(Continued from May 09, 2010)
“You two men can attend to getting Sam safe and sound into his shed while Thea and I go and look at some clothes that I bought recently. Here are the key and the code number for the shed’s doors. We will meet you in the boardroom in about fifteen minutes unless you will need more time.”
“Fifteen minutes will be plenty of time,” Alphonse replied while he directed Sam to pick up the piece of sawed-off tail pipe and to deposit it into the rear of the Mini. Back to full size, the robot raised the vehicle’s backend again, allowing us to retrieve the wooden blocks.
Next, it was back to his shed at full speed for the robot. Alphonse used the goggles to manipulate Sam directly into the middle of his circle. After we had locked the doors, my young friend checked his watch. Eight minutes had passed since the ladies had left for the main house.
“You really gave that robot a good workout,” I remarked as we strolled toward the boardroom.
“As you are well aware, I like to test the limits of machines and equipment. When the need arises to make them function at full capacity, one should be informed about those limits.”
When we reached the steps that led to the boardroom’s entrance, we could see the ladies exiting from the main residence’s front door. We waited for them outside, as Thea and I would be departing soon.
Aunt Dorothy and Alphonse accompanied us to the Audi; and, after a few minutes of small talk, my daughter and I departed. My young friend jogged to the gate. While he opened it, he shouted: “Have a good time at the farm. I am looking forward to paying you a visit there soon.”
Shortly after her dad had passed away, Thea had been presented with the opportunity to purchase a very interesting organic farm at an extremely reasonable price. Because of their advanced age, the owners deemed themselves no longer capable of operating the enterprise; and, since Tea and her father, for years, had purchased the bulk of the produce and fruit for charitable purposes, she was given first refusal. Aunt Dorothy’s accountant advised her to take advantage of the opportunity. So, Thea became the owner of a farm.
My daughter was eager to involve me in her world; and, because the farm was a very big part of that, we had decided to venture out into the countryside that very day.
(To be continued)
Thea’s organic farm for charity purposes
At that point in time, Alphonse realized that his spectators might be somewhat puzzled about the project in progress; so, he explained: “According to the manual, the blade that is presently in the cordless will easily cut through steel piping. Well, my exhaust pipe is rusted through and held up with wire. Using the goggles, I will be able to do a precision job in cutting it exactly in the right spot.”
Without further ado, Alphonse shrank the robot to its lowest position and made him move under the Mini. My young friend then stretched out on the tarpaulin; and, with the use of the goggles, was obviously able to find, with ease, the most appropriate place for the severing process. For, within seconds, we heard a few strokes of the blade and the “clang” as the metal hit the pavement.
Ominous clouds had appeared in the sky. Therefore, Aunt Dorothy advised Alphonse to get the robot to his shed. “You made Sam perform marvelously,” she added with a smile.
“We will schedule the visit to the atelier for early next week,” Aunt Dorothy said pensively. “Then, at the board meeting a few days later, Alphonse will be even more informed and ready to impress the board members.”
Alphonse listened to aunt Dorothy’s comments with an impassive expression. Her high expectations obviously did not affect him adversely. I knew that he would perform admirably. On a number of previous occasions, I had seen him shine on center stage.
While he studied the instructions for the use of the remote, Alphonse was thinking aloud: “I must keep in mind that Sam’s cousins are much more advanced. Therefore, if I notice a response that appears to need improvement, there is a good likelihood that the adjustment has already been made. Nevertheless, I will make a note of any area where I would like to see betterment. Then, when we visit the workshop, I will check on the cousins’ advancement in those areas.”