The Material Design

Short Story 18

He woke up at six in the morning. Rushing into the bathroom, he showered and dressed in haste, he dread the thought of missing his train. He skipped breakfast at home, he used to pack the previous night’s leftovers in a bag and eat it on his way to office.

He worked from eight to five, and more often than not, he used to work overtime. His social life was not a happening one, he seldom got time to engage with friends. He was a bachelor, he wanted to get married but he was doing little about it. Other than placing his profile on the dating and matrimonial apps, nothing else.

He was returning home, watching a movie on his smartphone. He didn’t notice nor did he respond to a lady who asked him to make some space for her to sit. After the old man next to him tugged at his sleeve, he shifted a bit, squeezing himself between the two.

His movie came to an end, he pressed the power button to lock his smartphone. He saw his reflection on the screen, his face looked worn, wrinkled, it made him look five years older than he actually was. He sighed, thankful that the profile picture he sported these days was one that had been clicked years ago.

The old man next to him was solving the crossword in the newspaper. Unknown to himself, he was reading out loud the hint he was struggling with.
“A robot with a human appearance.”

A moment later, it hit him. With a flourish, he wrote the seven letter word,
‘ANDROID’