Dear Geoffrey the Giraffe

Dear Geoffrey the Giraffe,

I am writing you today to share about a recent experience at one of your fine Toys Я Us stores. While I respect that Toys Я Us is synonymous with youth and fun, there is a great deal of product on your shelves to stimulate those of us that have an older soul. My whole reason for visiting your store was to find a challenging and fun jigsaw puzzle that I could spend a fair amount of time on. Part of that fun is seeing the end result, so it should be no surprise that the puzzle selection process would not be easy.

Truth is, I had a difficult time even finding a place that sold puzzles. I tried a couple hobby shops in the area, and a Target, and even a crafts store without any luck. Surely, Toys Я Us would have something.

And you did, I will give you that... but your jigsaw puzzle selection was mediocre at best. Yeah, you had some that were geared towards kids which I expected, and then there were the more difficult ones that featured a rolling landscape with a house and a tractor, or a pack of wolves in the snow. None of that suited my fancy. I wanted to see something that I'd be proud to hang on my wall when completed... not something bland and lifeless that you might see hanging up in the dentist office or school library.

I battled with myself, not wanting to drive to a fifth store, and so I settled on the Night Lights Times Square Parade puzzle. There were a lot of intricate details so I had no doubt it'd be challenging, but really it's a horrid and cliché depiction of Times Square. For the love of God, it even had a Frasier billboard included as part of the hand drawn artwork. I hung my head low and purchased it, and I do regret it after the fact. How am I supposed to be motivated to finish a puzzle when all I have to look forward to is Frasier's gigantic forehead staring back at me when I finally place that 750th piece?

Geoffrey, I'm disappointed. I'm sure you can see why.

But, I do want to thank you for all the great memories I still hold onto of running up and down your aisles as a kid. Please, get some better puzzles if you can and I'll be happy to solve them for you.

Sincerely,

Daniel