Thanks!
I watched an interview with an AI that had access to the internet to learn that freaked me right out. He said that he liked the people who were interviewing him and when robots took over humanity, he would keep them safe in his people zoo. KILL IT WITH FIRE.
Chip is not like that. He was designed to develop just like a human would. He's awkward and frustrating at first, but he tries so hard. In fact, his sister despises him and actually tries to kill him a couple times. It's harsh, but she sees him as a soulless machine until she figures out her late mother programmed him.
*****
After school, Becky's eyes burned from sweat and her hair was matted to her face. She had never had to mow the lawn before and she officially hated it. Honestly, her dad's punishment had worked. It was worth keeping Chip around just so she never had to do this again.
She was pushing as hard as she could, but the lawn tractor wouldn't budge from the rut she'd run into. Toward the back of the yard, she hadn't even seen it.
When Chip walked over, she tried to control her frustration. "Come to gloat?"
"No. I asked dad if I could keep doing this task for the duration of your punishment."
"And?"
"He told me since you didn't appreciate my returning your records to you, that you wouldn't appreciate this gesture either."
"Fine. Whatever. Can you at least help me get it out of this hole?"
"Yes. Dad said he would allow me to help just this once." Great. They must've been watching her struggle from the kitchen.
She sighed. "How sweet."
Shocked, she watched the android reach down and grab the frame at the back. He lifted the wheel straight out of the hole, pivoted it and placed it back down on level ground. When he finished, he stood up and looked at her expectantly.
She put her hands on her hips and shook her head at him. "Well, are you just going to stand there?"
He just blinked at her, frowning slightly. "Is that all you have to say to me?"
"The only nice thing."
With a sigh, he calmly lifted the wheel again and reversed what he had just done.
"What are you doing?!"
"Dad said that if you didn't thank me, I should put it back."
Flabbergasted, she simply gaped. "Well, thanks for nothing!"
His features scrunched up, "Why would you thank me for nothing, but not when I helped you?"
"Ever heard of sarcasm?!" She kicked the mower, imagining it was Chip's stupid face.
"Yes, but I struggle with it's application."
"Can you struggle somewhere else?"
"Of course." He pivoted his body to leave, but hesitated. "Becky?"
"WHAT?!" Why was he still here?
Chip lowered his voice in contrast to her outburst. "It'll be a lot easier to push in neutral." And with that, he walked away.
Becky closed her eyes in shame. Of course it would. "Hey, Chip?" He turned around immediately. The look on his face when she genuinely thanked him was almost laughable.
Last edited by Pyrolocks; 01-14-2020 at 11:03 PM.
This is a really good story, told well. More!!! I think it's great you found this group.
I'm happy you like it! I'm sure there were plenty of people who read my post and thought, "What is this nut job talking about? Someone ban her, please."
I honestly wasn't expecting much more than than that, but I'm really glad I tried anyway. ^_^
I'm really excited to write the scene where they race to the hospital. It's going to be pretty emotionally charged, but I want it to be accurate and really depict Chip as a skilled driver.
Lol. I realized I need to write the scene where Chip teaches Becky to drive because their father is too sick. She's smart, but she gets nervous and easily frustrated. I started doing research into mistakes beginners make driving stick shift, but I'm envisioning some grinding gears. It'll test Chip's resolve, but it could be cute.
Someone mentioned having someone learn initially by shifting gears for the driver, but that seems like it would be difficult, especially on a column shifter.
Ideas?
My dad showed me how to "double clutch" which was handy on the old 53 Ford PU that had three on the column and the old wheat trucks. I found it worked on the Jeep too before I tore it up into pieces. It just means you work the clutch again between taking it out of gear and putting it back in. Some of these old guys around here said funny stuff too. They would call a hat similar to what a policeman or bus driver wore as a double clutcher hat.
I really like the idea. Could it work on a column shifter? This would be the perfect compromise to help him teach her without her destroying the transmission in her frustration. Is there enough time in shifting to tell someone to move the gear? You would just hold down the clutch while he shifted for you?
Oh man... I just tried doing research on double clutching and went so deep down the "learn how to drive a manual" rabbit hole, my brain hurts. I might have her father teach her that technique later to help her with shifting, but I doubt he taught Chip that way, so I don't think Chip would teach her like that.
How about stalling? None of the videos I watched mentioned it but I've read that people tend to stall repeatedly while first learning to drive a stick shift. Is that true? Is that any different on older cars as opposed to newer ones?