For Love of Calli (6.17.06)

Limited Edition.  The two words that spark collector’s passions.  The smaller the run, the greater the challenge and the reward.   The subject of affection:  Silver Angel Dust Calli by Tim Biskup, limited to just 50 pieces but only 24 available for release @ Bispop (in Johnson Motors) at Noon on Saturday, June 17th 2006.  For the hard-core (and the plain wonky — such as myself) it’s the
thrill of the hunt and the escalation of willingness to wait.  How
early does one need to line up in line?   8 AM? Seems risky.  So people decided to make a night of it with the first love-struck toy collectors showing up at 2AM.  A large group of 7 or so joined the fun an hour later (including Francine and myself).  People came prepared, folding chairs in hand.  Chatting with other people bitten by the bug is always great fun and really helped to speed through the minutes and hours.   People trickled into formation over the next few hours, and by 6:30 had reached 24 or so.  So 5 and half hours was the bare minimum wait this time. 

The line went smoothly for the most part, with no cutting, no shoutting, just lots of PSP’s, Ipods, and endless chatter.  Come about 10 AM, people retreated across the alley to the shade.  At Noon, the faithful  reassembled and slid into Johnson Motors 4 by 4 to purchase the object of their affection.  Mission accomplished.  Drama?  Apparently some ensued mid-way through the purchasing, but we had already ducked out — time to shower, grab a few hours of sleep to head down to  Laguna Beach for Tim and Gary Baseman’s Pervasion Retrospective for another chance at limited toys.