Back at the garage, Kevin O`Conner has already gone home for the night. I had assumed he lived here or something, since he is caretaker for the robot that does live here, but it looks like he doesn`t care enough to do anything like that.

　　AR73 doesn`t seem too lonely about his absence. Right now it just seems excited about getting a bunch of new paints to experiment with.

　　Still, I bet the kid would do well if it had a better caretaker helping it around, someone who cares more about companionship. Like if it were raised by Karina. Or maybe even me. Okay, not me; I think I spelled doom for my short-term legal guardianship hopes with how I handled Kobi.

　　Heh, the thought of R8PR raising another robot as its own pops into my head. That would probably spell the end of human society pretty quickly, but it`d be kinda funny.

　　"You know, you`re a pretty good robot, and I don`t say that lightly," I tell AR73.

　　"You`re a pretty good human too."

　　"I wouldn`t go that far."

　　"Well, thanks for taking me to the art supply store. I got to meet a lot of new people and study nature, which I don`t get to do that often. I really hope you and Karina will visit me again soon."

　　"Speaking of that& It`s already dark. I wonder if Karina`s okay?"Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

　　"You should call her," AR73 says.

　　"Already on it." I take out my cell phone and call her.

　　She immediately picks up.

　　"Hello? Morgan? I was literally typing your number on my phone when you called."

　　Uncanny.

　　"Hey. Just checking to see if your practice went okay."

　　"I showed up half an hour late& But I didn`t get kicked out at least. How was AR73? Anything interesting happen?"

　　"AR73 foiled an armed robbery."

　　"What did you say?"

　　"Nothing."

　　"Uh, okay then&"

　　"You know, AR73 is actually really awesome. I never knew a robot could be so much fun. We need to come here more often."

　　"Wait, what? Are you joking?"

　　"No. What?"

　　"You& you never say stuff like that."

　　"I& uh& crap. I`ll see you tomorrow, Karina." I hang up quickly and try to forget I ever portrayed a genuine emotion to another person. I almost blew my cover.

　　AR73`s gone, I just realized. Must have gone inside when I was in my phone call. Well, I was going to make some final catchy farewell like, like "Paint me a picture, will ya?" or something, but I guess we`ll have to leave it at that for now.

　　But only a moment later, AR73 returns, holding a large sheet of cardstock. "Hey, Morgan. I made this for you. It`s probably not any good, but I hope you`ll accept it anyway."

　　Gee.

　　It`s not a painting, but a pencil drawing it must have made in just moments- a portrait of me. It`s essentially a photo replica drawn onto a dot matrix, but it`s pretty cool-looking. I don`t know enough about art to say if it`s good or not. Still. Awwwwwww&. "Thanks," I say. "I`m going to keep this."

　　"Interesting. I wasn`t sure how you`d react. You`re a perplexing individual, Morgan."

　　"Thanks."

　　I bend down, shake AR73`s hand, and make my way back home. If I hurry, I can probably catch the ten o`clock news and see if any mayoral candidates insulted each other in particularly-nasty ways today. My favorite sporting event.

　　"Today wasn`t so bad," I say to myself. It`s honestly kind of weird.