Homeless in Vancouver: Under the ToyMac sign, the toys never sleep

Last night at 11 p.m. the Toys “R” Us store in the 1100 block of West Broadway Avenue was quiet as a tomb. Its vast population waited.

On display tables and shelves and racks, they were recharging or just biding their time.

They waited for the new business day and another chance to put on a friendly show in hopes of beguiling children and their parents into taking them home.

Because that’s the only way that these poor plastic—let’s be blunt about it—prisoners can ever hope to leave the store, without being “marked down”.

Maybe the doors aren’t just locked overnight to keep people from getting in. Maybe they’re also locked to keep the toys from getting out! [Cue Twilight Zone music.]