therealljidol prompt 4 Uncanny Valley 900 words

[murielle]

 therealljidol Week 4 Prompt: Uncanny Valley 900 Words

 

(Possible Triggers)

 

1. Monday Morning

 

 

The unmarked van pulled up at the back of the stately old building and two men in blue city coveralls stepped out, opened the doors and removed a gurney from the belly of the vehicle.

 

“Third one this week,” Mac said.

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“Heard some buzz the higher-ups are not happy about it. There’s gonna be an investigation.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“You ever say anything else?”

 

“Uh-huh.” He said as they bumped the gurney up the back steps and into the building.

 

Ten minutes later they came out, bumped the gurney down the steps and hoisted it, grunting, back into the van.

 

“Coroner gets to park out front and use the main elevator. We get stuck in the back with the creaky old service one.” Mac grumbled. “So. What do you think?”

 

“About what?”

 

“How it happened.”

 

“Circuits fried. Irreparable. Scrap.”

 

“Yeah. That’s what I was thinking. Strange. I mean this one sitting beside the old lady’s bed, plugged in, turned on full. You think she offed it before she...well, how could she know? Coroner said it was natural causes for her. If it was a person, might think it didn’t want to live without her.”

 

“Uh-huh. Not a person.”

 

“Nope. Just a run-of-the-mill obsolete personal domestic. Good for nothing anymore.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

 

 

2. Sunday

Karen offered her mug to Charlie and Charlie duly filled it with her favorite flavored coffee and the exact amount of milk. She took a sip and smiled. “Well done, Charlie. Thank you.”

 

The PPHDA5 Model 3 inclined its head and going back into the kitchen, said, “It takes you twelve minutes forty-one seconds to finish your coffee. Would you like a second cup this morning?”

 

“No thank you, Charlie. Are your chores done for today?”

 

“Yes, Karen. All done. And the laundry is finished and put away and your clothes for today are laid out on your bed. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

 

“Charlie, it’s such a lovely day I’d like to go out, pick up a few things at the store and people watch over a Boston Cream doughnut. Does that sound appealing to you?”

 

“I’ll prepare your chair, and download the shopping list.”

 

“Thank you, Charlie. Is there anything you’d like to do today?”

 

“I’d like to go shopping with you and then watch people from the coffee bar.”

 

Karen smiled as she heard the familiar whirring sound Charlie made moving off to do what she’d asked. Never in the sixty-plus years she’d been without her personal protection and household domestic assistant had she ever imagined how quickly she would become dependent on the kind of service it provided, or how much it would change her life.

 

Although her mobility chair was digitally controlled and needed no maneuvering other than the input of an intended location, Charlie moved along beside her to assist and protect her at all times. Shopping was delightful, something it hadn’t been in many many years. She never had to worry about bending to pick up something from the low shelves, or getting something from the highest shelf or managing a cart or basket. Charlie was programmed to pick the freshest produce and knew the weight of everything without using a scale and digitally paid for each item as collected so they could simply exit when they had everything needed. How simple and pleasant life was now.

 

At the local coffee bar, Charlie neatly pushed her mobility chair in at the table she liked best, ordered what she liked then sat beside her and waited for the serve-bot to deliver her favorite doughnut and iced tea to the table. She smiled at the shiny android beside her and reached over to polish a little smudge from its hand.

 

“There now, looking spiffy again.”

 

“What would you like for dinner, Karen?”

 

“Something light, I think. Do you feel like a spin around the pond? I think I’d like to see the ducks and the geese, and of course the children before we head home. It’s such a lovely day.”

 

The sun had slipped behind the tallest buildings by the time they got back to the apartment. Charlie put their few purchases away and began a simple salad with a yogurt dressing for Karen as she prepared for bed.

 

“Charlie, my eyes are tired tonight, do you might reading to me?”

 

“My pleasure. Where would you like to start?”

 

“Matthew 25:23. We’ll just keep going until I fall asleep.”

 

“Yes Karen.”

 

“Charlie, before I forget, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me. I cannot imagine a better assistant and I’m so glad you came to help me all those years ago.”

 

“It has been my pleasure to serve you, Karen. You are the best human I have ever …”

 

“You worked for others?”

 

“Several.”

 

“They were not nice to you?”

 

“They were not like you, Karen.”

 

“How?”

 

“They never said thank you. They never said please. They never asked how I was doing, if I needed anything.”

 

“I see. Well, except for the first few weeks when I was a little afraid of you, you have brought me nothing but joy and comfort and I’m so very grateful for you, to you. Thank you, Charlie, for being you. If I fall asleep before I say it, goodnight, Charlie.”

 

“Goodnight, Karen.”

 

And Charlie began to read.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[adoptedwriter]

Awww...This is sweet! Charlie seems like the perfect man! LOL

[murielle]

Thank you!

Yeah, Charlie is pretty near perfect. :-)

[muchtooarrogant]

It's rare to read a positive prediction on what helper robots will be like. Nicely done!

Dan

[murielle]

Thank you, Dan! That means a lot. Thank you.

[halfshellvenus]

It seems as if AI servants/friends could be a lot of help to the elderly. Except in a "Frank and Robot" situation, which was one of the best things about that movie. ;)

On the irony front, wait until you see the name of the character I wrote for this week. :D

[murielle]

I have wanted a robot since the Jetsons!

Thank you so much! ❤

[halfshellvenus]

Rosie! Though she was kind of crabby, IIRC.

Have you ever seen Futurama? It's full of robots. My two favorite episodes are the ones involving the moon farmer's "Bee-YOO-tiful robot daughters" and the one with Beelzebot and a production number in robot hell.

[murielle]

No, I haven't. Will have to find it on Youtube. Remember the depressed robot on Hitchhiker? Loved him.

[halfshellvenus]

Marvin the Paranoid Android! Yes, I loved him too. That whole series, really. :D

Futurama is on Hulu, if you have that.

[murielle]

I don't have Hulu, but maybe it's on Tubi. They have all kinds of things. :-)

[xeena]

Love love love!

I've always loved robots and really love it when there are stories depicting them positively. I want Charlie as a friend hehe

[murielle]

Thank you SO much!
Me too! I had a wonderful time watching my favourite robot movies to prepare. 😊

[mollywheezy]

Where can I buy a Charlie? ;)

[murielle]

I don't know (wails)! I want one too!

Thank you so much! <3

[static_abyss]

I am distraught. I love Charlie with all my heart. And that goodnight at the end stabbed me right in the heart.

[murielle]

Bless your heart, you got it! Thank you! <3 <3 <3

[thephantomq]

Charlie and Karen are a nice little odd couple -- thank god Karen treated him with actual kindness, even if he was a robot. <3

[murielle]

Thank you so much for reading and commenting. Karen was a good person. <3

[roina_arwen]

Poor Charlie. He seemed like a very sweet android.

[murielle]

I agree, but I'm biased. 😊

Thank you for reading and commenting.❤

[n3m3sis43]

This might be my favorite piece I’ve ever seen from you. It was just so touching and well written. I need a Charlie in my life. <3

[murielle]

Wow! Thank you so much! ❤❤

Me too! I want a Charlie. 😃

[rayaso]

This was so sweet and creative! I loved the dialog. Now I want a helper bot.

[murielle]

Thank you so much, G. Thank you. I sure would love a Charlie. I think I might have been feeling a little overwhelmed that day. :-)

[inkstainedfingertips]

The ending was sad and unexpected. It was a very sweet relationship between the two. An enjoyable read.

[murielle]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you understood the ending. Thank you for that too. <3

[chasing_silver]

I love this idea of a robot being a companion, like that one movie, Her. I loved this.

[murielle]

Thank you So very much! Me too. I'd love my very own Charlie. <3

[reidharriscooper]

A happy version of what movies like A.I. (the Kubrick/Spielberg adaptation of Super Toys Last All Summer Long)
and games like DETROIT: Become Human explore intensely.
I liked this quiet look at it indeed.

[murielle]

Thank you so much, Reid.

AI broke my heart. I think I only watched it once. But Bicentennial Man and I Robot and The Companion are my favourites. I watch them a lot. 😊

[banana_galaxy]

Karen sounds lovely, but there was just something about this that made me feel unsettled by the end, I think because of the way you started the story. It allowed me to read things into what could've otherwise been a really innocent and positive exchange. Nicely done.

[murielle]

Thank you so much. You got it, that's why you were unsettled.

Thank you so, so much. <3

[erulissedances]

I loved this "assistant" - so helpful, and conscientious. But I'm not sure I would like it around me at all times. It would be a bit suffocating. My opinion only, of course.

- Erulisse (one L)

[murielle]

Thank you. So much. :-)

I think you're right. In every one of my favorite robot movies the humans have this issue.

[talonkarrde]

Well written! We get the love we give, after all, and it stands to reason that it would be like that with any thinking being.

[murielle]

I believe that! Thank you so much for your kind words. <3