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My collecting Padawan
I have a buddy, with whom I work. He is an avid action figure collector, but only buys the ones he likes. He doesn’t go after a complete line. He accompanied me to Wal-Mart when I was getting my AOTC figures and decided that he really liked the Yoda figure. Of course who wouldn’t, it being the first of him with a lightsaber. And of course we had a very hard time finding one and he lost patience quickly.
Seeing that he was about to go down the collecting Dark Side, I figured (figuratively speaking) that I had better take him as an apprentice quickly before he gave strength to the Scalper Lords. He laughed as I went from shelf-to-shelf looking at the “secret” spaces that the scalpers (and some legitimate collectors who are short of funds) like to hide them until I lifted one and found three figures that I was looking for including the “Final Battle Jango Fett”, and one the Royal Guards that he wanted besides Yoda. The laughter quickly left his face. And for the next two days we went and looked under the shelves until…much to even my surprise…he lifted one and found not one, not two, not three. but four Yodas. I had his attention for sure and I could see his potential was beyond even my expectations.
However he soon again became impatient and wanted to buy Mace, and Dooku at Frank-n-Scalpers, But I calmed him by teaching him a collectors’ mind exercise and convinced him to wait. Sure enough, three weeks later we found them on the pegs. His awe at my wisdom was profound and I could see the first signs of a Collecting Master of the very highest ability.
His Collector abilities needed more honing, though. I had to be sure that he had the kindness and helpfullness of a Collecting Master and not the greed and cruelty of a Scalper Lord. So I waited, and I watched for some sign that he would do the right thing when the time came…that he would hand the hard to find figure to the collector who was too short to get it from the peg…or tell the young enthusiast at what store to find a better selection of figures. Or to find the figure of his dreams while he has no money to by it and leave it hanging on the peg for the next one who does.
A tear came to my eyes when he brought me a Taun We that he found and would not take any money from me for it. I think he is ready for The Trials.
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