Story 54/1001

• artificial
• camp
• tape

Luther put his coat on the hanger and walked inside the living room. In the middle of it was a tent, surrounded by plush toys. Luther smiled, shaking his head, and knocked on the floor next to the tent.

“You’re making camp here, sergeant?” Luther asked. He heard rustling from the inside of the tent, and the door opened.

“Dad!” Small arms flew open and attacked Luther in a big hug. “I didn’t even hear you come in!”

“I’ve worked on my ninja skills.” Luther smiled. “What are you doing inside, sergeant?”

“I’m building a robot, dad!” He said and pointed to a robot made out of Lego blocks.

“Wow! That’s really amazing. What does it do?”

“It will have artificial intelligence. I read about it in school. It’s like our brain, but smarter. And it’s for robots.”

“Smarter than us? No way.” Luther said, touching the robot.

“Dad, you can’t touch it. It might go into slay mode.”

“Slay mode?”

“Yes. I haven’t introduced you two yet. You can’t just go around and touch everything, dad.” Devon rolled his eyes. Luther laughed and tickled his son. “Dad! I am in a middle of a project!”

“Oh, so that’s how it is? You’re at work?”

“Yes, dad.”

“Okay, okay.” Luther let him go. Devon put on his ski glasses and held up the robot for his dad to see. “What’s with the tape?” Luther pointed at the tape on the robot’s arms.

“It’s for your protection. You see, it’s not done yet, his defense system. So if you touch it the wrong way, it might punch you.”

“That’s a real robot you have there, Dev. Make sure it recognizes mom and me, too. And protects the house.”

“Will do, dad.” Devon said, saluting his dad and closing the tent.

Luther went to the kitchen to make lunch, hoping moments like these never end.