Tomorrow is the day of my surgery. Nothing serious, of course. Just the surgery that is going to transform me into an android. I use the term “surgery” loosely. It’s not exactly a surgery… but I’m not sure how the whole process works.
I am on my way to my father’s house when I hear whisper from the large, thick forest in front of me. The hair stands up on the back of my neck as I freeze in place. I look into the forest as far as I could. I can’t see more than five feet into the forest.
I proceed to walk toward my father’s house, ignoring the shivers down my spine. Surely, I was just hearing things. No one was calling me from inside the forest.
I knock on my father’s door and smile in anticipation. I was hoping and praying that he would accept my life changing decision—literally.
My father opens the door and grins. He reaches down and hugs me. “Ah, my baby girl…” He grunts as he squeezes me tighter. “What brings you here to see your old man?”
Old man was the proper term used to describe him. He is still kicking it even though he is in his late seventies. However, his salt and pepper hair made him seem younger.
“Actually, some pretty big news brought me here.” I grin. “I hope you’ll approve though… it’s kind of… a new concept.”
His eyebrows shoot up as he gestures me inside. I walk into the front foyer and place my bright red coat on the coat rack. I walk into the warm living room and sit on the couch.
“So,” he says as he hands me a cup of coffee. “What brings my lovely daughter to my humble abode?”
I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. “I’m thinking about going through with that new surgery.”
Father stares at me.
“It’s around for a reason, Father,” I hurry for an explanation. “It’s a good thing. It gives us a gift that we, ourselves, cannot offer. Could you imagine living for eternity? Seeing the whole world change before your eyes. Seeing the new technology. Seeing the way society would change. New religions. New social behaviours and norms. It feels like it would be an experience of a life time.”
“I frankly don’t care what you think about the surgery. It would not benefit you at all. This isn’t the way that humans are supposed to live. You are born and then you die when it is your time. This will upset the balance of human life. You could lose your personhood.” He sits his coffee down and leans forward. “You’ll lose the blood running through your veins. The beat of your heart. Your warmth. Your lungs stop moving. You’ll become a cold, empty robot.”
I shake my head. “No, Father. I will still be me. Nothing will change.”
“You were brought into this world human and you will go out of it as a human.”
I stand up and move to grab my coat.
“Where do you think you’re going?” my father roars.
“I’m going home.” I spin on him. “It’s clear to me that no decisions I make will ever be accepted.”
I slam the door and walk back to my house, tears slowly flow down my cheeks.
* * *
Today is the day of my surgery. My stomach is churning with excitement but also nervousness. I am worried about my father and his acceptance of my decision. I have not talked to him since the day I was last at his house to tell him my decision.
I am worried that my transformation would cause kinks in my relationship with my father. He’s the only one that I could talk to and now I’m ruining that bond with him.
