While going through the bevy of Star Wars toys and collectibles packed in my Mother’s attic, I came across a real gem: an autographed photo of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. I remember the day I met the Terror of the Rebel Alliance like it was yesterday. In 1977, my aunt took me to Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem, NC where Darth Vader was appearing in person (sponsored by Texas Instruments). I think TI was hawking a new calculator or other gadget, but at the time my 8 year old mind never asked how the Right-Hand Man of the Emperor found time in his busy schedule of enslaving the galaxy to make a promo stop for a calculator company. The line was interminably long but at the end I got to shake hands with Darth Vader and was given a signed photo. Thus began my flirtation with the Dark Side.