He was called Piper Toys, elegant and refined, located right in the heart of the village square.

Decorated meticulously with luxurious burgundy velvet curtains and a bright pink door with

a golden knob.

The proprietor was incredibly chic, with a black bob cut and painted red lips.

She looked like she belonged in New York, even Paris, not here, not with us.

As a kid, going to Piper was a worthy occasion, and one I coveted, as it was only when

I went with my friend Cassie and a parent.

The shelves were lined with intricate jewel trinkets, bins full of stuffed animals, with

first so soft I could press it against my cheek.

Behind the counter was a glass case of dolls, incredibly lifelike in their appearance,

so much so that sometimes it would catch me off guard, the glassy eyes following me as

I moved.

It was a month before Christmas that Piper Toys unveiled their holiday display window.

In front was several boxes wrapped in shiny gift paper, along with a menagerie of plastic

animals.

A cherry red sign in large white front red, coming soon, this year's hottest toy, animal

masks, and below it in smaller writing, become the animal you are meant to be.

My dad was out of work, the hefty 1399 price tag dashed my hopes of having an animal

mask of my own.

All I could do was speculate, along with my fellow students what they were.

It must be something special to be the hottest toy of the season, and to take a prime real

estate in the toy store, just as kids was starting to write their list to Santa.

...