver's seat, waved my arm around near the floor mats, and I came up with the card ... and the top loader that used to hold the card.

I'm told it was once as pristine as the Lynn and Schmidt cards.

Guys, I think I still need a TBTC card.

Just make sure it doesn't arrive this Thursday.

I've got another one of those trips down a dark, lonely country road.