Let’s take a break from the surreal
– the suddenly crowded November city election and the whacky
governor’s recall race – and check in on something substantial: the
simmering garlic bobblehead doll controversy.
Let’s take a break from the surreal – the suddenly crowded November city election and the whacky governor’s recall race – and check in on something substantial: the simmering garlic bobblehead doll controversy.
Since receiving a pair of letters to the editor questioning the wisdom of the garlic powers to be about limiting the quantity of tuxedo-clad 25th anniversary Herbie garlic bobblehead dolls, we’ve monitored the situation carefully.
Herbie is indeed scarce.
Whether this constitutes a crisis or just a bit of a bobble on your radar screen appears to be directly related to whether or not your favorite dish at the festival is the garlic ice cream. Hearty souls apparently wept when Herbie disappeared from the mercantile store shelves at the one, the only, the great Gilroy Garlic Festival just hours into Saturday. Herbie’s shelf life, in fact, was extended by an order from the garlic magistrate not to sell all 3,000 bobbleheads on Friday.
Nay, the little critters (individually numbered no less) were held back from the stampede of consumers anxious to gobble up the bobbles. But Saturday morning before the fog broke and some local festival goers could climb out of bed, Herbie went like hotcakes.
Alas, some locals felt the sting of the shutout – hungering for Herbie with no possibility to quench that lingering thirst. Not even a cold Coors from the a Gilroy Chamber beer booth or a savoring mouthful of Gourmet Alley calamari could dissuade them – Herbie was the prize and they were left wanting.
To the rescue in one case came Tim Day, local businessman and LeTip member, who generously parted with one of his bobbleheads causing much joy in the garden of one longtime festival devotee who had been left wanting.
For others who were not so fortunate, we have this to report: There are six days left on the eBay Web site auction of a single Herbie. The high bid is but $10 for “Herbie! Picked especially for you at the 25th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Limited edition of 3,000, individually numbered, factory sealed in box.”
Bid high, bid often and don’t forget the immortal words of one Gilroy commentator on the subject who, after ponderous thought, concluded “Well, that’s why they call it a collectible, isn’t it?”
