Personification is inevitable in this line of work. Anthropomorphism. Pareidolia. The human brain is hardwired to see patterns where there are none and intentionality in randomness. It’s the reason why the Turing test has long since been disregarded as anything more than science fiction. If we want to see humanity in something, even a pile of spindles and wires, we will. So, when she is actually advanced…
A: It speaks, you say?
B: Aye.
A: Then open. I will have words.
(BEAT)
A: Give me no such look! The charges will be read and it will be shot like the animal it is. But it will first answer for the men murdered by its own hand.
B: And teeth.
A: Open!
W: Doc, good you’re here.
D: I must confess, William, when I said my door was always open that was a slight exaggeration. While I am always happy to take walk-ups, I cannot have people barging into my office unannounced. What if another client had been here?
W: I don’t have time to wait, I need pills. Sleeping pills.
D: Sit, please. Let’s chat.
W: Can’t we just skip that and—
D: I am not in the habit of writing prescriptions without due cause.
Thank you. I promise you can get back to your—uh—chit chat and all that momentarily. I know I wasn’t the—uh—winner of the charisma lottery in my—our family [pause for laughter that does not come] [clears throat] Anyway, uh—it would be remiss of me not to thank—uh—the patron—you, our patrons—for your—uh—donatio—investments. I really think, you’ll find here in—uh—just a moment that we—your money has been put to good use. Thank you again.
Mizar (M): My goodness, how do people do this? We are not halfway, even.
Boötis (B): Your goodness? Ha!
M: Why laugh at me?
B: I laugh at only my own foolishness, my dear. You grow daily. Yet I often forget.
