MERF: My Everyday Robot Friend

[Rachel Jardine]

Orville don’t you think it’s time we cleaned our house?  Wilbur asked with a very concerned look on his face.  “Indeed I do but when are we going to find the time?”   Orville asked with as much worry on his face as his brother.  You see Wilbur and Orville Cootie were inventors.  They spent all day and most of the night in their workshop inventing new things to make their friends lives a little easier.   Guess in the process they forgot to make things easier on themselves as well.  They finished up with breakfast and as they did every other day, they headed out to their workshop.

 

                They made their way through nuts and bolts, pieces of metal and wood mainly because they never threw away anything, there is always going to be a use for the bits and pieces that littered the floor.  Wilbur got to his desk and started to put some pieces together, much like he did everyday while Orville pounded on a sheet of metal much like he did everyday.

 

                For hours they carried on pretty much the same until there was a thundering ‘BANG’, a sheet of metal fell to the floor.  “I’ve got it Wilbur!” exclaimed Orville.  “What have you got, a broken leg?”  asked Wilbur without even looking up.  “We can build an everyday robot friend to help us with our chores, that way the house is clean and we can spend all our time inventing!”   Orville shouted with much excitement.  “I do believe that’s a splendid idea brother” complimented Wilbur.  “It’s Brilliant! If i do say so myself” answered Orville very excitedly.

 

                And so the work began.  Cutting and screwing, pounding and prodding, for hours they worked and finally it was finished.   “I Believe we have outdone ourselves this time my brother!”   Wilbur stated in a very pleased manner.  “By tootsiepops  Wibur I think this is our best work yet!”  Orville was too excited to contain himself.  “Let’s go try him out.”   They started towards the main house when Peng-Wayne came walking up the path.  “Wow what’s that?” Peng-Wayne asked in astonishment.  “That’s our newest masterpiece, he’s going to help us with our chores” Wilbur answered with excitement.

 

                As thye entered the kitchen they gave the  robot some room to start up.  With a chugging,  a clang and a puff of smoke he turned his head and asked, “hello there, how can I be of help?”  “Did you hear that Wilbur?”  Orville was so excited he looked like he was about to pop.  “Why yes Robot, you can.  Clean up this mess, i want a sparkling house” ordered Wilbur.  They stood back and watched as the robot wooshed across the kitchen picking up plates and paper, forks and banana peels.  “This is great Orville, he’ll be done in no time and our hour will be as clean as a new pin” Orville exclaimed. 

 

                Just then as Wilbur was ready to accept that their new invention was a success something went wrong.  The Robot’s hand started spinning uncontrollably knocking down pots and pans, everything that was cleaned, now lay smashed to pieces on the floor.  “Great Tootsiepops Mr. Orville, he’s wrecking everything” said Peng-Wayne.  “You’re right lets take him outside before there’s no kitchen left to clean”  Orville shouted.   The three hurriedly pushed him outside into the garden and he came to a stop. 

 

“Well thats just outstanding!” sighed Wilbur, “we built him to clean now we have an even bigger mess on our hands.”   “that’s a shame, he looks so fancy with all his moving parts, i think you all should try him again” Peng-Wayne advised.   “No No little Wayne, this was NOT one of our grander ideas” Orville stated in a disappointed way, “let’s just all have a snack now.”

 

                So the cootie brothers sat down with some fruit looking a little defeated while Peng-Wayne with his natural curiosity walked around the robot, around and around.  He was so fascinated.  “what else can he do Mr. Wilbur?”  Wayne was eager for an answer.  “Just clean thats about it” Wilbur answered.  “That’s not true, i can play hide and seek and tag and catch bugs and who knows what else” explained the robot.  Everyone’s mouths hung open in astonishment.   The cootie brothers sprung from their seats and ran to Peng-Wayne and the robot.  “Did he just say he can play hide and seek?” asked Orville.  “I do say, that’s what he said” answered Wilbur.   “What are we going to do with a robot that can play hide and seek and tag” shouted Wilbur.

 

                Peng-Wayne was so excited   while the cootie brothers looked at each other as if they had wasted all their time building him.  “Wayne would you like to play a game of tag with me, i don’t want to clean i’m not very good at it?” Robot asked.  “Sure, i would love to,there’s not much people around here to play with me, everyone’s always too busy”  Peng-Wayne answered so fast he ran out of breath.   As they started to play the cootie brothers didn’t even notice because they were to busy coming up with uses for the Robot.  They went back and forth but neither of them could find a suitable need for him.  Then they heard the loudest laughter either of them ever heard.  It was Peng-Wayne, he was playing with robot and so so happy.  They both looked at each other and right then they knew waht was Robot’s purpose.   He was going to be Wayne’s friend.

[Rachel Jardine]

Please feel free ti leave comments and critique on my story, thank you