The Buddha of Target?
by Danny Fisher
Ordinarily, I’d send this to our friend Rod Meade Sperry at The Worst Horse. Unfortunately for us, he’s out of town for a little while, so here it is! I spotted this fellow while in a Pasadena Target store the other day, as I was leaving. When I inquired if it was a return item or something, the clerk told me that it wasn’t. ”I think somebody who works here just put it there.” Huh.
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The implication is enticing, however, that particular statue looks like the candle holder that Target sells. I bought one locally for my home. However much I’d like to believe there is a closet Buddhist working for that Target, it’s probably overstock or a misplaced item.
I think I can solve the mystery. Several years ago, a Target-Junkie friend of mine found Buddha statues very much like the one in the photo. They were in the candle section, and the Buddha holds a lotus flower that is just the right size to hold a tea-light candle. My friend bought several and gave one to me. While not exactly a traditional version of the Buddha, he is really quite attractive and understated — although he’s a bit cheesy (made in a mold of resin and painted to look like wood!). But not a bad deal for $10, really.
Linda H.