Knock. Knock. A day in Haight-Ashbury.

 My first May the 4th was memorable.  Maybe for the cod knocking.  Or, maybe just because it was the first time I met so many of my fellow stormtroopers.  But, it was a day which will always stick out in my mind.

The event was hosted by a small toy store in Haight-Ashbury. The event featured special Star Wars products that were only available that day and giveaways, exclusives, signings and a stormtrooper photo booth.

I learned many things that day:

• The folks in the Haight are a very affectionate bunch. 
• Troops are exciting when they are well-attended and people are asking to take pictures with you all day long.  You feel something like a rockstar.
• Free food is awesome and makes you feel even more appreciated.  (The restaurant next door offered all of us lunch.  Awesome.)

But, there were some challenges that day, too.

• Mainly, the affectionate folks in the Haight.  They get a bit carried away in their enthusiasm.   I'm not sure knocking on cod armor is an acceptable social behavior, even in San Francisco.
• I had arms thrown around me for pictures so many times one of my shoulder straps tore loose. It was a great deal of physical contact and hard on the armor.
  
• Stairs.  Ugggh.  It was like a stormtrooper obstacle course.  First, mini-steps through the dark back storeroom.  "I can't see a thing in this..." (You know, the rest.)  Squeeze through a tight space to outside.  Blam!  Bright sunlight.  Then, up another flight of stairs.  Steep steps.  And, that was our staging area.  Ever seen a stormtrooper go up steps?  Or, worse, down.

In this picture, I'm in the middle next to the royal guard. 

I still had fun with all of it, and loved meeting more members of the garrison.  Plus, I had a chance to redeem myself with holding the blaster (hopefully) in a better position.  (I'd been practicing at home in front of the mirror.  Seriously.)

ABC News came by to do a news segment.  Double-decker tour buses came by all day.  People were literally hanging off the sides smiling, waving and snapping pictures. Trolley buses were stopping, and even the SFPD stopped to take pictures. It was a good day to be 501st.

I'm the trooper on the far left.