Never pickup the hitchhiker – Tales of the Courier
Ten minutes from now none of this will matter. Because in ten minutes he is going to dump the robot. It doesn’t sound pretty. Of course, it wasn’t very pretty, when the robot disappeared. No one was laughing then. And no one is laughing now, either. 1courier looks into the rear view mirror again. The robot sits quietly in the backseat with a slight bend at the neck. It appears to be sleeping. However, 1courier knows better.
In fact, not twenty minutes ago, the robot was gone. Disappeared without a trace. 1courier gives the highway patrol officer his license. Then he hands over his insurance papers, and his waybill from HQ. Maybe that will hurry things along. Then he looks in the rear view mirror again. No more taking chances with this robot. It’s already proven that it’s much more than meets the eye. For example, the way it disappeared. Then ten minutes after that, it shows up as a hitchhiker on the side of the road.
In fact, that’s why he stopped. He thought it was a hitchhiker. However, it was the robot. 1courier stares at his side mirror. He watches the highway patrol officer return to his car. Now it’s a waiting game. Will he get a ticket? He looks in the rear view mirror. The robot pretends to be inactive.
“What about it, rust bucket? Nothing to say? You know, you’re the reason we got pulled over, right?” The robot remains silent and motionless. 1courier scowls at the mirror. Five minutes ago, they were wrestling for the steering wheel.
Never Pickup the Hitchhiker
This entire concept is a new one from HQ. In fact, he is running the pilot delivery. The test run. Furthermore, it’s the newest concept in delivery. Humans delivering robots. And they are about to find out there’s a bug in their machine. The blue lights from the patrol car, pulse and flicker, inside the ride. Likewise it has a sinister effect on the robot’s appearance. 1courier can’t tell if the thing is activated or not. And to add to the confusion, at that moment, the m-com link flashes.
1courier is about to flip open the m-com link when he notices movement in his side mirror. The Safety Patrol officer is on his way back to the ride. The officer could win an award for the best poker face ever. 1courier can’t tell if he is getting a ticket, or warning, or worse. He watches the Officer until he appears back at his window. There is a brief moment when 1courier thinks the Officer is going to ask about the robot. However, nothing comes up.
Tales of the Courier
For the next three minutes 1courier listens to the Officer instruct him on staying in his lane. The m-com link flashes again. 1courier rolls his eyes. Then the Officer writes him a ticket. All this, because he picked up a hitchhiker. He thinks about trying to explain the robot. Then changes his mind. He just wants to forget the damn robot. Get this ticket, deliver the rust bucket, and make tracks in the opposite direction. He checks the rear view mirror again. There is no robot.
The robot is gone. He looks again. Then he quickly looks away. The Officer is still writing the ticket. How long does it take to write one of those things anyway? Furthermore, where the hell did the robot go? And how? 1courier tries to scan every inch of the backseat with the rear view mirror. He doesn’t want to turn around while the officer is still standing here. How did the robot get out of the car without anyone seeing it? The thought is on a continuous loop in the front of his mind.
The Hitchhiker
“I’m just writing you up for an improper lane change.” The Officer tears the ticket from his ticket pad. “I could’ve written it for reckless driving.” 1courier looks at the Officer. Still no reaction to the missing robot. They share a mutually distant parting word, and 1courier watches the Officer return to his patrol car. He isn’t sure he will find the robot again. Furthermore, he only found it the first time because it was acting like a hitchhiker.
1courier fires up the ride. The Patrol car turns off its blue flashing lights and 1courier waits for the Patrol Officer to pull around him. It’s possible he might find the robot hitchhiking again. The patrol car pulls around 1courier. The robot is perched on the roof of the car. And he gives 1courier a hearty one finger wave, as they pass by. Then 1courier watches the Patrol car, robot and all, speed off down the highway.
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