The Toy Collector

Toy collector: He holds the bear gently in his old wrinkled hands as he gazes into its kind beaded eyes. The toy collector sees love lined in its double stitches and his childhood in the busted toys smile. There stitched in black thread he can hear the sound of a child laughter, happiness, and growth reviving his memory of youth, like a jolt of life to an empty vein. The years have passed freely, almost fleeting by. He had no more time to play in grassy school yards or hide from girls wearing satin dress, he had to grow up. The boy eventually turned into a man and was forced to pack away his toys regrettably into a wooden box. There they sat in the attic awaiting the return of their beloved friend while he aged slowly into an adult. High school came and went, college, even marriage but unfortunately he was never blessed with his own child. No one to share in the lined pleats of his own childhood. All of this he now recognizes in the bears sandy eyes. The toy collector hands his most prized procession to his wife, a dazed look covering his forlorn face. She takes his withered hand and speaks gently in his ear. “All the memories in the world could never replace the love between a man and his bear.” “Yes, but even the toy collector eventually grows to old and must let go.” He replies in woe. His thin lips force a smile as he repacks the boxes that escaped him long ago and in the early morn of the next day he patently sits alone outside for a bus to come. The driver honks her horn and greats him with a warming smile. “Are all of these toys for our orphanage?” The toy collector regrettably nods. “Things have been pretty rough but this will surly lift there sprits up.” She confesses as she gently grabs a random box. As she stacks them one by on into the now cluttered van his bear falls onto the pavement below. Unable to pick it up he wrinkles his brow with great sadness. Suddenly the passenger door opens revealing the face of a young girl and as she draws near she extends her hand and clutches the bear. “Did you find a friend little Lou?” His heart melts as she kisses the teddy gently then smiles. “thank you.” The child coos softly. The toy collector lives in the toys he collects, but the man lives forever in the bear the child now possesses.