I am beginning to prefer succinct conversations

with robots currently winning over humans

but invariably the robots get confused

after guessing incorrectly at my words

then switch the line to what I assume is another human

although I've been fooled more than once

which never amuses the robots.


Not having a sense of humor will be

their inevitable downfall I'm sorry to say

for our eventually sentient comrades

although the same could be observed

about some doctors, lawyers and

your average person in a coffee shop.


For years, my mail order prescription service

used a cute female robot whose voice politely

informed me that my recent household order

had been received, would be promptly filled

and shipped to my location, adding sweetly,

There's nothing further you need to do.

(slight pause) Goodbye.(emphasis on good)


I now have a different mail order pharmacy

and despite promises of the same great service,

she is gone except in my memory where even though

I knew what was going to be said, I listened

to the entire message just to feel uplifted and

to hear a robot's encouraging words, a robot's goodbye.


reQuest 2018