Ben

"Evening Ben, how's your day been?"  George grins as he strolls in carrying a massive pizza box that smells amazing.  My stomach growls in a way of a greeting.  He goes straight to my desk and plugs in TOMI.

"Good evening Ben, initiating diagnostics." TOMI has been extremely cooperative since that first outburst.

This past week George and TOMI have visited every evening.  George excited about his day, describes the colourful characters.  The people, amazed he can converse in their language, open up to him and tell him crazy tales that he and TOMI delight in sharing with me.  Every evening it's been the same, eating pizza, chatting and working with TOMI. 

He, TOMI, doesn't use that Headmaster voice with me any more, in fact I've started to think of him as a friend.   His progress is just phenomenal in all areas.  He is easily my best success story.  The amount of information he can obtain and sift through on any subject blows my mind.  I am learning so much from him and my brain finds real satisfaction in the mental exercise.  It's been years since I've really been intellectually challenged by anything but my designs of my projects.  That's not blowing my own trumpet, it's just that most people glaze over whenever I start talking about anything I find remotely interesting.  It's been a lonely few years really, more so since I stopped leaving my garage.

George and I relax on an old tatty sofa, devouring the pizza.  I can't let the grease anywhere near my desk and it's good to have a change of scene.  TOMI regales us with anecdotes from the day's news.

Comfortably full, I return to my desk and the problem TOMI and I have not managed to solve.  Even with our two great minds working together, we have so far failed to do the one thing I need to take this project all the way, to take it to a manufacturer.  That is to copy TOMI.  The best we can do is replicate his basic functions.  I've made a secondary device that can track orders, run the finance and feed basic greetings to George in the standard languages, but it lacks the brilliantly creative personality that is TOMI.  The dream to replicate him has infected us all, so all of us are frustrated by the lack of progress in this area.

The secondary device, or Relay as we're calling it, means George and TOMI's dreams of franchising out the coffee kiosk might just be feasible.  It has become the focus of my work this past few days.  We plan to get TOMI connected to the Relay remotely so he can feed in the extra direction and oomph that would make every customer's experience sparkle.  We are still a while off that yet but it's a fun challenge that's been occupying my days. 

George sits sketching designs, his pages are full of colourful sketches for the Relay and kiosks.  He hums as he works, oblivious of us as we work on the technical aspects. I'm not sure George's designs are actually practical, or even possible, but they look pretty good to me.

We continue to work in this compatible focus for a couple of hours before George packs up and they return home.  I find I can't wait for them to return to see George again and run through my progress with TOMI.

Mum's changed.  She no longer comes in looking like a concerned nurse, no more careful bedside manner.  Actually smiling with real smiles as she clears the empty plates and sees me up working.  The garage door is now opened daily, letting precious daylight in.  On the downside the light also highlights the dust, gloom, and clutter, but Mum has knuckled down to help me tackle that for a few hours each day as I wait for my evening visitors.  It's a welcome change and I find I enjoy working along side her.  "Little steps." She keeps saying to me, and that's what we are doing. Little steps of improvement each day.

George has always been in Mum's good books, since we were first friends in school.  She is delighted that he has started coming around so often, and brings in little extras every evening, puddings, table cloth, even salad.  To be honest, we didn't eat much of the salad, but the table cloth was a nice touch, made the place feel more homely. 

It's been a long time, but I can feel a glimmer of something deep inside, I think it is hope flickering away like a tiny candle.  Maybe I'll be up for visiting the kiosk some time soon.  Little steps. 

Hi guys, quite a short chapter before things go a bit crazy.  Stay tuned, next chapter coming soon.  Take Care, Rachel.