Toying with the Shoppe

Today, I restrained from one of my greatest passion and worst enemy. The Toy Shoppe. You know, those machines with the claws that grab the stuffed animals. I love them, yet at the same time, despise them.

For years, I have been addicted to the Toy Shoppe. I won a lot, yet tried a lot too. It was costing me, and/or my parents, a lot of money. Yet, I couldn't stop. I needed to win those cheap little stuffed animals. I would never pass the Toy Shoppe without feeding my desire a dollar or two, never more than that. Well, usually not more than two dollars.

Slowly, I began to despise the thing I had so dearly loved. I won in less frequent intervals, my strategy and planning no longer worked. It was as if the machine had beat me into submission, yet try as I might, I couldn't stop fueling my addiction. Until one day, I stopped, I no longer felt the need to use the machine.

Yes, I still dream and remember the glory days when I walk past the machines. But I no longer let them rule my life. Today, I walked to the Toy Shoppe, my intent was to try it just one more time. The claw was calling me, beckoning me back. My eyes fell on the perfectly placed turtle stuffed animal, an easy target. I was about to put 2 quarters in the machine when I stopped. Was it really worth it? No, take back those quarters! Resist the evil that is the Toy Shoppe. Today marked the end of a long bout with the machine and my own inner monsters, this time, I really won.