The Tranny Cards

Last summer I came across a listing for a collection of 50s/60s cards in middling condition. This is right in my wheelhouse. The minty pricey stuff is owned by collectors, who ALWAYS have magical ideation and think that economic trends and market values do not apply to their very special property (note: this is more or less the same reason it is a bitch running a record label!).

I called and spoke to a Christine. These were her cards that she collected as a kid in the L.A. area. They were heavy on Dodgers, but had lots of stars. She was taking a lot of heat from her band (she was the singer) to sell off her cards to buy recording gear. Very deep voice. A chanteuse, I figured.

So, I drove down to the decrepit Fox Mall in the LAX area, where we were to meet in the parking lot. This struck me as unusual, as most of my dealings have been in Starbucks or MacDonald's, but what the heck. Any public place where it is less likely to get hit over the head with a sack of nickels for one's wallet is fine with me. A few cell calls later, and we found each other. She was driving a VERY beat up late model Toyota, and waved me over to the car.

Have you seen "The World According to Garp"? Remember Lithgow? That's what was going on here. 6'2" or thereabouts, pronounced Adam's apple, lank hair, man hands, house dress. The works. Christine, evidently, collected this back in her Chris days. Now, as many of you know, I spent many years in San Francisco, so it will take a WHOLE FUCK OF A LOT more than that to make me flinch, and I think this worked in my favor. I smiled and played along. Gender is whatever you want it to be. She told me that she could tell I was a "cool guy," and was sure we could work out a deal.

I went through the books of cards, which I ballparked at about $1500 of Ebay value for me. Some very pricey stuff, Mays and Mantle and Koufax, etc., in affordable condition. I figured she'd ask for a grand and I'd counter at $800 and we'd have a deal. What do you want for them? Well, what do you think they're worth? I was just about to answer when she blurted out How about $600? Now that is unusual. No reason to bargain from there. We got some cash from the ATM, I took em home and turned them around for $2K.

I need to hang around the Tenderloin and ask the girls if they have any baseball cards.