vaders and jedi and droids, oh my

for a first day back at work, yesterday was a good one. i arrived at work and spent 10 or so minutes just hanging out with the other redshirts in the office, something i never would have done before i got promoted. before, i got there, clocked in, and started working. i guess being a supervisor has some benefits. after i finally decided i should start working, it was time for me to get trained (cuz apparently i can't just start supervising people, there's a technique to it). so that killed another half hour- fourty minutes. by then it was 4 o'clock, and i still had about an hour or two until the evening rush started. i knew it'd be a bad one, this being the first weekend of star wars. so i took the opportunity to goof off some more. i didn't neglect my duties, no customers had to wait to be served (i was working the concessions stand), i just got reaquainted with my fellow workers a little. a little after six, the rush began. little kids with lightsabers, big kids with lightsabers, it didn't matter. they were all annoying/amusing. amusing as long as they didn't bother me, annoying cuz they were loud and i was starting to get a headache. and then it happened. diehard star wars fan/psycho fest 2005. it started with a single stormtrooper. i was talking to one of the other redshirts, and they motioned behind me. there stood someone in full costume. not homemade either. the would not have looked out of place in the movie at all. as the minutes passed, more and more of the people arrived. by my final count there were five stormtroopers, a boba fett and some other bounty hunter, a fairly impressive Darth Vader (until he took of his helmet and it was some twenty year old kid with pimples and cokebottle glasses who didn't look like he could hurt a fly), and two remote control R2D2s. at least, i assume they were remote controlled. there may have been midgets inside though. my first impression when i saw these guys is that they were just huge fans, and were there to see the movie. i wondered a little why they would have waited so long to see it, i would have expected them to see it at the midnight showing, but i didn't really give it too much thought. however, as the night went on, they continued to stay in the lobby, wandering around aimlessly. it was then that i learned that these weren't simple fans. apparently, they're professional fans. i guess they make appearances at conventions and stuff, and they had asked Dan (my boss) if they could come in and just hang out the whole night. now, i can understand dressing up for opening night, if you're actually going to the movie. or even doing what they did if i was getting paid. but they did it for free. weirdos. anyway, they were there the whole night, driving all the little kids wild, as well as some of the metrolux staffers, taking pictures with people, posing, talking to others, that sort of thing. i really didn't appreciate it. yeah, they were entertaining, and it was fun for a while, but eventually, all the noise, from little kids yelling at them, the R2s playing the star wars theme songs over and over, and all the excitement got to be a little too much. it wasn't the busiest night i've worked there, far from it, but never was i happier to get off at 10. despite that, i had fun, and i'm glad to be working again, and not just cuz i need the money. speaking of which, it is now time for me to head out again, deal with little kids, crazy fans, and generally stupid people yet again. wish me luck