I was so excited I was fidgeting in line like a five-year-old waiting for the bathroom.
I was almost giggling as it got closer and closer to my turn. I must have looked like a school girl buying tickets to see One Direction.
Finally, we were at the front of the line. I could hardly contain myself. I had been waiting for months, one could argue decades.
When I walked in it was sensory overload. I could hardly believe my eyes — I looked up at the stars on the ceiling and thought to myself I must be in heaven.
Earlier this month my daughter and I drove to Edmonton to share a special experience.
Well, first we had to go to some volleyball tournament, but afterwards nerd Nirvana.
We had the opportunity to meet some of my childhood heros — in the flesh, fur and steel.
When I heard the Star Wars Identities exhibit was at the Telus World of Science in Edmonton it was something I had to visit. After all, it was like the Hockey Hall-of-Fame coming to Alberta.
I cannot overstate what the Star Wars saga meant to me as a youth — the last three disasters do not count and as far as I am concerned never happened.
To me Star Wars was Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Boba Fett and an incredible adventure which simply enraptured this youngster.
I can vividly remember watching the space opera unfold in front of my star-struck eyes. There had never been anything like it before and may never be again.
Identities was an unique opportunity to revisit these characters who played such an integral part of my childhood.
I walked around looking at the models, costumes and the interesting stories behind how the characters and story lines were developed.
I was just one of many middle-aged parents jostling their children through what looked like a scene from the Mos Eisley Cantina eager to share some special memories from their own childhood.
We toured the exhibit for hours and that did not include a trip to the gift shop where we bought matching Darth Vader t-shirts — of course.
Knowing this was not a Pink! concert, I reluctantly asked my daughter if she had fun. She looked up grabbed my hand, smiled and said, “Yeah dad that was fun. Now we have to go home and watch the movies.”
In a land far, far away born a new Star Wars fan there was and the Force is strong in this one.
