Well, as most of you know, I collect action figures, and one of the coolest things about collecting action figures is the mail-away exclusives from ToyFare magazine. The first one I ever sent away for, Geordi LaForge from the Next Generation episode Identity Crisis I sent away for way back in June of 1998, only for him to arrive in January of 1999. The second one, Homer Simpson in a glow-in-the-dark radiation suit, I sent away for in June of 2000, and he came to me in December of 2000. (Incidentelly, Homer is the most valuable figure in my collection, currently appraised at $155 US.) The saga of both these figures is best chronicled in one of my past features, The Countdown to Radioactive Homer. I suggest you click here and bring yourself up to speed before you contine. Are you back? Good. Since I do have to send away for these figures to the USA, I often find the exchange rate and long waits for the figures to arrive to make me somewhat warry in ordering away for them. So, before I send away for any ToyFare figure, I must whole-heartedly believe one thing: the figure rocks big-time. So, it wasn't long until I picked up an issue of ToyFare in late 2000, and there was a figure that rocked big-time. But, I didn't send away for it. I just didn't know if she was "the one." So, I waited. I picked up the next ToyFare, and, to my surprise, they weren't sold out! They were still selling this particular figure. But again, I waited. This carried on until June 2001, until finally, I picked up ToyFare again, and again saw that they were still selling her. I figured that enough was enough. I had to follow the white rabbit! I had to take the red pill! I filled out my money order, popped the special certificate in the special envelope, and sent away for her. And so I waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. But a funny thing happened. The waiting gave way to denial. "Perhaps they sold out," I thought. "Perhaps I'll never get her." The denial gave way to apathy. "She's gone. My money's gone. And there's nothing I can do." And then, the apathy gave way to forgetfulness. I had forgotten all about her, and moved on with my life. And then, it was a fateful day near the end of February. I had just worked a rough morning shift, and when I got home, I promptly fell asleep on the couch. A few hours went buy, and when I woke up, my mother was standing over me. "Did you buy anything over the Internet lately?" she asked. I shook my head. "Well, I went to get the mail while you were asleep. There's a parcel for you." I went to the kitchen table and picked up the parcel. Still being in my work uniform, I pulled my box cutter out of my pocket and cut open the box. There, like a belated Christmas present, was the figure I had sent away for all those months ago. There, staring me in the face, was... 
Trinity! In case you didn't, you really should check out The Countdown to Radioactive Homer Comment on my latest celebration of geekhood! Back to the Main Page |