Trophies

He looked at the trophies on the shelf. For years they had served as pleasant reminders of his youthful accomplishments, convenient conversation starters (hey I didn't know. . . ). But he hadn't really noticed them in years, they had blended into the room furnishings like three dimensional wallpaper, and he wondered now what his motivation was for not placing them in storage years ago. Perhaps, he thought, he hoped they were still noticed by visitors, would still generate appreciation -- a realization which made his trophies now seem vain and self-serving.