Shashank Naik

How I met the cube

Shashank Naik (12, India)

I had never heard of the word Rubik’s cube until I saw one in a toy store. I found the cube to be interesting and funny looking because of the various colours it had. But I was scared because I did not know what it actually was. I thought that it was bewitched. After a few days a friend of mine was playing with it. I feared to even go near it.

Soon I saw my sister’s friend playing with it. Then I saw my own cousin playing with it and thought that after all it was not harmful because my own cousin, who was much more scared about things than me, was playing with it. So then I started to ask my parents for one. They told me that they could not buy any cube just like that because the pieces would pop out easily. I then asked my mother to order one for my birthday but she said that she did not know how to order it and moreover my dad was going out of town. My uncle who was sitting near the window heard our conversation and then began to think about something.

On my birthday, my father returned with a huge cake of my favorite type which had the image of a teletubbies iced on it .I received many presents from my friends and family. Then finally I got a tiny package from my uncle. I was thinking what might be in it.I opened it as quickly as I could. On seeing the content I was excited. It was a Rubik’s cube. I asked my uncle when he had purchased it and how he knew I wanted one. He told me how he had overheard our conversation and ordered it.

I was very happy the next day, as I was not allowed to play with my cube as it was late. My mother told me that she would give it to me as soon as I would get up. I asked my mother to teach me how to solve it. It took me a whole year to understand the concept and to be able to solve it.I had finally learnt to solve it. The whole day I showed off my solving skills and taught my father and sister to solve it .I was thankful to my uncle to buy me the puzzle.