MY CAR NOW TALKS TO ME
Hello
Goodbye
Raising the lights like a stage curtain
Playing little movies
Serenading me with melodies
The welcome – farewell experience
They call it
“An emotionally resonant experience”
And that digital note of appreciation
“Thank you for driving a hybrid”
As if it was something…well
Unconnected with this thing on four wheels.
And those door handles
Illuminating when they sense my presence
The needles on the instruments
Snapping to attention as I open the door
There’s a welcoming theme
Part Hollywood soundtrack
Part plane swoosh
And that puddle lamp!
A welcome mat of light.
My car is a robot I think
With a personality not just in its body
But also in its behaviour.
“How can I help you?”
It asks now
As I prepare for take-off.
I really feel like telling it
To shut the fuck up
But I don’t want to hurt its feelings.
My Writing Life 
I really liked this one. My car isn’t new enough to talk to me yet, but when it is it will also want to parallel park for me, too. I can do that myself because I know how to drive. I fear for the kids- their cars will automatically slow or stop for them, park for them, warn them about stuff behind and beside. They don’t have to know how to drive in America any more, the car does it for them. What happens when the computer breaks down?
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Glad you liked it michaeljohns. Yeah, soon we won’t have to drive our cars any more, just sit in them and tell them where to go! Science fiction got this one right many years ago!
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