Huh! This is what I said when I stumbled upon all these Duke’s ephemeras that I been collecting since last year and I forgot about them until I started looking for something to write about him.
Funny at the same time considering I am always thinking what to blog about him so I looked online for something to collect in terms of pictures that my budget can afford.
How I found these stacks started on Monday, dated 08/24, which was his birthday. I was after an extra postcard of him with the idea of writing a letter to myself about his birthday, dropping it at the Post Office then mailing it to me.
Yes, I do send myself postcards when I remember to do that and usually the topic will be how I felt that time, lesson I learned and remember, unexpected things that came my way and when my spirit feel lifted and feeling good.
Looking at the photos while writing this story allows me to add more momentum to my writing and it made me smile because everything I want to write about him, the sources are right here with me with all these images.
One of the Photo Press photos that caught my attention is that of “Girl of the Port” and I never thought I owned one. Just last month, I found a black and white DVD of the same title and contacted the seller back then if she is willing to sell it lower but I got declined. It is still sitting on eBay right now.
These stacks are replicas by the way but I also owned nine original press photos of Duke which all kept intact and protected.
My collection started one at a time and when I saw some online that is for sale I ask if I can make an offer. But, as I been guided by Duke itself, it show me places where to find them. The items grew faster than expected, and in six months the quantity of my items multiply. I been always the type when something caught my attention deeply — I usually act on it to find out if the excitement last a long time or not. And with Duke it continue growing.
My collection evolved from ephemera to now owning a vintage Kahala brand Hawaiian shirt with Duke’s tag.
I did saw a medal of Duke online earlier today, and I was ready to click the buy now, but there was an issue on how the seller defaulted the shipping, and I believed he excluded US even though he lived inside the State. When I contacted him, all he said was contact eBay. I even said, maybe you can add this item into one of your listings and add the price together and let me pay for it. After a few hours, I didn’t get a response, so I assume he doesn’t want to sell it to me or he just don’t want to adjust the shipping default so I let it go.
On the other positive side, I just received four of Duke’s posters of those 1966, 1967 and 1968 surfing competitions in the mail, but I did not open them yet. My plan is to do a video of me unloading it from the envelope.
This story today answered those questions not only in my head but also when I talked to him on air saying “What would I write about you, Duke?”
