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The Liar at 13:21, 11 May 2010

2010-05-11T13:21:17Z

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Robotman: cat

2009-02-22T13:57:16Z

cat

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:57, 22 February 2009
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	Mid-night rolled around, and I started cleaning up the broken bottles, putting up chairs, emptying ash-trays, and turning off lights. One by one, all the guys started to leave. The coat-racks got progressively emptier and emptier. I turned off the radio, cleaned a bunch of glasses, wiped-off my counter and said goodbye to the last few customers. It wasn’t until I had flicked-on the neon “Closed” sign and was getting ready to lock-up that I realized that the old man and his companion, who I had come to assume was his grand-daughter, still hadn’t left. They were standing in the darkest corner of the empty pool-hall. Just then the old man emerged from the shadows, dim light from the shoddy ceiling-fixtures reflecting off of his gold chain and pince-nez. The silent and mysterious girl remained concealed in the shadows.		Mid-night rolled around, and I started cleaning up the broken bottles, putting up chairs, emptying ash-trays, and turning off lights. One by one, all the guys started to leave. The coat-racks got progressively emptier and emptier. I turned off the radio, cleaned a bunch of glasses, wiped-off my counter and said goodbye to the last few customers. It wasn’t until I had flicked-on the neon “Closed” sign and was getting ready to lock-up that I realized that the old man and his companion, who I had come to assume was his grand-daughter, still hadn’t left. They were standing in the darkest corner of the empty pool-hall. Just then the old man emerged from the shadows, dim light from the shoddy ceiling-fixtures reflecting off of his gold chain and pince-nez. The silent and mysterious girl remained concealed in the shadows.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	“I know this must seem strange. Let me introduce myself,” said the old man in a rasping voice that made him sound like a spokesman for the health benefits of smoking. “My name is Carl Hancock.” Taking off his hat, he then gestured to the girl who had been with him all night. She was waiting silently in the shadows beside one of my pool-tables. “And that lovely girl over there is Heidi. I’m her manager.”		“I know this must seem strange. Let me introduce myself,” said the old man in a rasping voice that made him sound like a spokesman for the health benefits of smoking. “My name is Carl Hancock.” Taking off his hat, he then gestured to the girl who had been with him all night. She was waiting silently in the shadows beside one of my pool-tables. “And that lovely girl over there is Heidi. I’m her manager.”
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	I still didn’t know what Hancock’s motives were for setting this match up, but I knew there was no way I was about to be beaten by a sweet little teenage girl. Especially if five-grand was at stake.		I still didn’t know what Hancock’s motives were for setting this match up, but I knew there was no way I was about to be beaten by a sweet little teenage girl. Especially if five-grand was at stake.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	It felt so good to be back in the game for cash. Like a samurai warrior before battle, I carefully selected my weapon from the stand. Lovingly, I polished the tip of the cue with one of those blue, powdery cubes. I still don’t know what those things are called. Like the Japanese warrior, I lit incense to honor my ancestors. Of course, my incense was just a cigarette, perhaps in honor of the fallen Marlboro Man. I was ready for battle, and cute or not, Heidi was my enemy as long as she held her pool-cue against me.		It felt so good to be back in the game for cash. Like a samurai warrior before battle, I carefully selected my weapon from the stand. Lovingly, I polished the tip of the cue with one of those blue, powdery cubes. I still don’t know what those things are called. Like the Japanese warrior, I lit incense to honor my ancestors. Of course, my incense was just a cigarette, perhaps in honor of the fallen Marlboro Man. I was ready for battle, and cute or not, Heidi was my enemy as long as she held her pool-cue against me.
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	As a filthy old man, I began to look at the teen in a manner most unbecoming of a respectable gentleman. As she continued to work on putting away each ball, I admired her physique. Judging from her lean, fit body, pool was not the only sport she played. But I tried to picture her playing beach-volleyball or tennis, and for some reason, the images just didn’t ‘click’. Her body movements weren’t graceful enough for those sports. Her movements were too jerky and mechanical. Too measured, too precise, too deliberate. She reacted slowly and cautiously. She left nothing to chance.		As a filthy old man, I began to look at the teen in a manner most unbecoming of a respectable gentleman. As she continued to work on putting away each ball, I admired her physique. Judging from her lean, fit body, pool was not the only sport she played. But I tried to picture her playing beach-volleyball or tennis, and for some reason, the images just didn’t ‘click’. Her body movements weren’t graceful enough for those sports. Her movements were too jerky and mechanical. Too measured, too precise, too deliberate. She reacted slowly and cautiously. She left nothing to chance.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	Pretty or not, my chances of winning against Heidi were looking slimmer by the minute. In a near panic, I could feel my five grand slipping away. In a desperate search for options, I recalled the familiar adage, which I have done my best to live my life by: Losing sucks, so cheat if you have to but always win. I realized that the only way to win this one was to cheat. Having never possessed any moral scruples whatsoever, I did not hesitate to be dishonest in my dealings with Mr. Hancock and his whiz-kid pool-player Heidi. I resolved to resort to the basest of treachery.		Pretty or not, my chances of winning against Heidi were looking slimmer by the minute. In a near panic, I could feel my five grand slipping away. In a desperate search for options, I recalled the familiar adage, which I have done my best to live my life by: Losing sucks, so cheat if you have to but always win. I realized that the only way to win this one was to cheat. Having never possessed any moral scruples whatsoever, I did not hesitate to be dishonest in my dealings with Mr. Hancock and his whiz-kid pool-player Heidi. I resolved to resort to the basest of treachery.
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	The old man began by un-tucking Heidi’s sweatshirt as she stared at the floor. Very peculiar. I felt a lump grow in my throat. Mr. Hancock’s hands were then back in the briefcase. From the briefcase, he produced a tightly coiled cable of some kind. It looked a little like an old telephone cord. One end was evidently connected to the briefcase. The other end had a heavy-duty industrial jack on it. Mr. Hancock steadied Heidi by putting a hand on her shoulder. Then, holding the jack in his other hand, he proceeded to plug it into a receiving port in the middle of Heidi’s back! After making sure that the connection was secure, Mr. Hancock turned his attention back to the contents of the briefcase. For some time, he seemed to be typing frantically on a keyboard of some sort that was now evidently linked to Heidi via that cable.		The old man began by un-tucking Heidi’s sweatshirt as she stared at the floor. Very peculiar. I felt a lump grow in my throat. Mr. Hancock’s hands were then back in the briefcase. From the briefcase, he produced a tightly coiled cable of some kind. It looked a little like an old telephone cord. One end was evidently connected to the briefcase. The other end had a heavy-duty industrial jack on it. Mr. Hancock steadied Heidi by putting a hand on her shoulder. Then, holding the jack in his other hand, he proceeded to plug it into a receiving port in the middle of Heidi’s back! After making sure that the connection was secure, Mr. Hancock turned his attention back to the contents of the briefcase. For some time, he seemed to be typing frantically on a keyboard of some sort that was now evidently linked to Heidi via that cable.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	My heretofore inexplicable losing-streak now made perfect sense! Heidi was no cute little teenage girl! She was phony! A fake! She was just a robot. And Mr. Hancock, Heidi’s “manager,” was a hustler after all. He probably went from pool-hall to pool-hall betting against all of Heidi’s human opponents. But who knows where he could have dug up an old android like Heidi this day-in-age!?		My heretofore inexplicable losing-streak now made perfect sense! Heidi was no cute little teenage girl! She was phony! A fake! She was just a robot. And Mr. Hancock, Heidi’s “manager,” was a hustler after all. He probably went from pool-hall to pool-hall betting against all of Heidi’s human opponents. But who knows where he could have dug up an old android like Heidi this day-in-age!?
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	The revelation that I had been playing pool against a glorified household appliance made my blood boil for a number of important reasons. First of all, I was a war-veteran with four years of combat experience and a Purple Heart to prove it! My friends DIED in that war! We fought against Artificial Intelligence and we barely won by the skin of our teeth. Ever since we concluded that war, droids have been strictly outlawed. We fought a WAR against those fucking things! Even seemingly harmless androids like Heidi were totally forbidden by law. So you can imagine how fucking PISSED I was, especially as a combat-wounded war veteran that this cheap hustler came into MY pool-hall and tried to swindle ME. And just to add insult to injury, he came here with a fucking ANDROID! Clearly, it was time to teach Mr. Hancock and that pretty bucket-of bolts, Heidi, a lesson. After a conspicuously long time, the couple emerged from the restroom.		The revelation that I had been playing pool against a glorified household appliance made my blood boil for a number of important reasons. First of all, I was a war-veteran with four years of combat experience and a Purple Heart to prove it! My friends DIED in that war! We fought against Artificial Intelligence and we barely won by the skin of our teeth. Ever since we concluded that war, droids have been strictly outlawed. We fought a WAR against those fucking things! Even seemingly harmless androids like Heidi were totally forbidden by law. So you can imagine how fucking PISSED I was, especially as a combat-wounded war veteran that this cheap hustler came into MY pool-hall and tried to swindle ME. And just to add insult to injury, he came here with a fucking ANDROID! Clearly, it was time to teach Mr. Hancock and that pretty bucket-of bolts, Heidi, a lesson. After a conspicuously long time, the couple emerged from the restroom.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	I cut right to the chase. “Do you know what the penalty for owning a droid is around here?”		I cut right to the chase. “Do you know what the penalty for owning a droid is around here?”
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	Carefully, with his hands up, Mr. ‘Hancock’ backed away towards the door. Heidi watched him leave with a faint smile. I, on the other hand, was smiling broadly. This deal wasn’t working out so badly for me after all!		Carefully, with his hands up, Mr. ‘Hancock’ backed away towards the door. Heidi watched him leave with a faint smile. I, on the other hand, was smiling broadly. This deal wasn’t working out so badly for me after all!

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	Mr. ‘Hancock’ closed the door behind him and was gone. I figured I would never see the likes of HIM again. I took a moment to reflect lovingly on my trusty old military-issue service pistol. It had served me well, ever since I had enlisted during the war. It never failed me then, and it hasn’t failed me since. Tonight was no exception.		Mr. ‘Hancock’ closed the door behind him and was gone. I figured I would never see the likes of HIM again. I took a moment to reflect lovingly on my trusty old military-issue service pistol. It had served me well, ever since I had enlisted during the war. It never failed me then, and it hasn’t failed me since. Tonight was no exception.
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	But Heidi was nothing like that. She wasn’t very dangerous. She was designed to work in an office. Evidently, Mr. ‘Hancock’ had reprogrammed her to play pool. They were fairly versatile droids.		But Heidi was nothing like that. She wasn’t very dangerous. She was designed to work in an office. Evidently, Mr. ‘Hancock’ had reprogrammed her to play pool. They were fairly versatile droids.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	“How about another game of pool Heidi?”		“How about another game of pool Heidi?”
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	I drew my pistol. Somehow, she seemed to know what it was.		I drew my pistol. Somehow, she seemed to know what it was.

	~~-----~~-----		-----

	The rest is a blur. I remember the weight of my helmet. It was raining. Nighttime. My face and clothes, coated in mud. Helicopters in the sky, shining searchlights at the ground. Rubble. Screams. I saw movement. The innocent always suffer. I pulled the trigger. Flames. Darkness.		The rest is a blur. I remember the weight of my helmet. It was raining. Nighttime. My face and clothes, coated in mud. Helicopters in the sky, shining searchlights at the ground. Rubble. Screams. I saw movement. The innocent always suffer. I pulled the trigger. Flames. Darkness.

			-----

			[[Stories\|Back to the story archive]]

			[[Category:Bruekmann]]
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Lithorien at 07:46, 22 February 2009

2009-02-22T07:46:25Z

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Lithorien at 07:44, 22 February 2009

2009-02-22T07:44:42Z

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Lithorien: New page: I had noticed the young girl and her old friend at my joint for the first time that night. Seeing new faces was rare in a hole-in-the-wall pool-hall like mine, so I spotted them right awa...

2009-02-22T07:41:20Z

New page: I had noticed the young girl and her old friend at my joint for the first time that night. Seeing new faces was rare in a hole-in-the-wall pool-hall like mine, so I spotted them right awa...

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The Hustler - Revision history

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The Liar at 13:21, 11 May 2010

Robotman: cat

Lithorien at 07:46, 22 February 2009

Lithorien at 07:44, 22 February 2009

Lithorien: New page: I had noticed the young girl and her old friend at my joint for the first time that night. Seeing new faces was rare in a hole-in-the-wall pool-hall like mine, so I spotted them right awa...