Creepy Collecter/Scalper Sightings

[JediMAC]

I don't know, I figure if you are an adult and you are "collecting" the action figures, etc, you would know a bit more about things... which just solidifies that maybe I am a SW geek... I was nice to him though...

Same thing happens to me from time to time too, Shannon.  Whenever I see a "grown up" looking at the Star Wars figures, or better yet buying Star Wars figures, I naturally assume that he/she is "one of us".  So I'll strike up a conversation, and start my usual rambling, and then notice that I'm mostly just getting a lot of blank stares from the fella. 

"Oh, so you're buying some figures, but you're not really one of us, are you...?"

Then I saunter off feeling like a total ass... 

[Jesse James]

Some of these Star Wars geeks get a little tongue tied when a girl actually talks to them.

Hah!  I want pictures of these "girls" talking to SW geeks.  Pfft... 

Actually, I too have run into the current wave of guys in the SW aisle who, should you talk to them, they only reply with comments/questions regarding value.  That really sorta sucks when you get into a conversation with "that guy". 

On 4/2 at Target I was waiting in line to buy the Lava Vader, gotten my ticket early that a.m., and as I stood there just about every guy around me was talking about the value of it...  One guy was pondering standing outside waiting on people leaving to offer it to them for $30...  One guy was telling me how he'd "just got in from the central PA toy show...", bragging about selling some ROTS figs he'd gotten early at the show for a mark-up.     To make matters worse that dickhole lived out near me too...  great.

I dunno if these guys are creepy, I suppose that's likely my job description, but they are annoying as hell.

[Angry Ewok]

I've never had a chick talk to me in a toy store. My girlfriend won't even talk to me once I'm in the Star Wars section.

Pink sweater + fuzzy face + boonie hat = no chicks.

 

[DoctorPadawan]

What was really sad was when I attempted to speak to a few people at the WM I hit on MM a few weeks back, only to have them look at me as if I was a massive weirdo freak for attempting to be friendly.  This particular WM hadn't put any new stuff out and a lot of people were just standing about and I tried to make casual conversation, but no dice.

I think it was partly the fact that they didn't put anything out at midnight that made me leave, but it was also partially the fact that even a simple question like, "Do you guys go to FILL IN LOCAL SCHOOL HERE?" was met with a stare like I had urinated on their grandmother's tombstone.

I am always friendly when I am in the aisle, to the point of me not getting what I came for so some kid can (I still recall the Episode I Qui-Gon incident, a good time; and the Slave Leia I let a kid have the last one of in 1997 only so he could turn to his mother while walking away and ask how much he could sell it for on the internet), and I consider myself a polite and well-mannered individual (most of the time, in public at least), but some people out there are just downright rude in this day and age.

I also never saw the point of people that would run to a toy section for any reason.  To me, I already feel like everyone is laughing at me for being a grown man buying toys and I don't need to incur further humor by running to the back for a toy I'm going to be sick of seeing on pegs in two months anyway.  And any time the words "Who is rare?" or "What is the most valuable one?" come out of someone's mouth, I politely say "I don't know" and turn and leave.

And am I the only person on the planet pissed off that they got a Palpatine with a blue lightsaber?  I'd trade mine for a correct red saber in a NY minute if I hadn't already opened the blue one to begin with.  But yet, in three months it'll be "VHTF EMPORER PALPATEEN W/ BLUE LIHGTSABER MOC RARE" on Ebay.  One man's trash is another man's treasure, I suppose.

[Shannon (Princess)]

I hate to burst your bubble, but this guy knew exactly what your were talking about.  Some of these Star Wars geeks get a little tongue tied when a girl actually talks to them.    

  

Okay, now WHY would it burst my bubble if a guy got tongue tied talking to me? wouldn't that be a compliment?  I think he really didn't know what I was talking about, but ya know, he did hang around while I finished my phone call to talk to me- so I'll take that as a maybe.
And does this mean that Matt's encounters with the same type of guys.....!!!!! 

I talk to the SW geeks, and I'm female.  The group of guys I met on April 2nd I spent the next several hours w/ having breakfast and then doing more shopping- and I didn't know them before the Target line up.  I'm a friendly person, but it's a major turn off if the guy doesn't know his SW stuff... sigh...

[JesseVader08]

Okay, now WHY would it burst my bubble if a guy got tongue tied talking to me? wouldn't that be a compliment? 

I did word that wrong, didn't I?  I just wanted to be sure that you knew us nerds are a little slow sometimes.     (I've been a nerd for 29 years, and I'm damn proud of it.   )

I'm a friendly person, but it's a major turn off if the guy doesn't know his SW stuff... sigh...

And for that, we all have the utmost respect for you.   

[Morgbug]

OK, this thread reminded me of a major scary incident. 

I used to be pretty big into McFarlane SportsPicks and had a pretty darn sizable collection.  It's a Sunday and NHL4 is due to be released.  I get to WAlly about a minute after it opens and fast walk (I've never run for toys, never will, would rather leave empty handed than embarass myself like that) and get there only to see three guys standing around in a group and one other guy.  The other guy recognizes me and we chat.  We saw each other at WAlly before for NFL5 and though he ran he was civil.  Find out nothing is out and he wanders off with his wife and kid in a shopping cart, maybe 3 years old.  I head over to talk to these other guys, one of whom I've traded with, another one I have met looking at figs before and another guy I don't know.  We're chatting away when one guy looks down the aisel towards the doors to the storage area, nearly two hundred feet away and sees the first guy I was talking to ripping into a box  

We all head over and figure ok, we're late, but whatever, they're bound to have lots as Walmart up here usually carries about 20-30 cases of NHL figures per store.  We get there and the guys wife is manouveuring the cart in front of us so we can't get to the boxes.  Uh, right, whatever so we try to move around it and she's still "jamming" us with a cart and a three year old kid   The guy, whom I previously got along with is saying back off, these are mine   Huh?  So one guy that I knew is saying no way, these aren't your property and all of a sudden they start yelling.  Then they start shoving, calling each other scalpers, swearing etc.  All the while, the wife with kid is still trying to keep us away and in the cart are about a dozen figures. 

The Wally staff are completely aghast at this and pretty much speechless.  Me and the other guy are looking at this and though we're not actively participating, we are seriously embarassed to be associated with this.  We kind of look at each other and without saying anything to each other turn and say sorry to the employees and walked away.  It was just nuts.  I've heard other stories about fights over these too. 

I can't imagine anyone actively scalping regular Star Wars figures these days, but darned if I can find clones or red guards or Vader anywhere.  Canadian prices are just too darn high.  I guess the scalpers, if they're out there up here, have really crappy math skills. 

[Ben]

Yeesh. People do get pathetic over toys, don't they?

I've read a lot of tales like this in the past few weeks. People acting like jerks over exclusives, leaked figures, Clones, Guards, what have you. I'm glad this is the last Star Wars movie. I don't want to deal with another massive merchandise rollout.

[Phrubruh]

Hey, its cool to see my thread get transfered over here. These have been some great stories. Keep it up.

Please post more pictures of the creepy people you meet.

[Shannon (Princess)]

Okay, now WHY would it burst my bubble if a guy got tongue tied talking to me? wouldn't that be a compliment? 

I did word that wrong, didn't I?  I just wanted to be sure that you knew us nerds are a little slow sometimes.     (I've been a nerd for 29 years, and I'm damn proud of it.   )

I'm a friendly person, but it's a major turn off if the guy doesn't know his SW stuff... sigh...

And for that, we all have the utmost respect for you.   

It's okay, and thank you... I wondering now though- I'm going to C3- I'll let you know how it goes there- if the SW geeks will actually "make a move"... should be interesting...

[Famine]

Princess, I have an idea. You go sit at a bar, and we'll sit in the background, and place bets on who will hit on you first. Then, the winner splits the profits with you, 50/50.

Kevin

[Shannon (Princess)]

but if I like the guy, then I'd hate to have to tell him he was part of a bar bet...
We will see...

[Dressel Rebel]

We get there and the guys wife is manouveuring the cart in front of us so we can't get to the boxes.  Uh, right, whatever so we try to move around it and she's still "jamming" us with a cart and a three year old kid   The guy, whom I previously got along with is saying back off, these are mine   Huh?  So one guy that I knew is saying no way, these aren't your property and all of a sudden they start yelling.  Then they start shoving, calling each other scalpers, swearing etc.  All the while, the wife with kid is still trying to keep us away and in the cart are about a dozen figures.   

Sweet!

[Famine]

If anyone ever tried to cart me, regarless of whatever product I was looking for, their cart would be tipped, and me coming over it.

That is all.

Kevin

[Deanpaul]

If anyone ever tried to cart me, regarless of whatever product I was looking for, their cart would be tipped, and me coming over it.

That is all.

Kevin

Clean up on aisle 7.