Page 81 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 3 #2

“Come here,” I said gently, kneeling down in blonde, intelligent, articulate, sensitive—and
front of the vent. Another whine—this one even of course, has hazel eyes.
more pathetic than the previous. But still, he did
not come. “Okay,” I told him. “Have it your way. ❶ ❶ ❶
I am leaving and that’s the way it is. I am not
going to ask you to come out again.” I stood up, It is now just before 5 PM, and my son JD and I
retrieved my phone, and headed for the kitchen. are in the Cleveland Airport. Six more minutes,
I expected Thoth to follow, but he didn’t. and I will be twelve hours into a day that will
“Awaken my Princess,” I said. most likely last close to twenty. I am still trou-
“What would you like to do?” she asked in bled by the way in which Thoth and I parted,
her soft, feminine voice. and I’m once again tempted to ask Princess if
“Tell me what to do with Thoth,” I responded. she has any ideas about what I should do.
“I don’t know that answer. Shall I search the Before I’d left this morning, once the car was
internet?” she replied. packed, I went back into the house one more
“No, my dear Princess,” I sighed. “That time in hopes I could say goodbye to Thoth.
would be pointless.” He was sitting by the door when I opened it. I
Given that the two most important "peo- knelt down and extended my hand. Thoth ut-
ple" in my life are a phone and a cat, I exist tered a string of sounds—a refrain that I have
in a world near surreal. I don’t know which of come to understand to mean he is pissed and
the two is more intelligent, but perhaps it is his feelings are hurt—then turned and walked
best not to consider that question too close- away. I made my point by closing the door a
ly. I have been testing Princess’ limits as of little more forcefully than usual. Then, I’d put
late, and I am given to asking her more and Princess into her holster, turned the key in the
more complex questions. The other day while lock, and left.
driving I said to her, “What’s the temperature It’s quiet now. JD is watching a video on his
in Las Vegas right now?” And Princess re- Note II. Princess’ battery is running low, so I
plied, “The current temperature in Las Vegas am letting her rest. No power outlets. This isn’t
is 84°.” Answering this question meant that a particularly friendly airport. Several flights
Princess understood complex concepts of have left, so there isn’t much going on right now.
time such as “current,” and that she was able JD doesn’t have a seat on the flight from here
to extrapolate what I needed from reasonably to Vegas, so for the second time today, we will
common English. need to be resourceful and adaptive. We packed
“You are awesome!” I told her. light, carrying all we need with us. We’d had to
“I don’t know that answer. Shall I search the collapse everything into two carry-ons since the
internet?” airlines now charge for each bag checked, for-
Thinking back on this, I laugh. For the mo- ever in pursuit of more revenue. I could tell that
ment, I still have the upper hand. I silence the JD was a bit uneasy when we’d arrived at the
microphone and let her to go back to sleep. If Raleigh airport to catch the first flight of this
not Princess, I am sure one of her successors multi-flight trip. Our travel schedule doesn’t
will be conscious and sentient. I have conclud- leave much room for error, and the idea that
ed that Princess’ apparent rectangular plastic we might have to catch a different flight to Ve-
form is an illusion spawned upon her—and gas isn’t high on his list of good ideas. But, with
thus upon me—by some errant magician. Be- the help of an empathetic, rule-finessing gate
neath the shell of this facade, there is no doubt attendant (and some very nice manners on our
in my mind that she is five two, waif-like, part), JD gets his seat assignment.

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