It was going to come up within 5 minutes, best to start talking about it now. To say I’m a big fan of Ghostbusters would be an understatement. Obsessed usually describes it. I loved the movie since I was 6 and saw it during its first theatrical run. Their was always a wonderment about people who would want to and could actually catch ghosts. The equipment, of course I didn’t know about props then. It may as well been all real to me.
It’s why I knew I wanted to be like them. Toy company Kenner (and my parents) would bring me all that clever and fun The Real Ghostbusters toys. My parents were even cool enough to buy me a kids (the official ones may not have been out) flight suit for my uniform. That all worked well until I was about 12.
Ghostbusters and I have been through great times and bad times. It was never far from me. When the time was right (Halloween 1997) I decided with a friend to buy a couple of adult flight suits and make some attempt at the props. Even with Netscape Navigator it was still 1997. We had tools, not so much talent. Things became rushed, it was just enough that most people knew who to call. Oh yes I said it.
Problem was, the flight suits weren’t really the right color. Forget screen accuracy. The props were made from Tupperware. I was still a ghosthead, (a fan of Ghostbusters) who also had a “franchise” site. It was in part because of that in 2000 I finally bought a military khaki flight suit, pistol belt, patches, boots, and an actual prop Proton Pack replica!
Granted the patches, Proton Pack, and other props were’t 100% accurate. Not that I’m that guy who has to have 100% screen accuracy. It was a lot better then the working in an industrial job coveralls, one step from a Tupperware party.
About 4 years later I decided to get a new flight suit. This time in black to have more of a Ghostbusters II style to it. I also bought new quality patches. Other props had marginally been upgraded too. Another ghosthead friend of mine and I met Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore himself) at a couple of Chiller Theaters wearing our new flight suits.
During the mid to late 2000s I didn’t have a real need to wear either flight suit and wear the gear. After some life changing events, including a move I went through tough times with Ghostbusters again. It would take at least a couple of years, the time began to feel right to want to “suit up” again.
Which is really why I wanted to write about this now.
Weight gain, then weight loss still made both my flight suits tight fitting. I’m really not one to diet, there wan’t a hurry. I know I could buy a larger flight suit, I didn’t and don’t want to do that. Months have passed since and I’ve lost enough weight the 13 year old khaki flight suit fits. 🙂
That flight suit has some minor issues. I had thought at the earliest this month I could get a new flight suit. Potentially for Fall events in the Halloween season. Even if I buy a new flight suit I would need other costume accessories including new boots. My once shiny new “working” Proton Pack needs some attention and repairs. It may be somewhat more of a slow process, that may be ok. I’ll probably document that journey and share it amongst the sites.
If being a “2013 Ghostbuster” isn’t possible, it had me thinking about my costume future.
Rich
irichardroy.wordpress.com 