FLOW OF SOUL

I got this message from my friend Tim, continents away, in America: ‘There is so much hullabaloo about CHATGPT as they haven’t heard of LODESTAR-8 developed by my team. With the same knowledge source, LS-8 can write by itself. I know you write. Try this software and let me know.’ I loaded LS-8 to enter a competition sponsored by a Reedsy prompt. LS-8 asked me to fill in various fields from choices listed. Some of what I filled are in italics. TITLE: To be filled by U or I?: U. Word length:1K; GENRE: fiction. MAIN CHARACTERS: two females; NARRATIVE ARCHITECTURE: first person; ANIMALS: dogs; SEX: veiled/open? I chose veiled; SEX TOYS: None; CATEGORY: LGBT.Q. There were a few others too and after I had finished the filling in I pressed GO. The text started immediately appearing:

I am Diana, aged 24 and live alone in an apartment. I am good looking and my vital statistics stand at 38-20-40. Look sexy aren’t I?! I am a freelance journalist and am now busy writing a novel. I have a pet dog – a Lhasa Apso named Ruby who is always by my side as I write. This morning Ruby is by side as usual and I stoop to fondle her soft long mane often. It relaxes me. I always remember the previous Lhasa Apso I had named Lulu. We had lived in a large old fashioned bungalow then when my dad was a top police officer. One evening I had returned home after attending a birthday party. I was in an ebullient mood and reaching my room started stripping even as Lulu watched. I had everything, I mean everything, off and was gazing at myself in the full length mirror under the eye of Lulu. If it hadn’t been Lulu but a handsome young man I would have been…. . I don’t seek it. Suddenly Lulu started barking and I took it that she was appreciating the magnificent sigḥt I presented nude. I patted her but she kept barking and jumping at a corner of the bed. Pulling on my pyjama suit I switched on my torch and looked around. I was shocked to see a snake moving down under my bed. I screamed and help came. The snake was shot by a cop. If Lulu hadn’t warned me may be by now I would have been six feet under with a headstone marking the spot! Lulu took ill soon after and had to be put to sleep. Luckily for me somebody presented me with another Lhasa Apso which is Ruby. I continued with work after those thoughts.

There was a phone call and I answered. It was Invisible Man!

He said with a laugh “Gloria, it is some time since I spoke to you. How are you?” I didn’t answer. He continued “I know you don’t like males. You’re entitled to your likes and dislikes. I’m not seeking to touch you or make love to you. You’re Just a phone friend.”

I said “I’m busy writing.”

He said “I guessed it. Just talk to me for a cḥange. How is Ruby?”

“She is fine. She has grown and I’m looking to get her to yield puppies. Her season is nearing.”

“I suppose you couldn’t find a match?”

“Not so far.”

“Lucky Ruby isn’t your type or she wouldn’t allow herself to be made a mother.”

“There is a trace of contempt in your voice.”

“No, no madam. I respect your proclivity. I only wanted to…..”

“IM, I’ve a call waiting. We could talk some other time.”

I spoke into the phone and was told lunch would come at 1 PM. I opened my inbox and found a message from the Kennel Club. ‘This is in regard to your need for a male Lhasa Apso for breeding. There is a lady named Sophie who lives in the same locality as yours. She has a dog named Scooby. Would it be alright if Madam Sophie visited you at 3 PM today? Your phone was busy. Hence this message.”

I immediately replied “That would be fine.”

I got up and went to the kitchen with Ruby following me. I came back with a cup of tea. I hadn’t forgotten Ruby. I had fed her a dog biscuit on which she gnawed. I wondered about Sophie. How old was she? Would she be a friendly type? Did she know about dog breeding? Does she have a record of the immunity treatment given to Scooby?

Lunch time came and I had mine as Ruby got hers – a joint. I then took a short rest. Exactly at 3 in the afternoon, Ruby barked announcing the arrival of a visitor. Followed by Ruby I opened the door and saw the lady wearing shorts with a dog on a leash. The lady said “I’m Sophie. This is Scooby.”

Ruby who would aggressively bark at visitors seemed subdued on seeing Scooby who jumped to explore her.

Sophie said with a laugh “Scooby is ready while Ruby isn’t!”

I nodded and said “Madam please come in and sit down.”

“Don’t madam me! I’m only 28. Call me Sophie. I run a plant manufacturing medicines. This is my card.”

I saw she was the head of a well-known company. She was taller than me and looked handsome in a crew cut type of hairdo. She had a baritone voice. I should say I fell for her after taking one look at her.

We chatted and found she was also attracted to me. There was a flow of soul! (The title suggested for this piece,)

She told me she was unmarried. That she lived alone. About her likes and dislikes. 

She said “Males are criminals. My father had treated my mother very badly and the poor thing committed suicide. I’ve resolved not to have anything to do with the male except to make him work under me.”

I said “While I was very young a man tried to rape me. Fortunately I escaped. Men have approached me for marriage but I have kept them at a distance. Nothing I feel will beat a woman’s touch.”

“Undoubdetly. After ……”

The matter ended with ‘After’ being printed several times. The message then came “Something went wrong. Checking the….. checking the…….checking the…….and it said “Can’t go on.”

I realized that there was some glitch which only the software architect could remedy. I sent the following message to my friend Tim in America: ‘I tried out Lodestar-8 and find it promising. As I had wanted only two women characters, the software wisely included Invisible Man – a non-entity- to highlight Diana’s proclivity. My trial ended after a glitch. You have to find the bug and remedy it. I send herewith what LS-8 produced. Regards.’

To complete the story for readers, Diana and Sophie made a nice couple living together and Ruby produced a litter (which is how LS-8 would have ended it!)

END