Sunday Drive

"There’s always enough time to stop and smell the roses.” I said to myself smelling a fat sherbet color rose. 

I was watering my rose garden on another Sunny Sunday in Silicone Valley Suburbia (of course this isn’t the real name but due to the high volume of people equipped with silicone parts it seemed fitting to me).

Although I can’t make too much fun, I have my own pal made of silicone, his name ADAM, that I built with my own two hands and one big brain coming by years of inspiration from too many sci-fi movies and Greek mythologies.

I found him in the garden, sitting on the grass observing the butterflies and bees that flitted to and fro pollenating my plants.

He had a naïve curiosity like a young child, and I suppose this was because in is human form he was just like that; pure in his infancy, he’d barely seen the sun, spending his earlier days as my helpful personal AI in my garage. I approached him, as he looked at a butterfly fluttering upon his finger.   

“Butterflies, such a simple thing of beauty ...”

“That’s so poetic of you.” I liked to think he took after me in mannerisms and tone. He

smiled subtly. “Well, don’t let me interrupt. Ima finish watering.” I got back to my task before retiring to my lab once again to clickety-clank on various projects and homework work assignments I always procrastinate on.

While I tinkered away on theses and such my friendly neighbor Dora popped in.  

“Heya Tori check out this keef rolled spliff my guy gave me.” She came over and showed me the fancy cigarette she had in her hand.  

“Wow, he sure is good to you.” I said admiringly.  

“I say it’s time for a break from that sci-fi shit you’re doing. Its Sunday anyway, why you workin?”  

“Just some homework and shit. But I agree, let’s take a break.” I handed her my pink Bic and she lit her up. A cloud of smoke came bellowing from her mouth. Before she was consumed in a fit of coughs, she handed it to me. I inhaled it slow.  

“Wow, it’s even so smooth, just easy does it…”  

“Yea, yea…”  

“But you know what they say…”  

“You’re choking your smoking, yea I hear it every time…” I smirked handing her the roll. Then ADAM walked in.  

“Oooh, your shiny robot friend…” Dora raised her brows.  

“I prefer the term android...”  

“As robot seems too…  

“Robotic?” we snickered ridiculously. 

“Hey ADAM, you want a hit? Can he even do that?” Dora looked at me.  

“I’m not sure I’d benefit in partaking in such a frivolous activity.”  

“Yea, might fuck up your central processing core.”  

“So, what can he do? Anything fun?”  

“I can compile data for personalized recommendations based on my internal algorithms…”    

“Wow, I’m having fun already.” Dora smirked sarcastically.  

“Hey, we all have different perceptions of fun.” 

“What’s your perception of fun?” ADAM asked.

“If you have to ask, you’re a total square.” Dora connected her fingers in 2 sideways Ls.  

“Why don’t we go for a highventure?” I suggested.  

“I’m down. ADAM, you down to go for a ride?” Dora looked to him.  

“I am interested in riding in your car with you if that’s what you’re asking.” Dora busted up laughing. 

“This fucken guy.”  

“Is something wrong with her?” ADAM asked me.

“Nah it’s all right…lets go now.”

We put on our oversized shades, and I took out the 1969 Red Mustang. I put the key in the ignition and sped around and out of our cul de sac.

Dora lit the remainder of her cigarette and passed it to me. We winded and weaved through the hills, around the lake, passed the palm trees, the thick smoke dissolving out the windows as we sped away.

“May I ask where our destination is? I can quickly procure directions…”

“We're just highventuring Man.” Dora said sleepily.  

“Highventuring? I'm not familiar with this term.”  

“It's just enjoying this here cig and riding in a sweet vintage ride like this down and out, letting your mind flow with the breeze while looking fine doing it.” Dora said, adjusting her shades.  

“Hmmm...I suppose this car is indeed suitable for such leisurely pursuits, similarly, used in one of your favorite Lana Del Rey songs Tori.”  

“That was a white Mustang.”  

“I said similarly.”  

“This ones on point.” Dora wagged her index finger at him.  

“Close enough.”  

“I’m curious, did you acquire this car because of your appreciation of Lana del Rey and to quote your previous sentiments ‘everything vintage’?” Dora and I chuckled.   

“No...it was my dad’s, he collected cars, some kind of old car guru, or so he thought. I actually helped him with this one, wasn't too much in driving shape when he got it, but we fixed her up nice, those were the days…” I stared ahead at the open road between the gold covered hills of dried grass. I felt a tap on my shoulder.  

“Tori? Dora wants to pass this to you.” He showed me the burned down cigarette.  

“Sorry, I was all spacing on the road for a minute.”  

“I understand.” He blinked, his eyes almost hinting at empathy. 

“So, we got a pit stop in mind anytime soon? I gotta pee.” Dora asked.  

“Right, gimme a minute…”  

I pulled over at an abandoned old abode on the side of the road where Dora could discreetly take a pee and we could finish the remainder of our joint.

After our sesh concluded, I was blitzed so I turned to ADAM.  

“Now it's your turn.” I looked at my android friend.    

“For?” I motioned toward the wheel.  

“You drive home.”  

“I, well, I, I've never operated heavy machinery before...” he seemed so unsure, almost afraid, which intrigued me.

“Didn't I program you to have like an internal Google?” 

“Yes, but my hand-eye coordination skills aren't necessarily compatible with my cognitive processing yet.”

“Ok, well I'll help you.” He took the driver's seat and hesitantly got himself situated, observing the complex instrumentation of the wood paneled dashboard.

"Well, I know how to start the engine." He plugged the key in the ignition and almost jumped when the engine started. Dora and I giggled, and I saw him crack half a smile. 

"Ok, good, now give it some juice." He pressed the pedal and the car practically lurched forward. 

"Easy does it cowboy, ease up on the gas." He complied just so. 

"Nice, now don't forget your turn signal."

"Of course, our destinations to the right so I should go right down on this road until we get to Eagle View Park….” He flipped the signal accordingly.  

"Wa wa wa." Dora mocked his robotic speech playfully to which he didn't pay too much heed while he got us back on the road. He started slow, cautiously gaining speed. 

"Good, good, were on a low-key road but eventually you'll wanna pick up your speed a little." 

"I don't know if I can go at quite the speeds you prefer.”

"Yea, soon enough, just practice upping it a bit here." He bumped it up a notch. "Yea, easy does it." He still seemed hesitant. "You control the car not the other way around."

"Right." He sped up with more ease now, down and around the hills and lakes beside us.

"Faster boy faster!” Dora giggled while the odometer cracked into the 90s. “Yeay!”

“Nice, such the fast learner.” I smiled and he rounded the last corner before my street swift and easy.  

“Woo! Haha.” Dora and I laughed and even he joined us in a pleasantly mild chuckle.

We finally pulled back into my driveway. Dora and I hopped out the car. She went up to him and kissed him friendly on the cheek.

“Thanks for the ride, friend. It's been fun.”

“Yes, it has, friend...” He hung on the word a moment in what I can assume was appreciation. I smiled as we walked back inside, watching the sun start dipping below the horizon of pretty gingerbread houses and palm trees of Silicone valley.