The ROBOT Conundrum
Science Fiction
“Make an appointment tomorrow with my therapist at 10:00 am.”
“OK. I set up your appointment for tomorrow.”
“Are you ready for me to schedule it?”
“Yes.”
“OK it’s on your calendar for tomorrow.”
“Thanks Siri.”
Sara sighed audibly. What she had been putting off for days was finally done. Now she just had to convince Matt. You would think by the 25th century men might have some sense but some things never change.
Switching her Morph wrist phone, Sara Hyped Matt. She was not keen on seeing Matt’s holographic face but this was the only way to contact Matt during office hours. Somehow holographic Skype was allowed in Matt’s office. Connecting …………
“Hey!”. Matt’s face popped up. Sara was startled for a second. “Hurry up, I am working!”
“I scheduled appointment with the therapist tomorrow. Hope its fine.”
“Your wish. One way or other this isn’t going to work but it’s your call”
Ping. And he was gone.
Sigh.
“What brings you here?”
Sara looked at Matt. He sat still. Nearby a robot was making coffee. Sara felt uncomfortable. The meeting should have been between the three of them.
The robot wheeled towards them with coffee mugs.
Sara started, “It’s been a tough couple of months. We are fighting all the time.”
“It’s getting complicated. Us. I mean look at our robot Irona. Never yells, never shouts, gets work done. And she listens to what I say.”, Matt added.
“Yes, because she is programmed to do so Matt. But I am not and neither are you. We are not robots for God’s sake.”
“OK. OK.” Laura pitched in. A typical case of Robot Conundrum. Couple fights all time. Check. Wife is feeling dejected. Check. Prefers company of robot to wife. Check. All Symptoms Check. They would resist the treatment first. Couples always deny initially because they want to feel more human. Laura had plenty of appointments left so she got straight to the point with the couple in front.
“There are no of alternatives here: 1. Clone Marriage Therapy
2. Robot Marriage Therapy
3. The Mutant Partner alternative.
I personally suggest robot marriage therapy. They have a return policy. No return policy on clone therapy, you could sell it to someone but no one wants to give up clone of their partner to just anybody. The mutant partner one is too expensive. Building your own partner as you might know takes a lot of time and effort.”
“I don’t want to live with my husband and a robot. Can’t we do something else? I recently read a human fiction book where they said in ancient times they did something like multiple sessions talking about problems and reconciliation sessions or something. You know human stuffs.” Sara said.
“These hum-fi books are fiction for a reason. These outdated practices are not efficient. Try the robot therapy for some time, it’s good. You both live with specifically customized humanoid robot as a partner and only talk with each other when you crave human comfort. Six months after, you will get used to the lifestyle. Half the population is on it already.”
“OK we will do it”, Matt said.
Sara was unsure but she didn’t want to push her luck any further. Getting Matt to agree therapy was hard enough, she didn’t want to protest now.
“OK.” Sara said.
The robot took their coffee mugs even if it was half full. The session was over.
“How’s it going Matt? You need anything?”
“No, its fine. Kara will take care of it.”
Two weeks and those were the only words exchanged. They lived in separate rooms now. Matt had named his robot Kara because he was too lazy to think of any other name. Sara just couldn’t stand it. Kara apparently did everything Matt asked for. She even had long lashes that Matt had specifically asked for while designing her. Sara wanted to rip off those thin fiber- optic lashes.
Her own robot whom she had named Robert (the only humor she could find in the situation was naming her robot) was what you could say Robotzoned. She used him like her housemaid Irona. He told her “I love you and you look beautiful” every night. She took out his eyes one night and he still said “You look beautiful.” Sigh.
“Sara?”
“Yes. Here Matt. Where’s Kara?”
“I kept her on charge. Robert?”
“Locked him in the closet on sleep mode. Will wake up automatically anytime soon. Can’t seem to find his off button.”
“They don’t have one.”
Sigh.
“Come. Sit here for a while.”
Matt looked at her. “You’ve got more lines in your faces since last time I saw you. Kara’s got taut skin, you know, never wrinkles. Makes me feel a hundred years old, standing before her.”
Sara said, “Robert says I look sweet sixteen and says it’s ok if I cry on his shoulders which apparently warm up when you place your head on it. I tried it once and something went wrong with his sensors and his shoulders burnt my hair. All two hours of saloon gone to trash.”
“Typical Sara, always about the hair.” Matt smiled. “I miss this.”
Sara looked at him. “You know, the man from century that Stephen Hawking guy who lived nearly 5 centuries. I watched his interview telling how times were simpler, about how there were only humans in the house, no robots and then they used to go out on something called dates. You know just go and talk. I would want that. No Kara, no Robert. Not even Irona. Just us.”
“We could try time travel if you want. You know, I know a guy who has the stuff.”
“But isn’t that illegal? They banned it didn’t they?” Sara said.
“Yes. But I know a guy who knows a guy who has the machine. You want it or not?”
“OK.”, Sara said after looking at closet. She couldn’t bear to live with Robert any longer.
“Whoa! What just happened?” Sara said looking around. There was Matt and behind him was something like a car she had seen in history books.
“21st century it is then.” Matt said looking around. “What are those stuff?” He pointed to a nearby stall.
“Those are newspapers, the real ones. I read they are made of paper not like our ones in the phones.”
“Your love for history has its perks Sara. At least we won’t look stupid here. Let’s look at those ‘newspapers’ then.”
Inside the newspaper stall, people were sitting around and talking. “You know they built first human like robot. Look at the headlines”
“Wow. She looks so real. I hope we could afford one.”
“Life would be so much easier then.” Someone from the back said.
Sara looked at Matt and smiled knowingly.
Matt looked in her eyes and said, “You look beautiful.”
Only this time Sara didn’t want to take someone’s eyes out when she heard it.
“I love you and you look beautiful Sara.”
“I am Kara and my partner Matt is missing.”
“You look beautiful Sara.”
“You look young Matt and I love you too.”
Sigh.
Zerone is an undergrad publication at I.O.E, Pulchowk focusing on People (their creative side, their thoughts, their lives) and Technology (the new, the old, everything).
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