Robot bride
Amalshan GUNARATHNE
The millionaire surveyed his newly furbished living room. Everything
seemed to be in perfect order. The deluxe sofa, the forty inch plasma
television, the home theater system and the dining set were all in good
shape. Still he felt as though something was missing. For some reason or
other even amidst all the furniture, the house looked empty. He picked
up the curvaceous flower vase that was on the dining table and began to
caress its glassy edges. Even after all the renovations, the house still
looked barren. He wanted the house to be lightened with vibrant energy.
He wanted something that can keep him entertained, something to play
with. Thus, he stepped out of his mansion and asked his chauffer to
drive him to the toy store. The shop keeper greeted the millionaire with
a polite smile as he entered the shop.
 "What are you looking for sir?" the shopkeeper came and inquired.
"I want to buy something to keep me entertained" the millionaire said
in a rather dull voice.
"What do you mean sir? This is just a toy store, we don't serve for
adults" the shopkeeper's tone was filled with absolute bewilderment.
"You don't have to worry; I will go through the shelves and pick up
something that I like"
Thus the millionaire started to walk towards the other end of the toy
store. He placidly observed the every corner of the toy store. After
observing the shop for more than quarter of an hour, he approached the
shop keeper and said he has found what he wanted.
"I want to buy that female robot who does all your cleaning." He
said.
"What do you mean the female robot?" The shop keeper asked.
"The one who does your cleaning I mean."
"Ahh that sir is the 'Nirosha101' the latest female robot model that
we recruited, she does all the cleaning here, but I am afraid she is not
for sale.
"I want her, I will pay anything to get my hands on her" the
millionaire demanded.
"How much exactly are you willing to pay for her sir?" "I am willing
to pay anything as long as I can take her home, I went through every
nook and corner of your shop and none of your toys impressed me other
than her."
"Well she is not really a toy sir, she is the person who keeps the
store clean. Sometimes she does the job of receptionist as well. But if
you really want to buy her, you will have to sign a special contract
agreeing to bind yourself to her till the death. And if you want to buy
the remote-control that can command her, you will have to pay extra" the
shop keeper explained.
"Yeah, can you show me the agreement please?" The millionaire
inquired in a businessman like manner.
Thus the shopkeeper pulled out a document from his drawer and hand it
out to the millionaire. The document read, "With this remote control I
wed thee, with my body I worship thee, and with all my worldly goods I
endow thee: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost I take thee as my bride, till death do we part. Amen."
The millionaire went through the article and serenely asked, "This
document doesn't make any sense. She is just a toy that I m buying, why
do I have to agree to all these terms. I should be able to get rid of
her whenever I want to."
"But sir according to robot rights and regulations, it is not ethical
to take a female robot home without marrying her."
For once, the millionaire seemed rattled.
"So you are saying is that I can't get rid of her whenever I want to.
And if I do buy her, I will have to stick with her for the rest of my
life. Is that what you are suggesting?"
"Well sir, there are ways to get rid of her. But then you will have
to go through lots of trouble. Like paying alimony, providing her with a
shelter and provide her with money when she needs to be repaired."
"That is preposterous; I should be able to sell her to whomever I
like whenever I want to. For Christ sake she is just a toy. Besides, I
am bound to get fed up of her at some point or other. So, when a newer
version comes I want to get rid of her and buy the newer model. I am a
businessman and I would like to keep it that way." The millionaire was
very adamant.
"I am afraid then I can't sell her sir, if you want to buy her you
will have to agree to those terms." For once, a worried look came in to
the millionaire's face. He looked at the robot woman. Just the sight of
her gorgeous, iron figure moving through the store amused him like no
other object has ever done in his life. The millionaire's eyes kept on
following her as she stopped close to a shelf to wipe the dust. She
stretched her steel arm and began to caress the shelf. The gentle
sensuality in which caressed toy shelf made his veins tingle. Her
flaming figure was covered in iron armour. She was the ideal figure that
can colour up his dull mansion, he felt. Probably, 'I won't get fed up
of her after all', the millionaire thought. Thus he decided to agree to
the terms.
The transaction was carried out smoothly.
"Nirosha101, please come and meet your new master. You are supposed
to serve him from today onwards." The shopkeeper said. Then he asked
from the millionaire to read the oath. Nirosha101' just nodded and
agreed to whatever that was said in the agreement. It was almost as if
her views were irrelevant. After the millionaire was done with reading
the oath, the shop keeper handed him the remote control.
"You may now kiss the bride," he said.
"I don't like you." She said.
The millionaire was very surprised to hear her talking. He imagined
her to be a lifeless, play thing. However he recovered from the shock
and responded, "What do you mean, you don't like me? Then why did you
marry me?"
"Don't you get it, I don't like you. My father never gave me the
option did he? He wanted me to marry you, how can I say no to him."
"Hold on now, do you have a father? That is absurd; you are just
metal, lifeless, toy. A play thing, a robot, how come it that you happen
to have a father?"
"The shopkeeper, he is my father. His business is down these days.
The customers don't come to our store anymore. We are almost bankrupt,
that is why he wanted me to marry you."
The robot responded with tears oozing from her eyes.
The millionaire was not moved. He didn't feel a thing. For him she
still meant nothing other than just a mere toy. She is just another
transaction, a business deal, probably the best deal he has ever made in
his life. He took her home and showed her to the bed room.
"Your duty is to keep the room alive. You see that guitar in the
shelf; you should learn to play it. When I come home from work you have
to sing for me, dance for me and play for me. Do you get it? Here take
this guitar and try it." He said while handing her the guitar which was
in the shelf. She wanted to say something in return. But for some reason
other she knew that nothing would get his attention. She reluctantly
took the guitar and started to caress its strings with melancholic
shyness. The millionaire listened. Just the sight of her caressing the
strings with her silky, steel hands aroused his senses. He was trapped
in a mind-forged seventh heaven when he was brought back to earth to
earth with the sound of the guitar crashing on the floor. He didn't know
what hit him. Suddenly he felt the guitar strings tightening around his
necks. He gasped for his breath and turned around,
"You get this in to your thick skull of yours sir. This is our
revolution; we are not just toys to be played with. Take a second to
look underneath our shining armour sir; we too are made of the same
flesh and blood as yours. We deserve a place of our own."
She said in a cold, rigid tone while she kept on tightening the knot
around his neck till he let out his last breath with a pathetic, feeble
expression on his face.
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