After
Frank washed his face and did other human tasks that are required occasionally
we sat quietly in the guestroom. I
was surprised Frank did not wish to discuss what we had seen. This was unusual for him. I decided to
anticipate my master and asked him if he wished for a synopsis of what had
transpired or review the photographs I took.
“No,
Jack. I think we better wait until
we are back at the hotel room.”
Silly
me, I should have guessed ahead of Frank’s comment that it would not be wise to
discuss what we had just seen.
You'd think I was manufactured yesterday. Yes, of course, the room might be
monitored by Lutts’s security or maybe even by Lutts himself. Mum's the word then. After about ten minutes Lutts’s GAIC
came and fetched us. We proceeded
down a number of hallways and then took the elevator up to the surface. An electric cart waited for us and was
driven by GAIC to the castle entrance.
The GAIC gave us what sounded like a narrative for a group tour telling
us about the history of the estate and castle that now belonged to Dr.
Lutts.
It
was an imposing edifice, built in the late 1700s when castles looked more like
palaces. There must have been forty
chimneys on the roof. The gardens
were well groomed in the French style and in front was a very Italianesque
fountain that featured numerous statues of perfect specimens of the human
species. It was very heroic looking
with lots of water action. It must
have taken a 500 horsepower pump to move all that water. I am sure it impressed humans very much
as they drove up to Lutts’s domicile.
Frank was too busy trying to light a cigarette to be interested in being
impressed. Besides he was not
easily impressed. Not that he did
not appreciate massive works of art, he just was not very demonstrative with the
world. Having traveled with him all
over the planet I knew he always found time for the local museums like the
Louvre or the Galleria degli Uffizi.
Frank
barely had a dozen inhales of his cigarette before we pulled up. I could tell he was about to just flick
the half smoked cigarette when he thought better of it. He crushed the burning end against his
shoe bottom and put it back in his cigarette pack.
“Please
follow me, sir,” intoned the posh GAIC.
I knew if I answered with a Cockney accent that my master would crack up,
but I was not programmed to take such liberties. We walked up a lovely grouping of steps
into the main entrance. The door
was opened by a livery servant – human, too, and female.
She
showed us to a room big enough for a royal assemblage. The only thing missing was a
throne. Frank had barely had the
time to give the room a once over when the door opened and Lutts entered. He was not alone. With him was a drop dead gorgeous lady
that took Frank only a nanosecond to recognize. It did not show on his face, but I could
see his vitals visibly changed – at least it is visible to me. I can monitor any human’s heart beat,
blood pressure and perspiration rate just be looking at him. And Frank obviously did not expect the
Princess Marianne to come through that door with Sir
Terrance.
“Mr.
Huntington, may I introduce my wife, Marianne.”
“I
did not know you were married. Nor
you, Princess. Every policeman from
Scotland Yard to Interpol is looking for you.”
“She
gave Frank a coy smile and said, “I didn’t think I was lost. Some times the police are just as bad as
the Paparazzi.”
“Shall
we proceed to lunch? This way Mr.
Huntington. My dear,” and taking
her hand they went to the garden. I
and my fellow robot followed the humans to a small pavilion where several
butlers were waiting to serve lunch.
I am sure Frank found the setting rather posh. I stayed back of Frank on the side. I looked frozen, but I was busy
recording the entire luncheon.
Frank's standing orders, you know.
Frank
kept it to pleasantries until the wine was served. He realized that there was a story
here. First off, this was rather a
sudden development. Secondly, I am
sure Frank remembered that Lutts was a card carrying atheist. In fact, several years ago, he was sued
by some born again Christian biologist who had applied to Lutts’s lab and was
turned down in the final interview.
It was meant to be where Lutts offered the young biologist a position,
but after informally chatting about the world Lutts discovered the man was
smitten with religious zealotries. Lutts himself told the poor sot that religion
and science don’t mix and he didn’t want any employees with mixed and confused
notions of reality. It was settled
out of court, but still was front page news.
“Princess
Marianne, when did you and the doctor get hitched?”
“I
was married just two weeks ago. On
Tarrance’s yacht the “Mermaid”.
“How
long have you known each other?”
Lutts
spoke up and answered the question, “Actually we met at the Proms. There was a mix up and we were given the
same box. I offered to leave, but
the Princess was gracious enough to share it. To thank her I offered her a short trip
to Bermuda on the Mermaid and we left before the performance was
over.”
“I
found Terrance more interesting than Sergei Prokofiev's “Symphony No. 3,” said
the princess as she beamed at her new husband.
“How
could such opposites attract?” asked Frank.
“What
do you mean?” she asked with a quizzical look. “We have so much in
common.”
“You
have been compared to Mother Theresa for your religious convictions and your
husband has been condemned by many of the cloth.”
“Actually,
I am now an atheist.”
“How
did that happen?”
“While
on the Mermaid, Terrance and I had many discussions about religion. I remember arguing fiercely with
him. He would show me scripture
supporting misogyny and slavery. I
would show him other scripture that more than made up for those things with love
and forgiveness. It was all very
civil, but I refused to admit he was right and Jesus was just an imperfect
demagogue. I remember going to bed
being quite miffed with him.” Looking at Lutts she said, “You are rather
persistent, dear.”
“So
what changed your mind?”
“I
am not sure. I just remember waking
up the next morning and feeling very happy and very unreligious. All of a sudden God just did not
matter.”
“Was
it what your future husband had said to you the night
before?”
“No,
not really. It is hard to explain,
but I completely lost my urge to pray.
All my strong feelings for the Holy Trinity were dead. Gone.”
“Is
that when you fell in love with Sir Terrance?”
“No,
that happened a few days later.
Once you get to know Terrance you realize he is an amazing man. He’s charming. Intelligent. And he truly cares for humankind. He supports a lot of charity work – just
not through any religious organizations.
And curing cancer has relieved more suffering than any son of god has
ever done.”
She
squeezed her husband’s hand and then continued, “Once I was free of religion I
saw him in an entirely new light.
Lucky for me he fell in love with me just as fast as I did. I can’t imagine what my friends will say
when they find out.”
“How
come you have not made this public?”
“Actually,
we just wanted to enjoy our honeymoon without every damn photographer shoving
their cameras in our faces.”
“I
can understand that. A couple of
times some of my fellow reporters have tried to interview me on their television
channels or on radio and I always decline.
I prefer the anonymity of reporting and not being reported. But Princess, come on, your wallflower
act is not in keeping with your public relations history. Most of the time I think you keep your
publicist very busy.”
“I
seem to have shed that trait as well, Mr. Huntington. I just don’t feel the need. Maybe it is just a temporary thing, but
right now I am enjoying my husband – both in and out of
bed.”
“Sir
Terrance, did you think you were going to marry someone like Princess
Marianne?”
“Not
the one we all knew in the papers.
I found her rather sanctimonious and needy. Sorry dear, but it was true. As far as this country goes, you were
seen as more religious than the Pope.”
She
gave out an honest laugh, and at the same time color came to her cheeks. “A month ago I would have slapped you,
but that persona has left the building.”
“It
sounds like your new found atheism was more emotional than
intellectual?”
“Yes,
that is what is strange. From what
I have read (and I have been reading a lot of atheist authors in our library in
the castle and online) it seems to start on an intellectual level for most
people who give up God, Jesus and the blessed Mary. I would find praying very tedious now,
not to mention a high mass. My turn
now, Mr. Huntington. When did you
give up God?”
“College. I was hot on a girl in one of my
journalism classes. She insisted on
having long conversations about life, the Universe, and Carl Sagan. Her forcing me to confront religion with
skepticism was the most lasting gift she gave me. Skepticism has served me well. It freed me from many logical fallacies
and it helped me to be a better reporter.”
“Do
you ever still have religious yearnings?” asked Lutts to
Frank.
“Yes,
there are moments when I have felt those emotional pangs. I try to ignore them. I just put it down as coming from my
paleopallium. I figure that is the
time to have a drink. Princess,
what are your long term goals now that you have given up becoming a
saint?”
“I
guess that makes me a sinner like everyone else in the world. I don’t know. My work with children still appeals to
me, but I also now see how religion has really messed up the world. The war in Africa is a prime example
where Christianity and Islam are killing people of all ages. Sad to say, most of them would not do
such horrible acts if they were not motivated by the promise of a heavenly
reward. I would like to help find a
way for more to become free of religion.”
“Good
luck with that. Most prophets of
freedom end up being killed as heretics.
While I don’t hide my atheism, I don’t wear it on my sleeve.
“
“You
should wear it like a medal,” Lutts said rather firmly.
“If
I was as rich as you, I would, but us mere
minions [but we who are mere minions] do need to eat and in my case
drink. Doctor, do you share your
new wife’s quest to end religion?”
“I
will support all her endeavors. She
will be my conscience. My Jiminy Cricket.”
“Did
you know that Jiminy Cricket originated in the 1930s as a euphemism for saying
Jesus Christ in vain?”
“Seriously?”
Marianne started to giggle a little, “I am always amazed at all the euphemisms
for swearing. The funniest was
frack from ‘Battlestar Galactica’.”
“I
wonder what would happen to the profanity “God damn it” if religion died? Lutts
said quietly looking at his empty plate. “Oh well, it is time to have dessert,
Mr. Huntington. Time to show off
one of my harmless inventions in the process. We will need to go to my personal
planetarium because we will need darkness.”
With
that curious comment the humans all got up and everyone, man and machine,
followed Mr. Lutts. We went up a
beautiful marble winding stairway and entered a planetarium with lots of shiny
brass work and a large Zeiss-Jena Universal Projection Planetarium Type
23/6. Plush red velvet chairs were
distributed around the room. Over
on the north side was a black table and more plush red velvet chairs around
it. Lutts led the group over there
and told the butler to serve after the lights went out. Slowly the lights dimmed and out came
the night sky. The moon was in its
first phase and the Milky Way shone across the dome. Three butlers came in and set down three
silver covered goblets and spoons.
When Frank lifted off the lid he immediately said, “Whoa! How cool. It glows.”
In
the goblet were four perfectly round scoops of ice cream. Each glowed brightly in a different
color – red, green, blue and yellow.
I think Frank was a little hesitant to taste it, but after seeing both
his hosts start in he gingerly took a small spoonful of the red ice
cream.
“Cherry. Is it natural flavoring or is the
flavoring also one of your inventions?
It is so intense a taste,” Frank asked now showing red glowing
teeth. When Lutts started talking
Frank noticed his mouth glowed like some nuclear reactor core.
“I
always get a chuckle seeing how people react to my confection. Yes, the flavors are natural, but the
coloring is one of my biotech inventions.
Originally, each color was used to help determine if certain genes were
turned on, but I realized it could also be used in milk production. I have a special herd of 24 cows that
make glow-in-the-dark milk. I
assure you it is all perfectly harmless, but I must warn you that you might be
surprised the next time you go to the bathroom in the dark. Your urine will be like those tracer
projectiles. As a man, you will
probably enjoy it more than my wife.”
With
that all the humans roared with laughter.
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