The Breakdown Man

Nothing in life is perfect. You can try to prevent it, but sometimes a breakdown happens. Something bends. Something snaps. Something breaks.

Why and how aren't the questions of the Breakdown Man. His responsibility is simple; save it. Save it from being discarded, lost and abandoned. Give it hope. Give it renewal. Give it a purpose.

"I want to be a Breakdown Man," he said straight-faced and serious as a heart-attack. "What's a Breakdown Man?" I asked. Toby's 4 year-old eyes were thoughtful before he spoke. "I want to be like the Breakdown Train." For those of you not keenly attuned to the various Thomas the Tank Engine friends, the breakdown train is composed of two flatbeds, two cranes and a carriage. It cannot pull itself. It has no engine, but it can be pulled by an engine friend to the scene of an incident. The role of the Breakdown Train is literally to pick up and transport broken engines to the repair yard so they can be made new again. For a Sodor engine, you are only as useful as the sum of your healthy, working parts.

Why a Breakdown Man? I stretched my own analytical thinking to discover what lies beneath Toby's hood. The Breakdown Man has a clear and articulate purpose that does not wax or wane. He's big and strong. He is part of a team and he's never alone. He's dependable. He helps. He is called upon to save the day like a Super Hero, only accepts no accolades alone.

When the Breakdown Man is defined in those terms, it's clear the kind of person my son wants to be. Knowing the boy does not equate to knowing the man. Somehow, I think we are on the right track.