Handy work

Ah, a special time of year! When the air turns crisp, and the heating ducts are burning off the dust. Time to huddle under a hand-knit afghan (remind me to make one of those) around the TV and watch all the toy commercials. Kids tugging at their parent's sleeve, saying "I want that!"

I like the toy commercials for another reason. I like watching the hands that make the super hero action figures fly. The hands that make Barbie dance. I like the doll commercials best, because the hands make Barbie's head cock just a little to make Barbie look like she's listening, or twist slightly to show off her glittery salon quality tresses. What tiny, subtle movements are barely added to the shot to make the doll seem alive.

And, sometimes these hands don't belong to the kids you think are playing with the toys. Sometimes you can barely see them.

I imagine the hands walking into an audition, and the director telling the hands to give their best walk, and the hand saying they can play younger. May be the producer asks if the hands are comfortable with full bare-knuckle shots.