ma’am.”
“Can’t you erase it? Simply delete the recording?”
“No. The recording is legal evidence. For me to erase it would be a felony. I could never do such a thing. I can feel my positrons slow down, much as do the automobiles on the 405 Freeway at rush hour. It is most uncomfortable, and I must therefore not think of it.” Barney turned to the window. “I have been trying to think of the ocean. You see, when I was in the barber shop, there was a television playing. The television depicted a commercial advertisement for a vacation resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A man and woman are swimming together in the ocean, and the water is a shade of blue more vibrant than the sky. For the past three weeks, I have been replaying the recording in my mind. But I have been watching that commercial. I have been thinking about the blue ocean.” Barney’s head turned swiftly to face Candy. “Have you ever been to Cabo San Lucas, Doctor Calvin?”
“No, Barney, I haven’t.”
“Oh. Neither have I.” Barney faced the windows again. “I suspect my temperature sensors would find the water to be very pleasant. If you would please excuse me, Doctor, I think I’d like to be alone now.”
Candy stood. She placed one hand on Barney’s massive shoulder. “You did well.”
Barney gazed out the windows. “Not well enough. Ma’am.”
Candy returned to Susannah’s desk. Susannah dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and looked apologetically up at Candy. “Sorry, Doctor Calvin. But that was really hard to watch. I don’t know how you do this every day. I mean, I know they’re just robots, but still.”
“They’re robots, yes, but not just robots, Susannah.”
“No, you’re right, of course . . . I didn’t mean–”
“I know.” Candy smiled. “I’m starving. Why don’t you go grab us some lunch. I’ll hold the fort.” Candy withdrew some money from her purse and handed it to Susannah.
Susannah departed.
Candy went to the chair beside Barney and sat down. She took hold of his massive black composite-joint hand and held it between her own.
Chapter 9
It’s Complicated
Positronic Pizza & Pub was packed.
Danny found Rory seated at a tall round table. Beside him was a woman Danny knew he had never met. A woman with her looks was not a woman soon forgotten. Danny approached the table and smacked Rory on the back.
Rory slid off his stool and gave Danny a hug. “Hey, buddy!”
Judging from Rory’s exuberance, and the empty pitcher on the table, Rory and his female friend had started without him. A glance up at the numerous large monitors showed that the first quarter was winding down, with San Francisco beating New Orleans 28-3.
“Sorry I missed kickoff,” Danny said, nearly shouting over the noise of the pub.
“Danny, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Harley Smythe-Robertson. We work together. Harley, this is my good friend Danny. We met about four years ago at M.I.T. He’s a robotisisit. A robotisistiss.” He turned to Danny. “What are you?”
“A roboticist.”
“That’s what I said! Here, have a beer.” Rory picked up the empty pitcher and attempted to pour beer into a clean mug. “Son of a bitch, it’s invisible beer. I’ll be right back.” He leaned close to Danny’s ear, “I wanna hear about your blind date last night.” Rory smiled and left the table, empty pitcher in hand.
Danny sat down and held out his hand to Harley. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Harley shook Danny’s hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Dan.”
Given the extra few beats during which Harley held firmly to his hand, Danny understood precisely what Harley meant. Finally, she released her grip on his hand, but her grin and wide brown eyes remained on him. “How come I’ve never met you before?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Rory and I come here every week. It’s our little ritual. To blow off some steam. You should come next time.”
“Maybe I will.”
“Can’t you erase it? Simply delete the recording?”
“No. The recording is legal evidence. For me to erase it would be a felony. I could never do such a thing. I can feel my positrons slow down, much as do the automobiles on the 405 Freeway at rush hour. It is most uncomfortable, and I must therefore not think of it.” Barney turned to the window. “I have been trying to think of the ocean. You see, when I was in the barber shop, there was a television playing. The television depicted a commercial advertisement for a vacation resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A man and woman are swimming together in the ocean, and the water is a shade of blue more vibrant than the sky. For the past three weeks, I have been replaying the recording in my mind. But I have been watching that commercial. I have been thinking about the blue ocean.” Barney’s head turned swiftly to face Candy. “Have you ever been to Cabo San Lucas, Doctor Calvin?”
“No, Barney, I haven’t.”
“Oh. Neither have I.” Barney faced the windows again. “I suspect my temperature sensors would find the water to be very pleasant. If you would please excuse me, Doctor, I think I’d like to be alone now.”
Candy stood. She placed one hand on Barney’s massive shoulder. “You did well.”
Barney gazed out the windows. “Not well enough. Ma’am.”
Candy returned to Susannah’s desk. Susannah dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and looked apologetically up at Candy. “Sorry, Doctor Calvin. But that was really hard to watch. I don’t know how you do this every day. I mean, I know they’re just robots, but still.”
“They’re robots, yes, but not just robots, Susannah.”
“No, you’re right, of course . . . I didn’t mean–”
“I know.” Candy smiled. “I’m starving. Why don’t you go grab us some lunch. I’ll hold the fort.” Candy withdrew some money from her purse and handed it to Susannah.
Susannah departed.
Candy went to the chair beside Barney and sat down. She took hold of his massive black composite-joint hand and held it between her own.
Chapter 9
It’s Complicated
Positronic Pizza & Pub was packed.
Danny found Rory seated at a tall round table. Beside him was a woman Danny knew he had never met. A woman with her looks was not a woman soon forgotten. Danny approached the table and smacked Rory on the back.
Rory slid off his stool and gave Danny a hug. “Hey, buddy!”
Judging from Rory’s exuberance, and the empty pitcher on the table, Rory and his female friend had started without him. A glance up at the numerous large monitors showed that the first quarter was winding down, with San Francisco beating New Orleans 28-3.
“Sorry I missed kickoff,” Danny said, nearly shouting over the noise of the pub.
“Danny, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Harley Smythe-Robertson. We work together. Harley, this is my good friend Danny. We met about four years ago at M.I.T. He’s a robotisisit. A robotisistiss.” He turned to Danny. “What are you?”
“A roboticist.”
“That’s what I said! Here, have a beer.” Rory picked up the empty pitcher and attempted to pour beer into a clean mug. “Son of a bitch, it’s invisible beer. I’ll be right back.” He leaned close to Danny’s ear, “I wanna hear about your blind date last night.” Rory smiled and left the table, empty pitcher in hand.
Danny sat down and held out his hand to Harley. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Harley shook Danny’s hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Dan.”
Given the extra few beats during which Harley held firmly to his hand, Danny understood precisely what Harley meant. Finally, she released her grip on his hand, but her grin and wide brown eyes remained on him. “How come I’ve never met you before?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Rory and I come here every week. It’s our little ritual. To blow off some steam. You should come next time.”
“Maybe I will.”
Similar Books
