Toys R' Us Is Gone

Today, Geoffrey The Giraffe's Toys R' Us, and his smiling symbol of childhood play, has officially closed their doors.
What an awful feeling that something as stable as the American icon faded away from us. Much like childhood, I guess. I think that's what made it most crushing. We're less innocent these days. Like some stuffed animal sitting in the rain, as the child moves on to other diversions. It's not easy. A co-worker of mine, actually did shifts at Toys R' Us and was involved in the final closing. He'd been doing it for 10 years and, I could tell it hit him hard. Even as a 26 year old. It was his first job at 16. It meant more to him than I think he even realized. I feel bad for him.

For me, Toys R' Us was Christmas. I recall getting a few Transformer toys there. The true 1980's ones. Not the inexplicable ones that they have now. The colorful lettering. I swore to myself I'd never get tired of toys. And, in some sense, I didn't. I have small knick knacks from fast food restaurants. And some sports figures. And a teddy bear somewhere. Youth grew old by the announcement that they had gone bankrupt. It grew us up fast. Faster than I realized it would.

Since 1948. It reached 70 years of age. I would say Geoffrey earned a rest. Thank you for the years of happiness.