MOTY notes

Ted the Tiny Robot

Ted’s Adventure by Kathryn Proulx

Ya know that itch in the middle of your back that you can never quite scratch?  Well, that’s a job for Ted.  He was invented to get that spot that you just can’t reach.  He’s great because he’s small and has bristle brushes for hands. He also has a little kitchen timer on his side – that’s how he shuts down at night, then he powers up in the morning when it goes, “RRRRing!”

That’s how this particular morning started.  Ted’s timer went off and, as usual, he jumped off his shelf and climbed down the stairs.  The inventor was sitting at the kitchen table and said, “Good Morning Ted.” “Good Morning,”  Ted replied.

Ted sat down on the table,  popped the fresh battery sitting on a plate into his side and felt ready for the day.

He asked the inventor, “How are you today?”  The inventor said, “I’m great, thanks – But, I do have a little itch on my back right under my neck.  Can you reach it for me, Ted?”  “No problem!” said Ted.  He hopped up onto the inventor’s shoulder and scratched.  “Thank you, Ted.  You are an excellent robot and friend.” said the inventor.

Then the inventor announced, “Well, it’s time for me to get to work.  Have a great day, Ted.”  “Thank you very much, and same to you.”  Ted replied.

After the inventor left, Ted decided that today was going to be different.  Usually, he would shut himself down for a little while, maybe watch some tv, he liked the science and nature channels, or just look out the window and watch the world.  But, today he told himself, “I need an adventure!”  So, Ted found an open window and climbed though it.  It was a little bit of a squeeze, but he got through.  Rather, tumbled through and landed in the bushes.  He got up, ran a systems check, brushed himself off (brush hands are handy that way) and walked out to the sidewalk.

“Wow.”  He thought.  “There are so many things out here.  It’s bright, the sky’s so blue, the grass is so green, and look another robot just pulled up in the road and stopped!”  It was sort of big, metallic and boxy.  It had 4 wheels and two lights in the front.  When it stopped, Ted said, “Hello!  This is my first time out.  What’s your name?”  The big robot just sat there, his motor kept chugging and humming, but he completely ignored Ted.  Then suddenly, he sped away.  Ted thought, “Hm, I guess not all robots are friendly.  He sure was in a hurry.”

As he continued walking, a little squirrel came up to him and sniffed.  “Hi Squirrel!”  (Ted knew it was a squirrel, ’cause he’d seen them on the nature channel.)  The squirrel said, “You’re strange, what are you?”  Ted said, “I’m a robot!”  The squirrel twitched his tail and said, “Wow, I’ve never met a robot before.  What do you do?”  Ted said, “I scratch itches, you know, the ones you can’t reach – see my bristle brush hands?” The squirrel did a little jump and asked, “Oh my!  I’ve had an itch all morning behind my left ear, and I just can’t reach it, would you?  “Of course,” said Ted.  “That’s what I do!”  So Ted reached up and gave the squirrel a good scratch behind his left ear.  The squirrel chattered and was quite happy and yelled, “Thanks, Ted!” as he bounded away to go look for nuts.  (‘Cause that’s what squirrels do.)

Next, Ted walked to the corner.  He stopped and looked up and saw a rather strange looking robot.  He was made from a tall pole, had a big rectangular box for a head, and a red, yellow, and green light that kept changing.  “Hello, tall and very still robot, I am Ted.”  The very tall and very still robot didn’t say anything either.  He just switched from green to yellow.  “Hm.”  Thought Ted.  “This robot must communicate using only visual signals, perhaps I will try flashing my eyes to see if he responds.”  Just as Ted flashed his orange eyes, the very tall and very still robot changed his light to red!  “Excellent!” thought Ted.  “He’s clearly trying to tell me something.”  Ted walked away, pleased about the communication, although he didn’t know exactly what was said.

Ted walked around for a little more, then ran into a big brown dog.  The dog seemed sad.  He was howling and whining a little.  Ted said, “Hello big brown dog, why are you sad?”  The dog looked down, and not expecting to see a robot, he growled.  Ted held up his bristle brush hands and said, “I’m just a tiny robot, and I like to ask questions.”  “Oh,” said the big brown dog.  “I’m just a dog and I’ve been lost for a couple of days.  You see, I was chasing a rabbit, and I chased him so long that now I don’t know where I am.”   Ted asked, “Is there anything I can do to help make you happy?”  The big brown dog thought about it and said, “Well, I’m always happy when someone scratches my tummy!”  Ted knew just what to do.  The big brown dog rolled over and Ted gave him a good scratch on the tummy.   Then the big brown dog said, “Thanks Ted, I feel much better, but I still don’t know how to get home.”  Ted said,  “That’s simple, you will come home with me.”

So, Ted climbed up onto the big brown dog’s neck, and holding onto his collar, they rode to Ted’s home together.  The inventor was home from work and said, “Ted, I was so worried, where have you been and who’s your friend?”  Ted said, “I had an adventure today!  I met robots that don’t talk, I met robots that just flash lights, I met a squirrel, and I met this lost dog.  Can the dog please stay with us?”

The inventor smiled and said, “Ted, you are an excellent robot and friend.  Yes.  Of course he can stay.”

The next day, Ted decided to stay home.  He’d had enough adventure for one week.  He turned on the tv and he and the big brown dog watched together.  It was the nature channel.  Ted asked, “Do you mind watching this show?  The big brown dog said, “As long as it’s not about rabbits, I’m fine.”  Ted said, “You got it, I’m glad we’re friends.”  “Me too,” said the big brown dog.

The End.