I’ve always believed in fate. It explains the unexplainable: coincidences, déjà vu, the occasional supernatural encounter. Fate is the hidden thread that tugs at moments to make them magical. So naturally, I believe it was fate that led me to a life-sized Sonic the Hedgehog plush.
It all began with an emptiness. A hunger. Specifically, an 11 p.m. craving that struck when all the dining halls were closed, my stash of instant noodles was gone and I had already burned through my accumulated health survey gift cards on DoorDash. With limited options left and a temptation to ravage my roommate’s side of the fridge, I turned to the last remaining late-night hope: Noods.
Noods is the kind of place that was built for desperate moments like these. But as the night drags on, its line stretches until it swells into a mosh pit of ravenous undergrads. Still, I was determined. I’d already dragged my sleep-deprived suitemate along on this pilgrimage, promising salvation in the form of raw fish and warm rice.
The inside of Noods was about as thrilling as a DMV visit. I waited in one line to order, another to receive my bowl and a third to find out yet again that the ice machine magically stops working whenever I show up. Slightly defeated, I turned to leave, only to be intercepted by someone from the Chess Club. Fate, once again, intervening. While I struggled through small talk about Elo ratings and openings, I was mercifully saved by the call of their name from the counter. Destiny gave me an exit, and I took it.
With lukewarm drinks in hand and mildly warm bowls of fish, my suitemate and I began our trek home, only to make it 10 feet before fate struck again. Two students were walking by, casually carrying a life-sized Sonic the Hedgehog plush. I stopped dead in my tracks. “My God. Look. It’s Sonic,” I whispered, awestruck. My suitemate, less enthused, asked me to lower my voice. Too late. The Sonic-bearers had noticed me.
I complimented the blue beast. They smiled. And then, as if the stars had aligned just for me, they offered him to me. Apparently, he was moments away from being abandoned by the dumpster to be feasted upon by University of California, Riverside (UCR) raccoons. I couldn’t let that happen, so without hesitation, I accepted the gift. I didn’t ask why. I didn’t check for damages. I simply embraced my destiny.
Carrying Sonic back was a whole other event. People stared. I felt powerful. I held the chaos emerald of attention. Now, Sonic lives in my dorm lounge. His past remains a mystery. Maybe he was cursed. Maybe he was blessed. I may never know, but he is mine until I must decide his fate during move-out.
