Hector the Collector

Children's stories
by Rainer Vogel

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Hector is a Collector

He collects some of the strangest things you could ever imagine! Smelly socks, toenails, handles, string, used chewing gum… Hector loves them all.

Hector is a Collector

Along with pet cicada Eekie, dog Stumpy and grandson Digby, Hector with his false teeth and kind heart has many adventures – and lands in all sorts of trouble.

“YIPPEE,” yelled Hector as he pulled a piece of red thread from his shorts. “Another piece of thread for my string collection - this is the best one yet!” Hector kept pulling the thread and rolled it carefully into a small ball, then he neatly tucked it into his left ear for safekeeping. Hector had unravelled so much of the thread from his shorts that as he was skipping home, his shorts fell down around his ankles and he fell flat onto the footpath and almost put his hand in a small pile of possum poo.

“That was a close one,” said Hector to himself as he stood up and dusted down his coat. Hector wasn't bothered by falling down, he was quite used to it. Perhaps his platform shoes unbalanced him.

Hector had lived at number 9 Rotcelloc Street for the past 62 years and for most of that time he had been collecting things. Infact, every room in Hector's entire house had some sort of collection in it. Even his back and front yards were full of all sorts of collections. He had become quite well known around the neighborhood and was often seen walking down the street with a small shopping cart full of interesting collectibles.

Hector's favorite time of all came twice a year – hard rubbish collection time. Hector loved this time better than his birthday or Easter or even Christmas. A time when all the houses in the neighborhood were given a notice from the Council to put their unwanted things on the nature strip for collection.

It was just like window shopping for Hector, only better. All those wonderful things out for him to rummage through and take as he pleased.

Hector was a rather small man with a bald head except for two tufts of bushy grey hair on either side near his ears. He wore a small red beret to keep his head warm and over the years had become a little bent-over from carrying things back to his house. With all the dusty items in his house it was also not surprising that Hector suffered from hay fever, which made him sneeze uncontrollably at any time. He became so excited when he started a new collection and once he started he would 'get on a roll' and couldn't stop. He would become obsessed with collecting. This often landed him in trouble.

Hector had lived at number 9 Rotcelloc Street for the past 62 years and for most of that time he had been collecting things. Infact, every room in Hector's entire house had some sort of collection in it. Even his back and front yards were full of all sorts of collections. He had become quite well known around the neighborhood and was often seen walking down the street with a small shopping cart full of interesting collectibles.

Over the years Hector had collected everything from shoes to string and from flowers to insects, but lately he had begun collecting some of the strangest things you could imagine. One Tuesday morning Hector was woken by his pet cicada 'Eekie'. Hector found Eekie two years ago when he was collecting squashed insects from the road.

Hector's Friends

S

Dog - Stumpy

Poor stumpy. He’s happy now but he wasn’t happy when Hector accidentally chopped his tail off with a saw. He recovered quickly and ever since he and Hector have been inseparable. His name says it all.

D

Grandson - Digby

Digby lives far away from his grandfather Hector and loves coming to stay with Hector during the holidays. Digby is the envy of his friends who can’t believe the wonderful collecting adventures Digby has when he comes to stay with Hector.

E

Pet Cicada - Eekie

If you’ve ever lived in a place that stays hot during summer nights, you will likely know the ear-piercing sound of a cicada. Hector befriends a small green cicada called Eekie. He sounds just like his name.

W

Neighbour - Mrs Woogahoomphtoomwa

Mrs Woogahoomphtoomwa is Hector’s neighbour and often becomes fed-up with all of Hector’s collecting. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t see Hector walking past her house with his trolley full of strange objects. Mrs W is a little on the large side, has a deep laugh and a few grey hairs growing from her chin.

What's Next?

If you liked the first Hector the Collector book you’ll love reading Hector’s other adventures in Hector on Holidays and The Adventures of Hector the Collector.

Rainer is busy writing and hopes to release two new books soon.

Hector on Holidays

Just imagine setting off on your holiday of a lifetime only to find yourself on the wrong plane landing in tropical Queensland. As Hector bungles his way through the airport he ends up on the most amazing collecting adventures. In one story he befriends a lizard named Gordon Gecko and sets off on his first ever live animal collection.

The Adventures of Hector the Collector

This off-beat collection of adventures are perhaps the strangest of all. Bordering on the bizarre and sometimes down-right disgusting, Hector even starts collecting very odd things. One story titled Booger Wooger leaves nothing to the imagination.

What do you collect?

There is a little bit of Hector in each of us! Children and adults will enjoy the quirky adventures of Hector, the sometimes naughty but loveable character, who collects strange and unusual things with some surprising results.

What do you collect?

To the disgust of adults, but the joy of children, Hector’s lack of social skills (burps and other such things) will cause many a giggle to the young reader.

What do you collect?

Above all, Hector, with his kind heart, sometimes does things which get him into trouble. Children will learn the consequences, as does Hector, when he has to apologise to the like of Mrs Woogahoomphtoomwa.

About the Author

Rainer gets inspiration from his childhood experiences growing up in suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Rainer Vogel — The Hector series provides Rainer with an ideal creative outlet and is a welcome relief from a very busy and demanding business life.

Rainer has a passion for success and a mission to ensure children are provided with life skills and experiences, capable of giving them every chance to succeed in their individual pursuits, as they become adults.

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