GULLIVER IN BOTLAND

I felt someone kicking at my legs and sat up. It was broad daylight and I could see I had been lying on the sand beside the sea. I looked at who had kicked me to wake me up, and was surprised it was a manikin – you know someone who looks human but with spindly legs and arms and with square heads with small eyes and sweptback ears. I was frightened to see the creature.

Said the creature “You look like an Englishman.”

My fear of the creature had ebbed.

“Yes, I’m. Where am I?”

“You’re in an island called Botland.  We’re bots. Come with me and I’ll take you to King Bot.”

I was tired but nevertheless got up and accompanied the bot. Soon we were in the royal presence. The king was a tall man and was an imposing presence on the throne.

The king said “Stranger, you look tired and famished. Bot, take the man feed him and bring him back to me.”

I went with the bot and had whatever bots ate. It wasn’t the usual English fare but was enough to fill the stomach of a hungry man. We were back in the royal presence.

The king asked “What’s your name?”

“I’m Gulliver, an Englishman, a doctor by profession who has been on many voyages. In my last voyage I was in the land of the yahoos from whom I fled. I went back to my native England. But soon I surrendered to the call of the sea and when my ship foundered I was cast on the shore of this land.”

“You can stay as guest of our citizen Autox.”

The king summoned Autox and he took me to his place. He introduced me to his wife and I felt at home conversing with these folk. In the course of talk Autox asked me my profession and I said I was a doctor. Autox laughed and said “We bots are made differently and you can’t treat us.”

I said “I’ve never heard of Botland. Can you tell me your history?”

He said “I’ve to go back to the reign of King Arthur the king who had knights at his round table. There was during his reign a very skilful carpenter who made the likeness of a near human. It so charmed the king that it was placed as an exhibit. Have you heard of Merlin?”

I said “Sure. He was a great magician.”

“He happened to see the exhibit and breathed life into it. A bot was born. And the carpenter made a feminine likeness and Merlin brought it also to life. The couple were allowed to go wherever they wanted to live and they chose this island which we call Botland. The tribe increased and multiplied and our island is teeming with bots who are very skilful taking after the skilled carpenter who made them. They’re in demand by humans everywhere and when needed are sent for.  Of late the demand for our bots has increased manifold.”

After only four days I got bored with the place.  I wondered what to do. I consulted Autox.

I said “I would like to leave this island. I suppose it would be legal for a human.”

He nodded.

“If I choose to leave by boat can you help me?”

“I can do it.

A couple of days later Autox took me to a bot who had boats. But I had no money. I appealed to the king who granted me a boat free of cost.

The king said “It is a small vessel on which you could survive a few days. During that time you should find a port from where vessels ply to England or get picked up in midsea which is also possible.”

I thanked the king and went to the botman who had the sailboat. It had two decks and I knew I could run it as I had experience of sailing due to my voyages. I stocked up the vessel with food and water.

I set off after bidding my hosts goodbye and went down to see if my stock of food and drink were safe. I was surprised to find a bot stowaway! He came at my throat with a knife shouting “I hate humans. They only exploit bots. Die.”

I stood transfixed! I was nudged and I saw my wife standing near me telling me “We’re in the department store. I was shopping inside when you came out and obviously went to sleep. Time to go to Carthage.”

We had an invitation to a function called LAND OF BOTS at the mini hall named Carthage.  It was probably because of this I had day dreamed about Botland. A bot bird now greeted us and asked “Your invitation please.”

I gave it and the bot bird said “Welcome Liz and Fowler. Please occupy seats 4 and 5 row A.”

We were seated when a female bot brought 2 trays to us. She had the name MATILDA on her dress. She said “Refreshments compliments of sponsor.” I examined the trays and found each had pastry, popcorn and a can of Coca Cola. As we partook of the fare, my wife said “Matilda’s embonpoint is largely inflated. Her dress needs to be longer by at least 3 inches.”

I laughed and said “She has a nice figure.”

The hall was getting filled and the show started. The projector was switched on and the screen lit up. A bot came on and said “This is a film of how bots have come up to help humans. It is a cartoon presentation with many of the famous cartoon characters figuring in it. It is humorous and ironical. Enjoy yourselves.”

It started with an aged couple sitting facing a door when the door bell rings. There is argument about who is to open the door when suddenly the bot steps in and opens to the visitor. Then followed a number of comic situations in homes where the bot steps in and steals the show. At close a bot sang “God save the King.”

As we got into the car I said “I would like to relax. I wish there was a bot to drive.”

It was a long drive home and at the end I said “I wish I had a bot to open the garage and park the car.”

She said “The message we got from the show is that day is coming. You’ll wish everything to be done by bots. I’ll say particularly by Matilda.”

After we had let ourselves into the apartment I said “If there’s one thing I wouldn’t leave to bots it is.....”

“Not even by Matilda?”

“But she is no good for what I have in mind. Don’t say no to me darling!”

END