How to Teach Your Robot to Love

Step 7: Let silence do some of the talking to your robot.

We left the cafe, after gathering our stuff.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked, as we crossed the street.

The down town area was essentially many small shops lining either side of a wide street. The area tapered off as the highway intersected with the road. St the corner of that intersection was the school, on the other side was a small church. The rest after these buildings appeared to just be other houses.

"Hm, only if you'd like me to" David responded after thinking for a moment, "how do you feel about surprises?"

"Well, It takes me a minute to take them in, but as long as they're not unpleasant, I don't mind. In this situation I don't care too much because you know this town better than I do. I trust that you're not going to disappoint me, so surprise away David" I answered.

"Nothing would pleasure me more, miss" he replied, beaming.

"Do you always talk like that?" I inquired, smirking.

"Like what?" he asked in response, seeming confused.

"I might describe is as formally, but not for the purpose of showing class, but to show some comedic form of chivalry?" I described, a little displeased as the correct words weren't coming to me.

"Well, no. It's not like I speak like that with my dad. It's actually just a you thing, really" he laughed, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Why do you? It's just a quirk I haven't really seen before, and those sorts of things interest me." I babbled. This was the first time I had seen something I say embarrass him.

"I appreciate it in my own selfish way, and I hope to god it's charming" he admitted, sheepishly.

"I think all of us do that; take on different quirks we like in theory and hope other people like them as much as we do" I added "and don't worry too much it is charming, in it's own quirky way".

"Thanks" he said. There was something about the way he smiled that made me just a little bit crazy. It was hard to be opposed to starting to crush on him. I kept looking for reasons to suppress it, but that was hard too.

"Ida?" I heard David say, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, sorry what did you say?" I asked, shaking it off.

"No worries, I was just saying that we're here" he replied. I chuckled, looking up at the illuminated sign for the local music store above us.

"'Mack the Spatula', that's clever" I pointed out.

"I know right, I mean if he didn't make some sort of pun there he'd be wasting an opportunity" said David, as we entered.

"Wait his name is actually Mack?" I asked.

"Yup, Mackenzie Lambert, a family friend of mine. Ain't that right Mack?" He hollered to the back of the store.

"Why yes, David Jamieson" a voice shouted in response.

A few seconds later a man appeared at the entrance to the store, where we were. He was a fairly large man, who looked to be in his late thirties, had a balding head of light brown hair and wore a loose pair of jeans and a faded, red, short-sleeve, button down shirt. He smiled at the sight of the two of us.

"Nice to see you here Dave, who's your friend?" he asked warmly.

"I'm Ida" I greeted.

"Hm, haven't seen you around these parts, nice to meet you" he said, offering his hand, which I shook.