Klara and the Sun

It was unfortunate Josie should have come in just when I was rear-store. Even so, I was sure she would in time come to my part of the store and see me, and that was one reason why I remained where I was, not making a sound. But perhaps there was a further reason. For a fear had entered my mind almost at the same moment I’d felt joy on realizing who had come into the store — a fear to do with what Manager had said to me that day, about how children often made promises, then didn’t return, or if they did, ignored the AF to whom they’d made the promise and chose another. Perhaps that was why I went on waiting there quietly.

Then Manager’s voice came again, and there was something new in it.

‘Excuse me, miss. Do I understand you were looking for a particular AF? One you’d seen here before?’

‘Yes, ma’am. You had her in your window a while back. She was really cute, and really smart. Looked almost French? Short hair, quite dark, and all her clothes were like dark too and she had the kindest eyes and she was so smart.’

‘I think I might know who you mean,’ Manager said. ‘If you’d follow me, miss, we’ll find out.’

Only then did I move to where they would see me. I’d been out of the Sun’s patterns all morning, but now I stepped into two bright intersecting rectangles just as Manager, and Josie following, came up to the arch. When Josie saw me her face filled with joy and she quickened her stride.

‘You’re still here!’

She had become even thinner. She kept coming with her uncertain stride, and I thought she was about to embrace me, but she stopped at the last moment and looked up into my face.

‘Oh boy! I really thought you’d gone!’

‘Why would I be gone?’ I said quietly. ‘We made a promise.’

‘Yeah,’ Josie said. ‘Yeah, I guess we did. I guess I was the one who screwed up. I mean taking so long.’

As I smiled at her, she called over her shoulder: ‘Mom! This is her! The one I’ve been looking for!’

The Mother came slowly towards the arch, then stopped. And for a moment, all three were looking at me: Josie at the front, beaming happily; Manager, just behind her, also smiling, but with a caution in her look which I took as an important signal from her; and then the Mother, her eyes narrowed like people on the sidewalk when they’re trying to see if a taxi is free or already taken. And when I saw her and the way she was looking at me, the fear — the one that had all but vanished when Josie had cried, ‘You’re still here!’ — came back into my mind.

‘I didn’t mean to take so long,’ Josie was saying. ‘But I got a little sick. I’m fine again though.’ Then she called back: ‘Mom? Can we buy her right away? Before someone else comes in and takes her?’

There was silence, then the Mother said quietly, ‘This one isn’t a B3, I take it.’

‘Klara is a B2,’ Manager said. ‘From the fourth series, which some say has never been surpassed.’

‘But not a B3.’

‘The B3 innovations are truly marvelous. But some customers feel, for a certain sort of child, a top-range B2 can still be the most happy match.’

‘I see.’

‘Mom. Klara’s the one I want. I don’t want any other.’

‘One moment, Josie.’ Then she asked Manager: ‘Every Artificial Friend is unique, right?’

‘That’s correct, ma’am. And particularly so at this level.’

‘So what makes this one unique? This…Klara?’

‘Klara has so many unique qualities, we could be here all morning. But if I had to emphasize just one, well, it would have to be her appetite for observing and learning. Her ability to absorb and blend everything she sees around her is quite amazing. As a result, she now has the most sophisticated understanding of any AF in this store, B3s not excepted.’

‘Is that so.’

The Mother was once again looking at me with narrowed eyes. She then took three more steps towards me.

‘You mind if I ask her a few questions?’

‘Please go ahead.’

‘Mom, please…’

‘Excuse me, Josie. Just stand over there a moment while I talk to Klara.’

Then it was the Mother and me, and though I tried to keep a smile on my face, it was not easy, and I might even have let the fear show.

‘Klara,’ the Mother said. ‘I want you not to look towards Josie. Now tell me, without looking. What color are her eyes?’

‘They’re gray, ma’am.’

‘Good. Josie, I want you to keep absolutely silent. Now, Klara. My daughter’s voice. You heard her speak just now. How would you say her voice was pitched?’

‘Her conversational voice has a range between A-flat above middle C to C octave.’

‘Is that so?’ There was another silence, then the Mother said: ‘Last question. Klara. What did you notice about the way my daughter walks?’

‘There’s perhaps a weakness in her left hip. Also her right shoulder has potential to give pain, so Josie walks in a way that will protect it from sudden motion or unnecessary impact.’

The Mother considered this. Then she said, ‘Well, Klara. Since you appear to know so much about it. Will you please reproduce for me Josie’s walk? Will you do that for me? Right now? My daughter’s walk?’