Menta-Life (Book 1)

Chapter 9: Meet and Greet

When it gets back I dive into curiosity at its hasty return, "Was that really three and a quarter?"

"That can't be, I haven't taken your order yet for you to have made a payment."

I clarify, "I mean for the time you said. Three and a quarter minutes."

"Oh, I understand."

The MechCi initiates a controlled, fake laugh. Their wiring makes them all seem real in order to keep the people at ease and to make them lovable. It may work for everyone else, but not for me. I just sit and wait for it to stop.

It continues, "You are a funny one indeed. Of course it was. Is this the option you have chosen?"

I answer, "Yes."

"And what shall be your selection of beverage this morning?"

"I'll take water."

The MechCi shuts off the digital menu, scoops it off the table and inquires, "Sparkling or filtered?"

I test my awful sarcasm on the machine, "Can I have both?"

"Separate glasses?

"No, in the same glass."

The MechCi starts laughing again. I smile and look down. They make these MechCi so lifelike. They're like people without flesh and bones that connect at the joint; their dark chrome colors and body type are what distinguish them from ordinary men and women.

The MechCi excitedly speculates, "You are beyond funny, ma'am. Unfortunately, I cannot approve your request."

"Filtered will have to fit the bill then."

"Your meal will take eight minutes to prepare and one minute to serve. Do you disagree with the wait time?"

"No."

"Terrific. I will be back shortly."

The MechCi walks away and I slide to the end of the booth. I kick my feet up as I rest my back, tilting my head back against the wall while I wait. I have a pretty lonely life, but that's because I can't trust people. Being in foster homes, group homes, and prison my whole life led me to hold a grudge against all of these untrustworthy people. Everyone can trust a friendly person easily. When everyone is friendly, people let their guards down. Not me, though.

I'd rather be alone and alert than friendly and stabbed in the back. I can honestly say I get along better with the MechCi than with actual people; actually, that's not entirely accurate because I do get along with criminals. See, they always stab someone in the back, so with people like Dayio and Trex, it's already expected. Don't get me wrong, I'll prefer if Dayio wouldn't. Trex is a businessman who would throw anybody under his feet for funds.

The MechCi brings my food and asks, "Will there be anything else you require at the moment?"

"No, thank you."

"Enjoy your meal citizen."

The MechCi walks away and I eat my food like I have never eaten before. It is beyond delicious. The food in prison was delicious as well, though, once I got used to it, it became a little nauseating to eat.

Once I'm done, the MechCi putters over to me with a pocket-sized scanning machine and says, "The charge for the meal and beverage comes to thirty aers. IDN please?"

I stand up and stare at the MechCi. It points the scanner at me. A white horizontal line appears from the device and the MechCi moves it slowly down from my head to scan my entire body. The scanner is a payment device to process aers. With aers, no one has to worry about losing or having money for people to steal. The only way people can transfer aers is to go to a treasurer at a DSC building.