But It's Awesome

My husband – Mr. The Cat Is Watching You – and I spend way too much time in the consumer-palace that is Target. It’s one of those stores that has done a really good job of making you want to buy something when you walk in. There are other dens of consumer-iniquity, but come on: do you really want to shop at Wal Mart? When was the last time you walked into a Wal Mart and said, “Gee – all these toothless folk really want to make me want to buy that Nascar T-shirt.” Or, “This depressing florescent lighting really makes me want to pick up a home pregnancy test to see if Cleetus and I are havin’ another bundle-a-joy!”*

Mr. TCIWY and I got in the car on Saturday afternoon for a trip to Target. We were headed to the Target in the South Loop as we wanted to swing by Binny’s and check out the plentiful beer selection (I read a piece during the week in New York Magazine about a guy who made a milkshake out of Kondike bars and Amber ale…needless to say I was intrigued and wanted to create some luscious “adult-milkshake-alchemy” of my own.)

I was somewhat apprehensive about another trip to Target. Usually we can’t get out of there for less than $60 or $70. But I figured since we needed garbage bags, a quick stop wouldn’t hurt.

Once inside, Mr. TCIWY wanted to do his usual cruise by the toy department. Mr. TCIWY is a Star Wars toy collector. And our house is filled with all things Star Wars: toys. vehicles, action figures, collectable cups from various fast-food chains, store exclusives, and other minutiae from a galaxy far, far, away. We have somewhat limited storage space in our condo – in fact, we moved in to our condo because we wanted more space. Mr. TCIWY has filled our largest storage closets with hundreds of Star Wars toys. So much so that if I want to purchase that extra-large pack of toilet paper, I have to get permission from Emperor Palpatine to store it.

On this particular day, Mr. TCIWY was excited as the new toys for the Clone Wars 3D animated film had just been released to an unsuspecting public. We perused the isles.

Now – something you might want to know about the cash cow that is George Lucas’ “space opera” is that with his ownership of the merchandise licensing, his initial investments in his movie creations are a gift that keeps on giving. There are countless millions he’s made on marketing dolls action figures for boys. And one of the more obvious but no less dirty tricks for the toy-collecting-otaku is the “Malibu Stacey” program: it’s got a new hat. In other words, some figures end up being repainted and marketed as something brand new just so the collectors who have to have everything must reach in their pockets and purchase an additional piece in order to have the complete collection (“But come on! I know this is the 7th variation of Darth Vader…and I know he just comes with a different color chest plate, but it’s different! Really!”) Never mind that in all reality – the thing looks exactly like all the others.

True to form, this particular wave of toys is a mix of new figures and “new hats”. Mr. TCIWY noticed an end cap stacked with a Millennium Falcons. This one seemed like a one of the proverbial “new hats” (I should know – we have 2 of the re-issues in our house).

“No honey, this one’s new – it’s bigger!” Mr. TCIWY explained.

“It’s bigger? That’s it?” I asked, skeptical about the new hat that was sitting on the shelf in front of us.

“You know we already have two of those. We don’t have room for another one.”

“Yeah I know – I wasn’t going to buy one. But it’s awesome!”






*I know I’m being an elitist snob, but really – this is my blog. Tough.