Note; I may be bending the rules on this one, but I had this idea pop in to my head in the middle of the night and I had to create an excuse to write this. So, while this is a language-inspired article, it speaks extensively on a specific item.
What is The Talky Box?
The Talky Box is an old Abnormality Object that seemingly at random spews out often nonsensical but vaguely philosophical and poetic phrases and idioms. Many of which have garnered such attention and love that they have fallen into the common lexicon for spat of time.
Often, the box waxes poetic, sharing philosophical phrases that delight and inspire. Sometimes, it shares dirty or crass jokes that have people tittering and parents covering their children's ears.
It is a small metal cube, each side painted a different colour, with a speaker installed on each side. All the paint has begun to chip off. Strangely, if you measure each side of the box, you will get different measurements for each side, each time you measure. The same side may even differ in length, mere moments apart. Despite this, the box visually looks completely even and squared.
The Talky Box has no accessible charging port, no obvious inner workings, and no way to take in information as far as anyone has been able to ascertain. Leaving people with no way of deciphering how it works, or where it gets the idioms it so commonly speaks.
It is no simple speaker, and almost everyone is convinced that it is an Abnormality Object — though it is nearly impossible to confirm the authenticity of an Abnormality Object, their general ability to sidestep the rules of the universe are fairly obvious to see.
For the Talky Box, its status as an Abnormality Object has been accepted for a few simple reasons. It has continued to operate for far longer than any normal piece of technology would be able to — It has always had a crackling sound to its audio, but it always speaks clearly and without interruption.
The Talky Box’s ability, on its surface, seems to be the collection/creation of and playing of random sound bites. However, some believe its true power is instead a type of charismatic lure, where people pulled are psychologically drawn to its location so it can be viewed and heard. Though this has never been tested or confirmed scientifically due to the box’s often private ownership.
Popular Phrases and Idioms
“One cannot fathom if one cannot first think.”
“Life is like a foldable chair — collapsible.”
“Beyond the foam is the spray.”
“Neutrality is merely a symptom of indecision.’
“If one wishes to be remembered you must be willing to become a bit queer.”
“All liquid is water if you think about it.”
“It's weird, there are so many people in the universe, and we don't know all of them.”
"A single thought, when truly pondered, often reveals itself to be a small, slightly damp pebble."
How Long Has It Been Around?
The Talky Box has been an Abnormality Object floating about in the Delta Space for almost five hundred years now. Coming and going, being traded between various owners and collectors, being displayed and listened to by many across generations.
And while it has gone missing on several occasions, once it wasn’t seen or heard from for almost two decades, it always reappears and always draws a crowd whilst on display. Its most popular installations often occur on the Variance space station, which is considered the Talky Box’s homebase by many.
Currently it is being displayed at Horl Warls Oddities and Excitements, and people can pay a small sum to see it and possibly hear it for a short span. Or large groups may see it twice a day at a specific time for free.
Has been a popular attraction for years and years. Some of its more common phrases have even entered the common lexicon throughout the Delta Space, specifically the Variance. The box has been on display through various owners, lenders, and in various events, attractions, and installations for several generations. When it comes to an attraction, it certainly is ancient, and its ability to continue to draw a crowd is uncanny.
Comments