Free Write: Encounter with a Rubik Cube

During the summer between my sophomore and junior I traveled with a choir group throughout Europe. In the span of 17 days we traveled through 8 countries, and sang in some of history’s most interesting sights, such as Saint Marc’s Basilica in Venice and the John Wesley Chapel in London. However, despite the magic of the places I experienced on this trip, one of my chief memories from this trip is of Zebadiah Ziggenbein. Zebadiah had a special interest, Rubik Cubes. As we rolled through the snowcapped hills of Switzerland, and meandered across the green plains of Germany I watched Zeb struggle to master his Rubik Cube. Once, at a pit stop in Lichtenstein I found my concentration drawn once again to the sight of Zeb struggling with his obsession. Blue left, yellow acrossed two turns vertical, one turn horizontal; it was a pattern that enthralled me. However, I soon noticed an elderly man also studying Zeb and his cube. The man appeared to be in his mid 80’s, with cotton ball white hair and very little of it at that. He hunched over as he took in the sight of Zeb’s young features. Then he moved toward Zeb and coolly lifted the cube out of his fevered hand. The old man gritted his teeth and began working on the cube. I continued to watch this encounter and to my astonishment only a moment later the man held up the perfectly completed cube, muttered something in what I assumed to be German, dropped the cub into Zeb’s hands and strode away. The feat that had just taken place in front of me was amazing; I had no idea that solving a Rubik Cube could be accomplished in such a short matter of time.
I got an email from Zebadiah the other day. He sent me some pictures of his Rubik Cube styled 19th birthday cake and told me that he had solved a cube yesterday in a mere 19 seconds. I remember watching him toil over his cube so vividly, and I found myself excited to hear his latest progress. What interests me though is that despite my fascination with Zeb’s hobby, and despite the admiration I felt for the old Lichtensteinian man I never myself sought to so much as purchase a Rubik Cube, let alone attempt to solve it. I guess that it is a testimony as to how some things are better left a mystery. I would rather continue to marvel at the accomplishments of others than to reach out and attain them myself. However, I am sure that some of my quarries hold the same fascination with out longing for other people. Perhaps it is merely an issue of interest, or of motivation. Or maybe we feel that, although humans are generally striven to be the best, this small feat which makes us inferior serves a purpose to keep our own ego’s in check and allows us to sit back and wonder.