I'm Your Match

Day One

Knock, knock, knock.

“It’s open,” Kai said with irritation in his voice.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in!” shouted Kai. He didn’t like being interrupted while playing his video game.

Aiden turned the knob slowly. He peeked through the space the cracked door provided.

In a chipper voice, Aiden said, “Hell-hello. I’m your match. I’m here to assist you…”

Aiden stood 5’10” and had brown, well-trimmed short hair. He walked with a limp, but Kai didn’t notice.

Aiden took a few steps, stopped, and then shifted his weight to favor his good leg. Looking toward Kai, he tilted his head and asked, “Are you Kai?”

“Yeah, yeah, come in. Give me a sec.” Kai continued to play the video game on his phone as he lounged on his black foam sofa. He wore thick black glasses and didn’t look up.

Aiden lost his footing, tripped, then found his balance again. Kai ignored him.

“Mi-mind if I look around?” Aiden asked.

In a dismissive tone, Kai said, “Sure. Fine.”

Aiden scanned the approximately 250 square-foot tiny house. He turned right and saw the kitchen and nodded his head. On the opposite side of the room, Kai continued to play a game on his phone as if the rest of the world didn’t exist.

Aiden walked seven steps toward the back of the house. Looking left, he saw an unmade bed piled with dirty clothes. Turning right, he eyed the bathroom with toilet lid up, and a vanity littered with toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, shaving cream, and a razor.

“Argh!!! I lost again,” Kai grumbled.

“Good,” Aiden said as he walked back toward Kai into the living area.

“Good? I just reached my highest level ever.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Aiden’s eyes squinted.

“Well, yes, but I wanted to go even higher.” Kai’s lips turned down.

“Shall we get started?” Aiden sounded like a P.E. coach.

Kai’s eyes grew wide. “With what, exactly?”

“This is your first time living on your own, yes?”

Kai nodded.

“I’m here to help you. To make sure you can cook, clean, and to get help if you need it. Our match will last for three days. Sound good?”

“I guess.” Kai used his fingers to comb through his mop of blonde curls.

“Before we start, do you have questions for me? Do you need anything right now?”

“Food. I’m hungry all the time. The food they gave me is almost gone.” Kai made a sad face. “I have coupons for the commissary, but not enough to buy anything good.”

Aiden’s head bobbed up and down. “That’s standard.”

Kai rearranged himself on the sofa. “I’ve been living on cereal and milk. They gave me two bags of dried stuff, but I don’t know what to do with it.” Kai pointed to the bags on the floor next to the trash can in the kitchen.

Aiden walked toward the garbage bin. Upon getting a whiff of the stench that emanated from it, he lurched back.

“These smells will attract vermin. I saw the community trash bins outside. As our first lesson, I’d like you to take out this trash and put a new liner in the trash can.”

Kai lifted himself up slowly. He swayed from side to side as if he had bags of sand suspended from his arms preventing movement. He stood 5’8” with a trim build.

As Kai lifted the trash from the bin, Aiden said, “It concerns me you didn’t think to empty this yourself. You could smell the stench, couldn’t you?”

“Uh-huh. I just ignored it.” Kai took the bag outside the front door and disappeared.

When Kai returned, Aiden said, “Well done. Now complete the task. Plastic liner in the trash can, please.”

As Kai complied, Aiden picked up the two 5-pound food bags from the floor and placed them on the small kitchen counter.

“Done. When do we eat? I’m starved,” Kai said.

“Yes, well, we’ve only just begun.” Aiden opened the tops of the paper containers. “We have brown rice in one bag and pinto beans in the other. We’re going to make dinner.”

“I’d like a burger and fries with a big tall Pepsi, please. Ha, ha, ha.”

“Not on the menu, I’m afraid. Unless you have a fast-food restaurant nearby and the money to pay for it.” Aiden put his hands on his hips.

Kai stormed away from the kitchen, sat back on the sofa, grabbed his phone, and began playing his game again.

Aiden followed him, then asked, “Are we done for today, then? I’m placing a card on the kitchen counter of emergency contact numbers should you need them.” He put the card in an obvious spot.

Kai ignored him. Aiden let himself out.

***

Day Two

Knock, knock, knock.

Kai paused his game, got up, and answered the door.

“Go-Good morning,” said Aiden.

“‘Bout time.”

“So, you missed me. Ready to continue our cooking lesson?” Aiden placed a satchel on the floor next to the front door.

“I still want a burger and fries.”

“I hear you, but what we want and what we get aren’t always the same. Beans and rice will sustain you for now. Shall we?” Aiden waved toward the kitchen as if guiding a plane to its gate.

Kai lowered his head, but obeyed Aiden.

“I’ll stand here and instruct you. Before long, you’ll be eating a filling and nutritious meal.”

Aiden told Kai how to soak the dried beans in a pan after picking out the bad ones.

“Why can’t we use canned beans?” Kai asked.

“Ahh, good question. These dried beans are free from the commissary, whereas the canned ones cost money.”

Aiden’s eyebrows shot up. “Soon, another match who specializes in finances will assist you. For now, trust me, this is your best bet.”

Kai pursed his lips to one side of his mouth.

Following Aiden’s instructions, Kai placed two pots on the gas stove, one of dried beans, and one of rice.

“Kai, well done! You’re ready to cook. Turn the knob all the way to get the gas flame going.”

Click, click, click.

“What’s that?” Kai turned the nob off to stop the clicking noise. “I don’t like that sound!” Kai screeched.

“I’m sorry. I should have warned you. That’s the electric starter. It will click a few times until the flame emerges.”

“I don’t like the clicking sound. It reminds me of the sound before a taser gun stunned me.”

Aiden moved away from the wall he was leaning against and approached Kai. “May I give you a hug?”

“No. I don’t like touching, but thanks anyway.”

“I’m so sorry you had that experience from before and now.” Aiden moved to stand in front of Kai and spoke quietly. “This is different, and you’re safe. Are you willing to try again?’

Without answering, Kai tried again and got the burner started, one pot, then another. He stared at the flame like it was an action movie.

Aiden told Kai how long each pot would take to cook, the proper temperature, and that they both needed constant monitoring.

Thud.

Aiden fell to the ground.

At first, Kai didn’t react. Then he went to Aiden’s side and shouted his name. When Aiden didn’t respond, Kai shook him. Aiden revived.

“What hap-happened?”

“You fell.”

Aiden sat up and leaned against the wall. “Could I have some water, please?”

Kai got Aiden a glass of water. Aiden drank it then asked for assistance getting up.

“I’d like to lie down on your couch, if I may?”

Kai led Aiden to the couch, and then he laid down.

“Don’t forget your rice and beans. Check my satchel near the front door. You’ll find a present I brought for you,” Aiden said, then closed his eyes.

Kai went back to the kitchen and monitored his pots to ensure they neither boiled over nor went dry, as Aiden taught him. He typed all the instructions into his phone, the quantities of water and dry goods and how long to cook each.

Aiden didn’t make a sound. Kai checked on him several times as he slept. Then he remembered the satchel and retrieved it. Inside, the bag contained a card with his name attached to a wrapped gift.

First Kai opened the gift, a jar of salsa.

He laughed, “ha, ha, ha.”

Next, Kai removed the card out of its envelope. It had “Congratulations” on the cover. He opened the card.

Dear Kai,

I know you’ve had a tough start to life. It’s understandable how you’d want to retreat into your new home and just play video games. I get it. But I promise you that if you apply yourself to learning your basic life skills, one of which you’ve already mastered (if you’re reading this card), you’ll gain confidence, resilience, and pride that will propel you forward in life.

Go forth and thrive.

Your match,

Aiden

Kai held the card to his chest. He sighed deeply, and then his stomach growled. He got out a bowl from the cupboard and filled it with the cooked rice, then beans. Next, he scooped salsa on top of his meal, and then took a big bite.

Kai smiled with a nod, then gobbled the meal down. He scooped out a second helping and ate it more slowly.

Hearing nothing from the living room, Kai checked on Aiden again. He still slept. The light outside dimmed, and Kai yawned. He tidied up the kitchen and put the leftovers in the fridge.

After readying for bed, he grabbed his pillow and blankets from his bedroom. He placed one blanket atop Aiden and then made a makeshift bed for himself adjacent to the sofa on the floor. Sleepiness swept him away.

***

Day Three

“Aiden, are you okay?” asked Kai, as he raised himself on his elbows. The morning sun blinded him.

Aiden’s eyelids lifted like old saggy window blinds. “Yes. Can you fill me in on what I missed?” Aiden sat up. He looked at Kai’s blanket and pillow on the floor next to him.

“You fell in the kitchen. I brought you to the sofa. You’ve been sleeping ever since. Do you need some water?”

Aiden shook his head.

“Thank you for the salsa. My dinner wasn’t burger and fries, but it was okay. Filling too.” A faint smile emerged on Kai’s face.

“I’m glad.” Aiden lay back down. “I haven’t got long, Kai. I’m afraid you’ve been cheated out of your third day. But the office will send you another match.”

“Can I get you some milk and cereal? It will give you strength.”

“No, this is the end of the road for me.”

“No Aiden.” Kai winced.

“It must be. We have a fixed lifespan, and mine is at the end.”

Kai’s lips trembled.

“Any la-last questions for me?”

“Why were we matched, Aiden?”

“You needed help to live on your own.” Aiden managed a smile.

Kai’s eyebrows stitched together. “But, but why am I a match for you?”

“They wanted to recycle you. I wanted to give you another chance, a tough last assignment. Yo-your education will con—”

Aiden stopped talking.

Kai’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

“This is the AI Continuum. Our records show your human has expired. We’ll send someone out to claim him and provide a new one. Press 1 if you’d like to repeat this message. Press 2 to wait for an AI assistant. The wait time is 25 minutes. Press 3 if—”

Kai hung up. Then he laid his head on Aiden’s chest.