Toys and Games

I think I've finally warmed up to the mechanical bear that lives in our house. It took me a while, but I think I have. At first I found him, well, a little on the creepy side. He seemed innocuous enough at first, but flip the switch in his backpack to "on" and he comes to life--ears and limbs moving, all to the not-so-subtle whirring and clicking of little gears and pulleys and servos and whatnot underneath his fuzzy hide. Kind of like the old Abraham Lincoln attraction at Disneyland (before they revamped him to be more Abe Lincoln-like), but on a smaller scale, and a bear. Did I mention that he talks, too? Grandpa got him for us, so we kind of had to keep him. And of course the kids love him. I suppose the main reason I find him creepy is exposure to too many Twilight Zone marathons as a kid. Remember Talky Tina? If you do, you know what I mean. If you don't, then I suppose I'll have to refer to Chucky, instead, but he lacks a certain subtlety that Talky Tina has, and of course, Telly Savalas. Anyhow, TJ Bearytales is here to stay, like him or not.

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