In late 2004 in an effort to prove that you can get anything on eBay I purchased an A-Team coat hanger – it had a likeness of Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, portrayed memorably by George Peppard. Documentation on the exact date is sketchy, however in early 2005 I came into possession of the BA Baracus one, featuring a 2-dimensional facsimile of Mr T.
Later, in 2008, my collection grew with the acquisition of the Dwight Schultz cartoon-bearing coat hanger of Captain “Howling Mad” Murdock.
And now – in January 2010 – I’m proud to announce that my quest has finally ended: on Thursday I took delivery of the final, enigmatic, missing piece of the puzzle. The highly sought after but tricky to locate 4th member of the team – Lieutenant Templeton “Faceman” Peck, portrayed in the TV series by Dirk Benedict.
Now that the full set is assembled, I’ve got no idea what to do with them. Sell ’em on eBay, I guess.
Of course it’s a little foolish to assume that there’s only one of each. See, I’ve had an eBay saved search running this whole time, so whenever the things happen to turn up I’ve bid on them. And now I have 14 of the bloody things.
Still, amid the confusion of what it’s all for or what it’s meant to mean, I’m also experiencing a great sense of closure – all 4 members of the A-Team, immortalised in a tacky plastic childrens’ coat hanger format in poorly represented cartoon form.
And, of course, the ugly question of “What’s next?” rears its ugly head. I wonder if they ever made Dukes of Hazzard picnic plates?