Rubix Cube Also Mixed Up Emotionally

TOBY’S TOY’S, CHICAGO — Like many toy stores, Toby’s is a place for joy. A place where dreams come true and excited kids get to take home their favorite toys. But for one such toy this is also a place of existential dread. 

“When I was first shipped in I thought I was the same as any other Rubix Cube. But then as we were all getting put on the shelf, I found out something different was in store for me. Toby himself takes me out of my box and puts me back on the shelf naked as the day I was molded. I was really confused.” 

Like many toys at Toby’s, this Rubix cube was opened and placed with the rest of the product as a sample. Something for the kids to play with to entice them to buy their own. While not every store does this. Toby believes a toy store should be a fun place. Even if the kids end up not buying the toys, he’s happy to see them playing in the store. 

“Some of the other sample toys explained it to me and I understand the broad strokes of it, but it hasn’t quite sat right in my soul. These other toys get taken home and play with one kid for the rest of their life, and that’s what I was raised to believe is right. But now I’ve found myself playing with upwards of ten different kids a day, even a few adults.” 

Being a sample toy has left this particular Rubix cube unsure about his place in the world. While he does get more use than he would in a single child household. He doesn’t technically belong to anyone. Plus with only 5-10% of the world's population being able to solve a Rubix Cube, he will spend most of his life unsolved.

“In the entire six months I’ve been on this shelf, I’ve been solved one time I can remember. This one older kid was in here on a date with some girl. She didn’t seem to be having that great of a time, so this kid snags me off the shelf and starts moving me in ways I’ve never been moved before. Your average person just twists me around a bit and puts me back down but this kid knew what he was doing. Before I knew what hit me, all my colors were back on the right side again. But when the kid finally looked up to show the girl, she was long gone.” 

At press time, the Rubix Cube is still unsure about his place in all this. At the suggestion of his friends he has started seeing Furby for counseling with little results. He contemplates daily about falling off the shelf, ending it all.