The sky is grey. Clouds hung heavy covering the sun, hiding the fact that it's only 3 P.M. My coat, scarf, and cap don't help much against the cold autumn wind. I guess it's my fault since it was I who decide to meet in this outdoor caf.
And yet the cold doesn't seem to bother him. My ex-boyfriend. He sits in front of me in his usual sweater and scarf. His name is Matthew Daniels. Or so he said. It's hard to believe what he said after what happened during our break up. But... something keeps bothered me about him. Intrigued me. And so I asked him out and we meet in this cold windy day.
"Still trying to find other wires?" he asked, smiling. Maybe I did stare. I can't help it. It's just too awkward.
"I can't find any. It's just too flawless," I make myself answer. He chuckle at my answer. I'm surprised he understands sarcasm. Or any humor for that matter. He is a robot. No, not figuratively. Literally.A T1000v1.2 humanoid android to be precise. That was what happened when we break up. He cut his finger trying to help me cook dinner. Instead of blood there was sparks from a cut wire. He saw my confusion and explained what happened to me.Â
His face looked so pained then. So afraid, sad, and full of guilt. But after he finished his explanation it was hard to accept that whether he was even capable of those feelings. It was hard enough to even address him as 'he' instead of 'it.' That was 5 months ago. We never met since then. But my curiosity finally gets the better of me.
"It's been a while, Elyse. How are you?" he asked, still smiling. He seems to feel the tension and try to ease it. I decide to play along. It's hard to converse being this tense.
"Same old. Work. Busy. How about you though? Still not rounded up I see." It is a hard time for android. Ever since 'The Robot Revolution' 5 years ago authority has been rounding them up. Product withdrawal. Even though these robots claim to own free will and consciousness, in law's views they are still items, products. And a faulty one at that. But still, there are people holding rallies supporting 'robot rights.' Could inanimate object have rights? We are not even sure about animal rights and now we add a new problem. Personally I don't care though. The issue has never bothered me or my life. Until him that is.
"Yeah, the perfect design does help," he said, chuckling. He always had a good sense of humor. But now I really doubt that humor. Could a machine actually joke?
"I do appreciate you not ratting me out, though. I really do," he said again.
I'm not even sure why I do that. There's a bounty on androids. Reporting him to the authority would be rewarded with cash or a brand new personal assistant robot. On the contrary, American Robotic, Inc --the company that made him- threat to sue those who harbor any androids. If anyone is to report this meeting I could be sued. But I make myself say, "Yeah, don't sweat it."
Awkward silence prevails for a few minutes. It was only broken when a waitress come to take our order. I order for a cup of warm chocolate and he asks for warm mochaccino. When the waiter leave I ask, "Do you even need that coffee?"
