At the bookstore we had authors, musicians, actors and other famous people come in regularly for signings and performances. Some were interesting and other’s weren’t, but for now let’s talk about Storm Troopers.
There was some LEGO Star Wars release or another, and I don’t believe that anyone even knew that the 501st Legion was coming to promote the book. That is to say, the store manager received a call that same day shortly before they arrived. When Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and a pair of Storm Troopers manifested every employee and customer had to come see what was going on.
As this was an unplanned event and the 501st was not part of the book’s publication staff, they didn’t have a table to sit at and instead roamed the store. Vader's breathing and the light sabers turning on signaled the start of the show on the second floor. Perhaps they’d made a beeline to the table where the book was displayed, as I hadn’t seen them enter. Apparently neither did our lead cashier, who was a fussy woman that required things run in a specific way and who nearly shut down if her particular order was disrupted.
“I’m hearing this heavy breathing…I don’t know where it’s coming from, but it’s really distracting. Do you guys hear it? Can you tell that customer to quiet down? I think it’s on the second floor, maybe the café?” came her voice over our headsets. Those of us standing with the 501st started giggling and we asked Vader to lean over the railing and stare at her, which he did. When the cashier saw who it was making all the ruckus, she started laughing. Several staff members and customers took photos with the cosplayers.
The Legion then stalked through the aisles, interacting with the customers who hadn’t seen them yet. From feisty little boys trying to stand up to Vader to older people completely startled and befuddled as to where these costumed people came from, these exchanges were great fun and it was a sad moment when it was time to say goodbye. They came, they created smiles, and they left...probably to do it again at another location.
There was some LEGO Star Wars release or another, and I don’t believe that anyone even knew that the 501st Legion was coming to promote the book. That is to say, the store manager received a call that same day shortly before they arrived. When Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and a pair of Storm Troopers manifested every employee and customer had to come see what was going on.
As this was an unplanned event and the 501st was not part of the book’s publication staff, they didn’t have a table to sit at and instead roamed the store. Vader's breathing and the light sabers turning on signaled the start of the show on the second floor. Perhaps they’d made a beeline to the table where the book was displayed, as I hadn’t seen them enter. Apparently neither did our lead cashier, who was a fussy woman that required things run in a specific way and who nearly shut down if her particular order was disrupted.
“I’m hearing this heavy breathing…I don’t know where it’s coming from, but it’s really distracting. Do you guys hear it? Can you tell that customer to quiet down? I think it’s on the second floor, maybe the café?” came her voice over our headsets. Those of us standing with the 501st started giggling and we asked Vader to lean over the railing and stare at her, which he did. When the cashier saw who it was making all the ruckus, she started laughing. Several staff members and customers took photos with the cosplayers.
The Legion then stalked through the aisles, interacting with the customers who hadn’t seen them yet. From feisty little boys trying to stand up to Vader to older people completely startled and befuddled as to where these costumed people came from, these exchanges were great fun and it was a sad moment when it was time to say goodbye. They came, they created smiles, and they left...probably to do it again at another location.
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