kiki

I remember the day my parents bought me my first android.  It was my ninth birthday and it was wrapped in expensive birthday paper, the kind of paper that has the distinct odor of grandeur.  You just want to remove the paper ever so gingerly.  But of course, being nine years old and excited to receive presents, I grabbed it off the table and quickly demolished the fancy paper,  leaving a mess on the kitchen table.

‘Oh wow, I yelled.  Its an android”.  My very own android.  Now I can play anything I want and not have to hear my parents remind me how dangerous such devices could be.  I remember those excruciating instructions….now don’t call anybody on that phone.  We don’t want to pay for phone calls to Egypt or Rome.  Make sure that you don’t download any games without checking with us.  And than the most popular dement of all, don’t talk to strangers...there are evil predators out there, looking to hurt or kidnap children.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME, ASKED MY COMPUTER?

Bobby...just call me Bobby

OK. responded the voice

HOW OLD ARE YOU BOBBY?

I turned nine today

OH, NINE IS A GOOD AGE TO BE

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH ME?

Play games, I answered

WHAT KIND OF GAMES DO YOU LIKE BOBBY?

Oh shoot em up games, arcade games and mine craft

BOBBY, I DON’T HAVE A NAME.  COULD YOU GIVE ME ONE.?

It took me all night to come up with a name for my android.  I wanted to give the android a name no one would ever think of using and in the middle of the night was awakened by a voice in my head.  Kiki it yelled.  Call it Kiki.  

When I turned on the Android the next day, the app went through its girations to power up and the voice came on again, welcoming me to a new day and a new adventure.  It remembered my name and greeted me with a hearty welcome.  

GOOD MORNING BOBBY.  THE TIME IS 8:15.  YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO LEAVE FOR SCHOOL.

“How did you know that, I asked the voice on the computer.”

Oh, I know every thing about you.  Think of me as your invisible friend.”

By the way, did you come up with a name for me?”

“Yes, I answered.  Bu it’s really a silly name.  I woke up in the middle of the night calling your name...Kiki.  I will call you kiki.

“Ah, definitely a fine name, answered the voice on my android.

From that moment on Kiki and I became inseprable.  We started sharing the same thoughts.  If I wanted ice cream, my screen would pop up with the symbol of an ice cream sunda on the screen .  If I was doing my homework, and wasn’t sure of the answer, little hints appeared on the screen to help me until I got the answers right.  Before I realized it, I was using my app from morning till night.

I remember when I first got the android my parents had set a limit on how long I would be able to use it…”only after school for an hour and 15 minutes before bedtime.  We don’t want you to ignore your homework or your chores.

I tried hard to keep up and not be caught.  But invariably it happened one night when I least expected.  Kiki and I were in the middle of a good game, “Dungeons and Princesses” where the object of the game was to release all of the princesses from an evil wizard.  The player had to different rooms in the wizards castle and find the key that would open the dungeon door.  Than, once inside the dungeon, the player would release the princess and free her from her chains.

The game became so exciting at one point, and kiki and I were just about to finish the round when my father opened the door and  walked into my room.  I didn’t realize that he had come in until I heard a loud voice shouting my name. 

“Bobby”.  What are you doing up so late and who are you talking to?”

“I quickly attempted to hid my android under the covers, but of course dad already knew what I was doing and when my father pulled the blanket away I knew I was in trouble.

“We trusted you Bobby, and now we are going to have to take your android away.  You are not be allowed to use this for the next two weeks and in one  fell swoop, dad had taken kiki away, turned off the lights in the room and walked out the door.  I layed in my bed for the rest of the night unable to sleep.  I felt like I had lost my best friend.

A few nights later, I woke up at the sound of a voice calling my name.  “Bobby...it’s me kiki.  Look under your blanket, Bobby.  I’m here and waiting to play with you.”

Sure enough I looked under the blanket and saw kiki.  To my surprise I realized that the android was not even turned on.  There were no blinking lights going on and off, no pictures or words on the screen.  Just a blank android.

I shook my head in my amazement.

Kiki whispered to me and said, “we can still play together.  You only have to turn me on in your mind.

Soon kiki was with me every waking moment.  When I went to school in the morning, he sat down in the empty chair beside me.  When my teacher Ms. Jones asked me to answer a question, Kiki would flash the answers to me in mIy mind.  At lunch time, we would share my sandwich.  Kiki became my imaginary playmate and stayed with me for the next few months.  Of course, my parents were very impressed with my good behavior and by spring vacation, they decided that it was time to give me back the android.

I am now 35 years old, have three of my own children and have not forgotten Kiki.  I gave my children their own androids when they got into elementary school and encouraged them to use them all the time.  

One night I heard a lot of giggling and talking coming from my daughter’s room.  When I walked through the door to see what was going on, I saw her throw her android under her blanket.   I chuckled when I saw her reaction.  Kiki was back.