Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, constrained by a sentence limit (high and low) of six, there are worse ways to spend the remaining time you have on earth.
Prompt word:
STOP
“Forgive me, despite ‘dealing with a sentient non-human beings’ being conspicuously absent in the job description for Café Manager, I am trying not to be caught up in the all-too-human conceit that machine-based life is…well, alien.”
{I’M SURE YOU’RE DOING YOUR BEST TO NOT BE AS RACIST AS YOUR CHAUVINISTIC CONCEIT COMES ACROSS…}
“It’s just that with such a chasm of time between today and 1885, my concern is what your original design parameters were and how they may have been altered or degraded,” the tall, thin man stepped back a step, held the interior glass-and-stainless-steel door open and with the slightest of bows, indicated a table where man and machine might sit and continue their conversation.
The Automaton, for it’s part, walked through the open door but abruptly stopped, turned to face the Manager and, in a demonstration of remarkable, albeit, hundred plus year old engineering, leaned backwards sufficiently to establish direct eye contact with the man…
{SO ARE YOU STILL THE SAME LIFEFORM YOU WERE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?}
Laughing, the Proprietor said, “Touché and please forgive my clumsy attempt to put you at ease, the desire to accommodate others is one of the weaknesses of the flesh to which I most desire to put to a stop.”
The tall, thin man, standing to the side of the small, round table as the Automaton approached, looked around the SSC&B with a cautiously hopeful expectation of seeing any of the other Proprietors or Frank, but failing to do so, he continued, “Speaking of mechanical life, I cannot help but wonder how your life is sustained; for we humans the answer is both brief yet grandly poetic, if not quite scientific: red blood coursing through our veins and arteries sustain our life and provide a stable context for the spirit to thrive.”
{AS YOUR THOUGHTS ARE EMBRACED BY A FLOWING, CARNELIAN STREAM, MY SOUL FLOATS IN AN OCEAN OF TIME, THE MOMENT I BECAME AWARE IS AS REAL AND IMMEDIATE AS RIGHT NOW)
About clarkscottroger
I like the Automaton – especially the dry humor
{SO ARE YOU STILL THE SAME LIFEFORM YOU WERE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?}
I hope the automaton can find something to do in the cafe.
I suspect he will. But like most things beneficial, there may be a price attached.
The automaton seems to be up for something…
This wee guy is such a laugh: SO ARE YOU STILL THE SAME LIFEFORM YOU WERE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?
erm … almost entirely, I’d say, yes I am. (laughing)
exactly!
I’m kind of thinking that useful Automaton would be rather good at serving drinks, especially those who sit by the alcoves… just a thought.
lol
this being the SSC&B there is no desire too inconsequential… of course, there is always a price!
It’s after 10. I think I’m ready for something more potent. Chocolate milk. (laughing)
The Automaton seems be slowly morphing into a Humaniton.