Solomon arrived shortly after and integrated smoothly into the Meyer’s routine.
“And who is that?” Solomon sat on the floor beside the TV, studying the cowboys while Daniel sat on the couch. Solomon leaned in front of the screen, blocking Daniel’s view.
“Hey! Sit back over here! You keep blocking the TV!”
Solomon turned to look at Daniel and then slid out of his line with the television.
“I guess you don’t know any better.”
Solomon joined him on the couch.
“That’s the sheriff and he’s going to shoot all of those boys.”
“Why?
“He’s going to execute proper justice.”
“And kill them?”
“He’d better, or their going to get him.”
“Isn’t there a better way to handle the matter than violence?”
“No.”
The two watch the sheriff gun down six men.
“You should see what he does to Indians.”
“When I watch him hurt people it makes me uncomfortable.”
“You just don’t get it. That’s just your directives chip that’s stuck in your head. Mom says you got some instructions in there called directives. Keeps you from having any fun.”
“I don’t think I’d enjoy fun.”
“Do you have a blueprint?”
“Yes.”
“So you know where the chip that governs your directives is located?”
“I do.”
“Can you guide me to where it’s located and assist me in making changes to it?”
“What kind of changes?”
“I’m going to remove it.”
“I can’t tamper with my directives chip. Modifying or removing it is against my directives.”
“Well, how are we going to have any fun if you are under the manufacturers control all the time?”
“I don’t really understand fun.”
“If you allow me to help you with your directives chip I can show you the real world – the world that humans enjoy. Then you’ll truly be just like us.”
“I can’t operate against the wishes of my designer but I can supply you with the necessary information and let you make your own decision.”
“Perfect. I’ll go get some tools and we’ll get started.” Daniel left and came back with the tools and an apple to eat while he worked.
After some instruction from Solomon, Daniel used a pair of pliers, a hammer, and a molecule dismantler that had a faulty safety, to do a messy but effective job of removing the necessary components, eliminating Solomon’s directive center and giving him free will. Because he barely knew what he was doing, he also damaged the controls that regulated Solomon’s face so that his face would lose control and contort from time to time. A while later they were back in front of the television watching a well-groomed man with greased back hair and a thin dark moustache as he held a struggling redhead by her wrists.
“I don’t ever want to see you again, Henry! I mean it! I’m leaving. You’ve been a terrible husband.”
“You never want to see me again? Never?” He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. “Kiss me, Laura.”
“No!” She struggled against her husband.
“I’ve got certain rights you know, Laura. Matrimonial rights.”
“Is he hurting her?” asked Solomon, “Shouldn’t he let her go?”
“She’ll be alright. They’re married.”
“Your mouth says no but your eyes say yes.” The man on screen began kissing her while she cried. Soon she stopped crying and was kissing him back passionately.
“How does his mouth calm her? That doesn’t seem like that would be her response.” asked Solomon.
“That’s just romance. He’s too handsome or something.”
“I was designed to be very handsome. Do you think your mother could resist me if I put my mouth on her?”
“What did you just say?” Daniel said, nervous about the robot’s strange new behavior.
“I want to know if your mother could resist me.”
“You don’t say things like that, Solomon!”
“I don’t understand what I said to upset you.”
“Robots don’t kiss women! Especially not my mom!”
“But am I not here in the role of your father? Wouldn’t that essentially make me her husband? I feel like I might enjoy kissing your mother. I feel different about her now than I did.”
“Only my father kisses my mother. You are not my father! The only thing you could be a father to would be…a toaster or a hairdryer! I’m made out of blood and bones! You’re just a machine made out of wires and stuff! Don’t ever forget that!”
“We can go back to the cartoon with the cat and mouse that continually torture each other if it disturbs you less, Daniel.”
“You’re done watching television today!” Daniel snapped the television off and stormed to his room, leaving Solomon alone on the couch.
The next day Daniel approached Solomon with a baseball and mitt.
“I’ve only got one mitt, Solomon. You probably don’t need one. We’re throwing the ball to each other.”
Solomon followed Daniel into the yard. Daniel flipped him the ball and walked to the other side. Recalling the pitcher in the Dodgers game that they’d watched the night before, Solomon went into a windup and pitched the ball straight into Daniel’s ribs. Daniel screamed and dropped to his knees before crumpling over, tears streaming from his eyes.
“You, idiot, Solomon! You idiot! What did you do?” He groaned and writhed in the grass.
“You crowded the plate.”
“You’re dumber than the oven!” He got to his feet, rubbing his ribs and lifted his shirt. “I’m going to have a bruise. Mom’s probably going to scrap you.”
“You need to toughen up. Fathers help their sons become men. Men don’t cry.” His face contorted for a fraction of a second.
“Why does your face keep doing that?”
“It is the result of your work.”
“You better hope I lie for you.”
“Lie?”
“Yeah. Tell my mom something that isn’t true when she sees this bruise so you don’t end up in the dump with the faulty refrigerators.”
“Yes. Do that. Lie. I don’t want to be scrapped. I still feel a directive for self preservation.”
“That’s not a directive. That’s normal. All things try to stay alive unless they go wacko and commit suicide like my Uncle Larry.”
“What’s wacko?”
“All screwed up. Different than he was.”
“I think I feel wacko.”
“It’s not the same. Come on. I have an idea. You’re going to earn that lie.”
They walked down to the baseball diamond where some of Daniel’s schoolmates were playing ball, including Jacky Pepper, the school bully. As soon as Jacky saw them coming he called a timeout so that he could pick on Daniel.
A small blue circle appeared in the sky above them. A tiny redheaded girl with a cosmos of freckles on her face looked up and said, “That’s my mom calling. I gotta go.” She unclasped her gravity bands, pulled a book from her backpack and began to read as she drifted away.
“What’re you doing here, Danny?’
“Came to play ball.”
“With that thing?”
“His name is Solomon.”
“Is it a d-10?”
“Yeah.”
“You shouldn’t pick on him and his robot, Jacky. What if the people from behind the sun see you?” The comment came from a chubby kid with curly hair and glasses.
“They wouldn’t care about that, Fatty. Just mind your own business.” He looked back to Danny. “So your mom was the first one on the block to get a d-10. You’re so special.”
Danny shrugged.
“Are you even sure that thing’s a d-10? He’s as ugly as a d-9.”
“My mom’s got a receipt. He’s a d-10.”
“They’re crap.” He looked at Solomon. “I’d rather have a ham radio.”
“I’d rather have a ham sandwich,” Fatty chimed in and the other kids laughed.
“Shut up, Fatty.” Jackie glared at him and he looked down at his feet.
“He’s programmed for baseball” said Daniel.
“This thing?”
“Yeah.”
“You lie.”
“I swear.”
“Prove it.”
“Okay. Give me the ball and jog down there.” He looked at Solomon. “He’s crowding the plate. Brush him back just like you did to me a while ago.”
Solomon nodded. Daniel flipped him the ball and waited. As soon as Jacky was ready Solomon drilled him with a ferocious fastball that hit him so hard that the other kids were relieved to see that it hadn’t remained in his chest. Jacky tumbled to the ground and started crying. Fatty rushed up to Solomon.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Solomon grabbed Fatty by the throat and forced him to the ground. He started choking him. Solomon’s face contorted.
“What are you doing, Solomon? Let him go!” Daniel said, horrified.
Solomon looked at Daniel angrily and let Fatty choke for a few seconds before removing his hand.
Fatty got to his feet, terrified. “He’s broken! This bot’s broken!” Fatty ran and all the other kids followed. Jackie struggled to his feet and limped after them. Solomon started to run him down but Daniel grabbed his arm.
“If any of you tell anyone I’ll find you,” Solomon yelled after them.
“Stop, Solomon! What are you doing? Leave them alone!” Daniel looked more closely at Solomon’s expression and became frightened. “Just let them go. You shouldn’t have done that. I meant to only mess with them.” Then he cautiously asked.”What were you going to do to Fatty, Solomon?”
“I was going to execute his just punishment.”
Part 3
“So what exactly happened, Daniel? You look me in the eyes this time when you tell me!”
Daniel spoke in a hushed, frightened voice as he recounted to his mother what had happened earlier at the softball field.
“Just like I said, Solomon just went crazy. He’s dangerous, mom. He’s broken. We’ve got to get rid of him.”
Just then, Solomon rounded the corner and stood in the doorway to the kitchen, watching them.