Really... What do you collect?

This is a phrase I hear more often than I'd like. I collect odd curios, things like faux shrunken heads, stuff drawn/owned be serial killers, pickled animals, human dentures, several dozen things made and/or carved from bones as well as other things that are just plain wrong. Invariably when I purchase a new oddity, I will get a look from the person selling it to me.

The most recent example of this is when I took a trip down to Las Vegas for vacation. I stopped in at the local reserve on my way back from the Grand Canyon. Amongst the mass produced arrowheads and fireworks was one lone counter with less touristy fare. Above this counter was one of the most unusual things I have ever seen for sale: A large dreamcatcher made from the entire jawbone of a horse.

That's right, someone, somewhere, decided to take the jawbone of a horse, break it into two pieces, reconnect those pieces to form a rough oval, knot a dreamcatcher web inside this oval and attach beads and feathers to it.

When I saw this I immediately had to have it. I called over the young woman working that evening. She removed it from its place on the wall and carried it over to the register. When she took my money she gave me one of those looks I'm oh so familiar with. That look that says "Wow, I always wondered who would buy this monstrosity."

Being curious but not wanting to be rude she asked me if I was buying it as a gift or for myself. I replied that I collect stuff like this. This is sometimes a good enough answer for people. But in the case of excessively unique items like this, the sales person/cashier will invariably reply: "Really.. So ...What do you collect?"