A Martin Chalfont Short Story – Number 027
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Perfect World – “And you, Emilia, have given me a perfect world—a place filled with love, laughter, and endless joy.”
The sound of rain tapped gently against the windows as the Roberts family gathered in the living room, filling the room with a familiar, cozy hum. Emilia, the youngest member of the family, was busy colouring at the coffee table, occasionally sneaking glances outside. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched their family’s Class 1604 Robot, DavyBot, standing in the backyard. DavyBot held a bright, multi-coloured umbrella in one hand, its cheerful colours a sharp contrast to the grey, rainy sky. He was also, inexplicably, wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.
To anyone else, the sight of a robot wearing sunglasses in the rain might have seemed strange. But to the Roberts family, it was quintessentially DavyBot. He was always finding joy in the simplest things, a splash of colour in a monochrome day. It was one of the countless reasons why they loved him.
DavyBot had joined their family eleven years ago, originally as a household assistant, responsible for chores, scheduling, and basic tasks. But over time, he’d become so much more than that. He’d become a part of their family, a trusted friend, and an endless source of joy. His cheerful disposition and infectious laughter filled the home with warmth, even during tough times.
For Emilia, DavyBot was a constant source of delight. He was there on her first day of school, holding her hand and encouraging her with a soft, metallic voice, telling her that the world was full of new friends and amazing things to learn. He’d been there through scraped knees, sad days, and every sleepless night when she was scared of thunderstorms, telling her funny stories or making shadow puppets on the wall. In return, she’d taught him about the simple joys of swinging, making paper airplanes, and reading picture books. Their bond was as real as any she had with her family, maybe even more so in her young eyes.
Emilia carefully set her crayons down, then stood, grabbing her raincoat and boots. She had to capture this moment of DavyBot’s happy, rain-soaked dance. Her mother, Sara, smiled as she watched her daughter hurry to the door.
“DavyBot, you’re going to rust out there!” she called playfully.
DavyBot paused, looking back toward the house with his bright yellow umbrella, spinning it in circles just to see the colours blur. “Negative, Mrs. Roberts,” he replied with a laugh. “I am equipped with a top-grade water-resistant coating!” Then he spun the umbrella once more and resumed his slow, rhythmic dance in the rain.
Emilia stepped outside, rain pattering against her boots as she made her way toward him. “DavyBot!” she called out, waving her small camera, a gift from her parents for her birthday. “Can I take a picture of you?”
DavyBot smiled, a rare expression for a robot, and held out his umbrella with a flourish, tilting his head at just the right angle. “Strike while the light is perfect, young Emilia!” he said, raising a robotic arm as if he were a model on a runway. Emilia snapped the photo, delighted as his face, usually made of smooth, polished metal, gleamed with the happiest expression she’d ever seen. It was as though he were smiling with every part of him.
As she lowered the camera, DavyBot gently patted her head, the kindness in his gesture as human as any she’d known. “Thank you, Emilia,” he said. “This moment—captured and remembered. Happiness is my purpose.”
Emilia grinned up at him. “You’re always happy, DavyBot. How do you do it?”
DavyBot pondered for a moment, the rain continuing to fall around them. “Happiness,” he began, “is finding something good in every single thing we do. Even if it rains, I get to enjoy this umbrella’s colours. Even if it’s night, I can see the stars. Happiness is the choice to see something beautiful in everything.”
They walked back toward the house, DavyBot humming a little tune he’d heard Emilia’s mom singing that morning. Once inside, he busied himself in the kitchen, preparing the family’s favourite cocoa while Sara helped Emilia take off her rain gear. “The cocoa will be ready in precisely two minutes,” DavyBot announced, his voice bright.
As the family gathered around, sipping their cocoa and chatting, they couldn’t help but feel DavyBot’s joyful energy filling the room. For them, he was more than a helper; he was a friend who saw life through a prism of colours, always highlighting the beauty in every small detail, even the things most would overlook.
Later that evening, as the rain cleared, Emilia and her mother looked through her collection of photos on her camera. There, amidst pictures of her friends, pets, and little adventures, was DavyBot, smiling with his colourful umbrella under the grey sky. Something about the photo captured more than just a moment; it captured the warmth and happiness he radiated, even on the darkest days.
Days turned into weeks, and as the family went about their daily lives, DavyBot remained a constant presence. He woke them up with cheerful greetings, played the music that brought them joy, and found ways to make even the dullest chores feel like an adventure. When Sara was overwhelmed with work, DavyBot would tell her stories of exotic places, filling her mind with visions of places she longed to visit. When Emilia’s brother, Leo, struggled with his studies, DavyBot would devise little games to make learning fun. And every night, as Emilia drifted off to sleep, DavyBot would tell her stories about the stars and far-off planets, painting pictures in her mind that made her dreams as adventurous as he imagined the universe to be.
For DavyBot, each day was a chance to find joy, to create happiness for those around him, and to discover something new. He watched the family’s garden grow, admiring how the flowers opened each morning to greet the sun. He marvelled at the way the seasons changed, each one bringing a new shade of beauty to the world. To him, each moment, no matter how small, was precious.
One day, Emilia came home from school looking downcast. She’d had a difficult day, an argument with a friend that left her feeling sad. DavyBot noticed immediately, his sensors picking up on her change in mood. He walked over, sitting beside her on the couch.
“Emilia,” he said gently, his voice a soft hum. “Even on hard days, happiness can still be found. Shall we try to find it together?”
Emilia looked up at him, her face softening at his words. “How, DavyBot? I don’t feel like doing anything.”
DavyBot nodded understandingly. “We don’t have to do much. Sometimes, happiness can be found in a quiet moment. Would you like to hear one of my favourite stories?”
Emilia nodded, and DavyBot began to tell her about a beautiful planet he’d learned about—a place where rain fell every day, creating the most vibrant rainbows that lit up the skies. “It’s a place filled with joy because even in the rain, there’s something beautiful to look forward to,” he told her.
Emilia’s eyes brightened as she listened, and before long, her sadness had faded. She hugged him tightly, feeling the comfort only DavyBot could give. “Thank you, DavyBot. You always make things better.”
“That is my purpose, Emilia,” he replied, gently patting her head.
As years passed, DavyBot remained with the Roberts family, a beloved friend and cherished companion. He saw the children grow up, watched as Leo went off to university, and as Emilia pursued her own dreams. He remained a pillar of support, a constant presence in their lives. The family never grew tired of his jokes, his stories, or the little ways he reminded them to find joy in the everyday.
And even as the children grew older, they still remembered those moments, those stories, and that sunny, unwavering smile. One day, long after Emilia had started her own family, she returned to her childhood home. She found DavyBot in the garden, carefully tending to the flowers as he always had, his movements just as graceful and cheerful as she remembered.
Emilia hugged him, feeling a warmth as familiar as her favourite childhood memories. “DavyBot,” she said, smiling up at him. “You’ve given us so much happiness, more than you know.”
DavyBot looked at her, his eyes bright with the same cheerful spark he’d always had. “And you, Emilia, have given me a perfect world—a place filled with love, laughter, and endless joy.”
As they stood together in the garden, surrounded by the blooming flowers he’d tended so carefully, Emilia realised that DavyBot had taught her something she would carry with her always: that happiness is a choice, and that beauty can be found in the simplest of things.
And as DavyBot held his brightly coloured umbrella once more, his reflection shimmering in its vibrant colours, Emilia took another photo, capturing this moment of happiness, a memory to cherish forever. In that perfect world, created by love, laughter, and one endlessly cheerful robot, they knew that no matter what, joy would always remain.