Like a Child in a Toy Shop
It took all that Luke had not to run down the sidewalk in his excitement. He was already clipping along at a quick pace. At times he’d find himself speed up to a near jog, but the professor’s familiar words would ring in his mind about how a gentleman would never dash down the streets of London. Luke slowed so he fell in step with said Professor.
“Are we almost there, Professor?” The boy asked.
His mentor smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. “Not more than two blocks now.”
Luke felt himself gain distance on the professor again. The man reached out and placed a hand on his apprentice’s shoulder, holding him in place; like a puzzle piece. When the duo was within yards of the toy shop, Layton released Luke from his restraint and allowed him to rush over and press his face against the shop window.
Layton grabbed for the door handle and pulled open the door. A small bell on the top of the frame dinged, announcing their arrival.
“Come along, Luke.” He patiently watched his companion in wonder.
It wasn’t as if the boy had never been to a toy shop; quite the contrary. But Luke never ceased to be enchanted by it all regardless of the sum of visits. The sight was the epitome of childhood; Luke’s rosy cheeks squashed to the cool glass, wide eyes shifting from the train sets to the rainbow xylophones and to the prized teddy bears in the display. The professor observed, finding he wished he could feel such youth, such innocence once again. Oh, to be a child… But the professor digressed.
“Luke,” Layton tried, “It’s much more enjoyable to examine the toys up close rather than through the window pane.”
The boy clad in blue peeled away from the glass. He nodded in agreement and, without a word, scuttled into the store.
The professor tipped his hat to the shopkeeper as he murmured a customary “good afternoon”- just as any gentleman should. He then followed his apprentice, making sure to stick close as to not lose the boy as he zipped through the aisles, making a beeline for the teddy bears in the back.
The current occupant of Luke’s bed, his teddy, had grown a bit worse for wear over the years and travels. With matted, dingy fur, a missing eye, and an open wounded leg with stuffing spilling from within, the professor had told Luke it was “unbecoming of a gentleman to keep such an accessory that is in poor condition.” Luke, stubborn as children are, refused to dispose of his friend. So the professor and he settled on a compromise of purchasing a new bear while retiring the old to the bookshelf in Luke’s room.
“It seems we have quite the selection here, my boy.” Layton commented, standing back to get a good look at the spectrum of bears on the shelves. “Have you found a fellow you like?”
Luke turned to the man, finger pressed to his chin in thought. “There’s just so many, Professor. I don’t quite know which one to choose.”
Layton chucked lightly. “Well, take your time, Luke. I should hope you pick one you’re fond of seeing as he’ll be living with us for quite some time.”
“Don’t you worry, Professor. I’ll pick a true gentleman!” The boy beamed up at his mentor.
With a gentle pat on Luke’s head, the professor left the boy to his decisions to browse the shop. It stuck him as curious how one forgot just how magical toy shops were with age. He didn’t recall there being nearly as many trinkets and playthings. Naturally Layton had no use for the dolls and building blocks and board games, but it was all delightful to be surrounded by nonetheless. But then, something caught the professor’s eye…
Luke had made his selection. But there was just one issue: his new friend resided on the top shelf. The boy in blue looked around for the familiar brown top hat, but much to his dismay it had disappeared with the professor amongst the shelves.
“Professor?” He called out. He received no reply though.
Turning back to the shelf, Luke decided he had to take things into his own hands. He knew it was ungentlemanly of him to do so, but he deemed it rather necessary. He grabbed a couple of books and a few game boxes and stacked them in a pile. It wobbled slightly as he stood atop it and it wobbled even more so as he stretched upwards on his tip toes in order to snag the bear’s foot and drag it off the self.
“Professor, I think you’ll really like this one.” Luke spoke aloud, looking over the light brown bear in his hands and giving the bear’s tiny top hat a tap. He held the bear to his chest and began the search for his mentor. He couldn’t have gone far, Luke reasoned, and he most definitely wouldn’t have left without the boy.
“Professor?” Luke called again. He passed by shelves of popup books and baby dolls, toy boat displays and little sets of race cars, pretty pink tea sets, blue and red jack-in-the-boxes, purple striped hoola-hoops and orange jump ropes, until finally he nearly bumped into the professor’s backside.
“Ah!” Luke cried in surprise. “There you are, Professor. I wasn’t sure where you had gone.”
Layton hummed. “Been right here, my boy.”
“Professor?” Luke began, leaning around Layton to see what the man was fiddling with in his hands. “What are you doing?”
Luke could practically hear the grin in the professor’s reply. “It’s a puzzle, Luke.”
Suddenly, as Luke glanced up at the shelves before them, everything clicked into place. The professor had been distracted by the collection of puzzles, too distracted to answer when the boy had called for him earlier.
“I found a teddy.” Luke exclaimed, presenting the bear to Layton. He frowned though when Layton didn’t even give it the slightest of glances. “He has a top hat,” Luke continued, hoping to catch the professor’s attention, “Just like you do!”
“Mmm…top hat, yes.” Layton murmured, all concentration still on the metal loop puzzle in his hands.
The boy lowered his teddy bear to look at the puzzle again. “What are you trying to do?”
“The object is to separate all four loops.” The professor explained just as he managed to slide the last loop free. “Like so.”
“Wow, you solved that like it was nothing!” Luke commended. “Should we be on our way now?”
“One moment, Luke.” The professor raised a finger to his apprentice as he grabbed a colorful block from the shelf.
“But Professor, you said we were going to stop for some tea and cocoa.” Luke bounced on the balls of his feet impatiently.
“But one minute.” Layton said as he began twisting and turning the colored blocks about.
Luke heaved and heavy sigh, looking down at the bear in his hands. He gave it a gentle squeeze and it exhaled a squeak. “Professor…”
“A gentleman is always patient, my boy.”
The boy rolled his eyes but listened to his teacher and stood silently, waiting. He listened as Layton muttered to himself as he attempted the Rubik’s cube.
“Why don’t you just buy it?” Luke asked. “Then you could take it with you and wouldn’t have to stand in the store while you solve it.”
“I’ve nearly solved it. It wouldn’t make much sense to purchase it when I’m only a couple minute’s work away from completing it.”
But a couple minutes turned into thirty. And thirty turned into an hour. And after a while, Luke found himself plopped down in a bean bag reading Through the Looking Glass to his new bear friend. Every so often he’d pop his head up to inquire, “Professor…?”
“One more puzzle, Luke.”
It continued in such a pattern for quite some time. That is, until Luke had an idea.
“Professor?” The blue clad boy called out.
“What is it, Luke?” Layton’s eyes remained glued to his current puzzle.
“I just can’t seem to figure this out…” Luke muttered. “I’m stumped to be honest.”
Like they were some sort of magic words, the professor looked up, curiosity piqued. He slowly placed his puzzle back on the shelf and approached his apprentice.
“What seems to be puzzling you?”
“Well,” Luke began, tapping his chin with his index finger, “Suppose a fellow comes in the store and buys that table top train track set. How would he get it out the door?” He pointed to a fairly large display. “Assuming the dimensions of the set are 6’x3’….I just don’t see how it’s possible, Professor.” He sighed exaggeratedly, glancing up at his mentor.
The fish took the bait. After giving the train set a onceover, Layton walked over to the door. “First thing’s first, my boy, you’d have to measure the doorframe-.”
At that moment, Luke rammed into the professor as hard as he could, shoving the man outside the shop. Taking advantage of Layton’s momentary confusion, Luke scrambled to shut the door behind them and grab a tight hold of the professor’s hand. Quickly, the boy began dragging him up the sidewalk.
“Come along, Professor.”
Layton blinked in mystification. “But, Luke, I was under the impression you-.”
“I believe that’s the last time I’ll let you visit a toy shop for a while.” Luke murmured, shaking his head and pulling the professor in the direction of some relaxing hot tea.
“Are we almost there, Professor?” The boy asked.
His mentor smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. “Not more than two blocks now.”
Luke felt himself gain distance on the professor again. The man reached out and placed a hand on his apprentice’s shoulder, holding him in place; like a puzzle piece. When the duo was within yards of the toy shop, Layton released Luke from his restraint and allowed him to rush over and press his face against the shop window.
Layton grabbed for the door handle and pulled open the door. A small bell on the top of the frame dinged, announcing their arrival.
“Come along, Luke.” He patiently watched his companion in wonder.
It wasn’t as if the boy had never been to a toy shop; quite the contrary. But Luke never ceased to be enchanted by it all regardless of the sum of visits. The sight was the epitome of childhood; Luke’s rosy cheeks squashed to the cool glass, wide eyes shifting from the train sets to the rainbow xylophones and to the prized teddy bears in the display. The professor observed, finding he wished he could feel such youth, such innocence once again. Oh, to be a child… But the professor digressed.
“Luke,” Layton tried, “It’s much more enjoyable to examine the toys up close rather than through the window pane.”
The boy clad in blue peeled away from the glass. He nodded in agreement and, without a word, scuttled into the store.
The professor tipped his hat to the shopkeeper as he murmured a customary “good afternoon”- just as any gentleman should. He then followed his apprentice, making sure to stick close as to not lose the boy as he zipped through the aisles, making a beeline for the teddy bears in the back.
The current occupant of Luke’s bed, his teddy, had grown a bit worse for wear over the years and travels. With matted, dingy fur, a missing eye, and an open wounded leg with stuffing spilling from within, the professor had told Luke it was “unbecoming of a gentleman to keep such an accessory that is in poor condition.” Luke, stubborn as children are, refused to dispose of his friend. So the professor and he settled on a compromise of purchasing a new bear while retiring the old to the bookshelf in Luke’s room.
“It seems we have quite the selection here, my boy.” Layton commented, standing back to get a good look at the spectrum of bears on the shelves. “Have you found a fellow you like?”
Luke turned to the man, finger pressed to his chin in thought. “There’s just so many, Professor. I don’t quite know which one to choose.”
Layton chucked lightly. “Well, take your time, Luke. I should hope you pick one you’re fond of seeing as he’ll be living with us for quite some time.”
“Don’t you worry, Professor. I’ll pick a true gentleman!” The boy beamed up at his mentor.
With a gentle pat on Luke’s head, the professor left the boy to his decisions to browse the shop. It stuck him as curious how one forgot just how magical toy shops were with age. He didn’t recall there being nearly as many trinkets and playthings. Naturally Layton had no use for the dolls and building blocks and board games, but it was all delightful to be surrounded by nonetheless. But then, something caught the professor’s eye…
Luke had made his selection. But there was just one issue: his new friend resided on the top shelf. The boy in blue looked around for the familiar brown top hat, but much to his dismay it had disappeared with the professor amongst the shelves.
“Professor?” He called out. He received no reply though.
Turning back to the shelf, Luke decided he had to take things into his own hands. He knew it was ungentlemanly of him to do so, but he deemed it rather necessary. He grabbed a couple of books and a few game boxes and stacked them in a pile. It wobbled slightly as he stood atop it and it wobbled even more so as he stretched upwards on his tip toes in order to snag the bear’s foot and drag it off the self.
“Professor, I think you’ll really like this one.” Luke spoke aloud, looking over the light brown bear in his hands and giving the bear’s tiny top hat a tap. He held the bear to his chest and began the search for his mentor. He couldn’t have gone far, Luke reasoned, and he most definitely wouldn’t have left without the boy.
“Professor?” Luke called again. He passed by shelves of popup books and baby dolls, toy boat displays and little sets of race cars, pretty pink tea sets, blue and red jack-in-the-boxes, purple striped hoola-hoops and orange jump ropes, until finally he nearly bumped into the professor’s backside.
“Ah!” Luke cried in surprise. “There you are, Professor. I wasn’t sure where you had gone.”
Layton hummed. “Been right here, my boy.”
“Professor?” Luke began, leaning around Layton to see what the man was fiddling with in his hands. “What are you doing?”
Luke could practically hear the grin in the professor’s reply. “It’s a puzzle, Luke.”
Suddenly, as Luke glanced up at the shelves before them, everything clicked into place. The professor had been distracted by the collection of puzzles, too distracted to answer when the boy had called for him earlier.
“I found a teddy.” Luke exclaimed, presenting the bear to Layton. He frowned though when Layton didn’t even give it the slightest of glances. “He has a top hat,” Luke continued, hoping to catch the professor’s attention, “Just like you do!”
“Mmm…top hat, yes.” Layton murmured, all concentration still on the metal loop puzzle in his hands.
The boy lowered his teddy bear to look at the puzzle again. “What are you trying to do?”
“The object is to separate all four loops.” The professor explained just as he managed to slide the last loop free. “Like so.”
“Wow, you solved that like it was nothing!” Luke commended. “Should we be on our way now?”
“One moment, Luke.” The professor raised a finger to his apprentice as he grabbed a colorful block from the shelf.
“But Professor, you said we were going to stop for some tea and cocoa.” Luke bounced on the balls of his feet impatiently.
“But one minute.” Layton said as he began twisting and turning the colored blocks about.
Luke heaved and heavy sigh, looking down at the bear in his hands. He gave it a gentle squeeze and it exhaled a squeak. “Professor…”
“A gentleman is always patient, my boy.”
The boy rolled his eyes but listened to his teacher and stood silently, waiting. He listened as Layton muttered to himself as he attempted the Rubik’s cube.
“Why don’t you just buy it?” Luke asked. “Then you could take it with you and wouldn’t have to stand in the store while you solve it.”
“I’ve nearly solved it. It wouldn’t make much sense to purchase it when I’m only a couple minute’s work away from completing it.”
But a couple minutes turned into thirty. And thirty turned into an hour. And after a while, Luke found himself plopped down in a bean bag reading Through the Looking Glass to his new bear friend. Every so often he’d pop his head up to inquire, “Professor…?”
“One more puzzle, Luke.”
It continued in such a pattern for quite some time. That is, until Luke had an idea.
“Professor?” The blue clad boy called out.
“What is it, Luke?” Layton’s eyes remained glued to his current puzzle.
“I just can’t seem to figure this out…” Luke muttered. “I’m stumped to be honest.”
Like they were some sort of magic words, the professor looked up, curiosity piqued. He slowly placed his puzzle back on the shelf and approached his apprentice.
“What seems to be puzzling you?”
“Well,” Luke began, tapping his chin with his index finger, “Suppose a fellow comes in the store and buys that table top train track set. How would he get it out the door?” He pointed to a fairly large display. “Assuming the dimensions of the set are 6’x3’….I just don’t see how it’s possible, Professor.” He sighed exaggeratedly, glancing up at his mentor.
The fish took the bait. After giving the train set a onceover, Layton walked over to the door. “First thing’s first, my boy, you’d have to measure the doorframe-.”
At that moment, Luke rammed into the professor as hard as he could, shoving the man outside the shop. Taking advantage of Layton’s momentary confusion, Luke scrambled to shut the door behind them and grab a tight hold of the professor’s hand. Quickly, the boy began dragging him up the sidewalk.
“Come along, Professor.”
Layton blinked in mystification. “But, Luke, I was under the impression you-.”
“I believe that’s the last time I’ll let you visit a toy shop for a while.” Luke murmured, shaking his head and pulling the professor in the direction of some relaxing hot tea.