B7U1

Unit1ReadingandThinking
SATISFACTIONGUARANTEED(Adapted)
LarryBelmontworkedforacompanythatmaderobots.Recentlyithadbegunexperimentingwithahouholdrobot.ItwasgoingtobetestedoutbyLarry’swife,Claire.
Clairedidn’twanttherobotinherhou,especiallyasherhusbandwouldbeawayonabusinesstripforthreeweeks,butLarrypersuadedherthattherobotwouldn’tharmherorallowhertobeharmed.Itwouldbeabonus.However,whenshefirstsawtherobot,shefeltalarmed.HisnamewasTony.Heemedmorelikeahumanthanamachine.Hewastallandhandsomewithsmoothhairandadeepvoice,althoughhisfacialexpressionneverchanged.
Onthecondmorning,Tonybroughtherbreakfastandthenaskedherwhethersheneededhelpdressing.Shefeltembarrasdandquicklytoldhimtogo.Nowshewasbeinglookedafterbyarobotthatlookedsohuman,anditwasdisturbing.
Oneday,Clairementionedthatshedidn’tthinkshewasclever.Tonysaidthatshemustfeelveryunhappytosaythat.Clairethoughtitwasridiculousthatshewasbeingofferedsympathybyarobot,butshegraduallyadmiredhiswisdomandintegrityandbegantotrusthim.Healwaystreatedherwithdignity.Shetoldhimhowshewasunhappythatherhomewasn’telegantenoughforLarry,whowantedtoimprovehissocialpositionwithabiggersalary.Shewasn’tlikeGladysClaffern,oneoftherichestandmostpowerfulwomenaround.
Asafavour,TonypromidtohelpClairemakeherlfmorebeautifulandherhomemoreelegant.SoClaireborrowedsomelibrarybooksforhimtoread,orrather,scan.Shelookedathisfingerswithwonderastheyturnedeachpage.Howabsurd,shethought.Hewasjustamachine.
TonygaveClaireanewhairstyleandimprovedhermakeup.Ashewasnotallowedtoaccompanyhertotheshops,hewroteoutalistofthingsthathewouldneedforhisworkonthehou.Clairewentdowntownandboughtthethings.Shehadanappointmenttopainthernails,thenshewentintoanexpensiveclothesshop.Thesaleswomantherewasrudetoher,sosherangTonyandtoldhimshewasbeingtreatedbadly.Hespoketothewoman,whoimmediatelychangedherattitude.ClairethankedTony,tellinghimthathewasa“dear”.Assheturnedaround,therestoodGladysClaffern.Howawfultobediscoveredbyher,Clairethought.Bythelookonherface,ClaireknewthatGladysthoughttheywereinarelationship.Afterall,sheknewClaire’shusband’snamewasLarry,notTony.Althoughitwascompletelyinnocent,Clairefeltguilty.
Oneday,Clairementionedthatshedidn’tthinkshewasclever.Tonysaidthatshemustfeelveryunhappytosaythat.Clairethoughtitwasridiculousthatshewasbeingofferedsympathybyarobot,butshegraduallyadmiredhiswisdomandintegrityandbegantotrusthim.Healwaystreatedherwithdignity.Shetoldhimhowshewasunhappythatherhomewasn’telegantenoughforLarry,whowantedtoimprovehissocialpositionwithabiggersalary.Shewasn’tlikeGladysClaffern,oneoftherichestandmostpowerfulwomenaround.
Asafavour,TonypromidtohelpClairemakeherlfmorebeautifulandherhomemoreelegant.SoClaireborrowedsomelibrarybooksforhimtoread,orrather,scan.Shelookedathisfingerswithwonderastheyturnedeachpage.Howabsurd,shethought.Hewasjustamachine.
TonygaveClaireanewhairstyleandimprovedhermakeup.Ashewasnotallowedtoaccompanyhertotheshops,hewroteoutalistofthingsthathewouldneedforhisworkonthehou.Clairewentdowntownandboughtthethings.Shehadanappointmenttopainthernails,thenshewentintoanexpensiveclothesshop.Thesaleswomantherewasrudetoher,sosherangTonyandtoldhimshewasbeingtreatedbadly.Hespoketothewoman,whoimmediatelychangedherattitude.ClairethankedTony,tellinghimthathewasa“dear”.Assheturnedaround,therestoodGladysClaffern.Howawfultobediscoveredbyher,Clairethought.Bythelookonherface,ClaireknewthatGladysthoughttheywereinarelationship.Afterall,sheknewClaire’shusband’snamewasLarry,notTony.Althoughitwascompletelyinnocent,Clairefeltguilty.
WhenClairegothome,shewept.GladyswaverythingClairewishedtobe.TonytoldhershewasbeingnsitiveandwasjustasgoodasGladys.HesuggestedthatsheinviteGladysandherfriendstothehouthenightbeforehewastoleaveandLarrywastoreturn.Bythattime,Tonyexpectedthatthehou,whichwasbeingcompletelytransformed,wouldbeready.
Tonyworkedsteadilyontheimprovements.Clairetriedtohelpbyworkingonalightsuspendedfromtheceiling,butshefellofftheladder.EventhoughTonyhadbeeninthenextroom,hemanagedtocatchherintime.Asheheldher,shefeltthewarmthofhisbody.Shescreamed,pushedhimawayandrantoherroom.
Thenightofthepartyarrived.Theclockstruckeight.Theguestswouldbearrivingsoon,soClairedismisdTonyfortherestofthenight.Atthatmoment,Tonytookherinhisarms,bringinghisfaceclotohers.Sheheardhimdeclarethathedidn’twanttoleaveherthenextday,andthathefeltmorethanjustthedesiretopleaher.Thenthefrontdoorbellrang.