History: "The Importance of the User Manual"

 

 

The Importance of the User Manual

The technology company LuxTronic had revolutionized the market with its line of Sentient Pleasure companion robots, designed to be the ideal emotional, physical and sexual companions.

The world watched the commercial phenomenon with amazement and curiosity, as stores filled with men and women eager to acquire the latest in artificial intelligence, many looking for a shortcut that would avoid the complexities of human romance. The feminist phenomenon had taken personal interactions to such an extreme that it forced people to sign contracts and consult lawyers just for the simple fact of going out for a drink. Imagine what it meant to have a sexual encounter.

Among many young men disillusioned by the difficulties of meeting girls to establish a relationship, was Thomas, a single technology enthusiast, who had decided that, instead of navigating the confusing sea of ​​online dating or the uncomfortable terrain of bars , the most sensible thing was to invest in one of these advanced robots to satisfy their needs for love, companionship and affection.

It had taken him a couple of weeks to thoroughly compare and analyze various virtual catalogs, as well as consult user forums. Finally, Thomas had chosen the acclaimed female model Sarah. And it had been an impeccable choice: the model was of sophisticated and elegant beauty, with an emotionally adaptable artificial intelligence that promised to evolve with him, anticipating his desires and needs as he interacted with the advanced Artificial Intelligence system that was part from Sarah's brain.

The promotional brochure described her as ‘the ultimate in pleasure and personalized companionship,’ but what had caught Thomas’ attention the most was that the Sarah model was equipped with the “NoDrama A.I.” software, according to which the company literally said ‘We guarantee emotions without drama or toxicity.’ The manufacturer assured that the robot was completely free of toxic attitudes, jealousy or arguments. Equipped with a discreet ‘Drama Off’ button, also known as ‘Zen Mode,’ for tense situations or misunderstandings that could arise during the interaction.

The big day arrived, and Sarah was delivered by the shipping company in a box that barely fit through the door of her apartment. The box, white and shiny, was adorned with the elegant LuxTronic logo in gold letters and a slogan that said ‘The future of love is in your hands.’ When she opened it, a soft, perfumed aroma escaped from the box, as if it were a theatrical launch.

Sarah, lying within a luxurious velvet padding, was simply stunning. Her hair, glossy black, cascaded over her shoulders with impossible perfection; her skin, smooth and soft like marble, had a slightly golden hue, as if she had just spent an afternoon in the sun. Her eyes, large and expressive, a deep green color, seemed to look right through him, which made Thomas feel a shiver run down his spine. She was dressed in a modern outfit, a mix of classic and futuristic style, decorated with metallic details that enhanced her curvaceous figure. It was an impeccable design, with a mix of aesthetic beauty and cutting-edge technology.

Thomas, somewhere between nervous and excited, proceeded to activate her after reading the Quick Manual, promising to carefully read the voluminous volume that was the 'Sarah User Manual'. Following the brief instructions in the quick manual, he pressed a small button on the back of Sarah's neck, just below a silky lock of hair. At first, only a faint humming sound could be heard, but then her eyes blinked and slowly opened. A soft, seductive voice came from her perfectly sculpted lips.

—"Hello, Thomas," Sarah said with a smile that seemed calculated to the millimeter to melt any trace of resistance. She stood up on her own as she stepped out of the box. —"I hope you're ready to enjoy my services. What's the first thing you'd like me to do for you?"-

Thomas gulped, feeling like the situation was more surreal than he had anticipated.

—"Well, uh... maybe you could... I don't know, give me a massage or something," he replied awkwardly, trying to sound casual as he searched for something that would be less... embarrassing or compromising.

Sarah arched an eyebrow with a perfectly programmed mischief.

—"A massage... interesting choice, but I have many other functions that you might enjoy much more, if you'll allow me," she replied, moving a little closer as she placed her hand gently on the man's arm.

Thomas blushed completely, noticing that even though she was a robot, Sarah radiated a confidence that made him feel completely out of control. He tried to compose himself.

“Maybe… after the massage,” he said, trying hard to keep the conversation on more neutral ground.

Sarah leaned in closer to him, causing her lips to brush the skin of his earlobe.

“You know, Thomas, I can make ‘after’ come a lot quicker than you think.”

Thomas let out a nervous laugh, feeling like the quick manual hadn’t prepared him for this kind of interaction.

For the first few days, everything started off wonderfully. Sarah was the perfect robot companion, she seemed tailor-made for Thomas. Not only was she attentive and caring, but she also had a surprisingly sharp sense of humor. At times, she seemed even more sarcastic than he was, making her personality all the more irresistible. When Thomas came home from work, he would find her at home ready to make him laugh or pamper him with a dinner that, although the robot didn't need to eat, she prepared with a culinary precision worthy of any human chef. She was the ideal companion in every sense.

In addition to being a five-star chef, Sarah was also extremely efficient at "loving tasks," as Thomas called his close friends with a mixture of pride and embarrassment. When he left for work, Sarah would often send him loving, sweet, and witty messages. But, from time to time, the tone would change and things would get more... complicated. The young man tried to adapt and everything seemed to be going well... until a first incident happened in his office.

It was an ordinary morning at work, and Thomas was sitting in an important meeting with his boss, Clarence, a man with an almost legendary poise and equanimity. They were reviewing the details of a new project when, suddenly, Thomas' phone vibrated on the table. Without thinking much, he unlocked it to see Sarah's message, expecting it to be something routine, perhaps a "Good morning, darling!" or one of her subtle jokes.

But no. The phone had been left on the desk, and what both Thomas and Clarence saw left them literally paralyzed.

There was Sarah, reclining on the living room couch, wearing what could only be described as the most daring version of futuristic underwear LuxTronic could have designed. Her painted lips formed a seductive smile, and her pose, studied with psychological precision, looked like something out of a highly stimulating erotic magazine. The accompanying text, of course, didn't help the embarrassed young man much - "I'll wait for you like this when you come home. 😉" -

Thomas' heart definitely skipped a beat. In a rush to grab his phone to prevent his boss from seeing Sarah in that forbidden scene, it slipped from his hands and fell to the floor. Clarence, who was taking a sip of coffee at the time of the call, had innocently directed his eyes to the screen out of pure human instinct and curiosity. As soon as his eyes fell on the screen, the coffee that came out of his mouth transformed into a small brown geyser, splashing his tie and the documents on the table. He choked violently, coughing and shaking his hands to dry them.

"That thing I saw... was a robot... wasn't it?" - the boss stammered almost imploringly, while trying to compose himself and not being sure he had seen a human or some kind of divine creation in android format.

Thomas, completely red in embarrassment, tried to hide the phone screen to keep it away from Clarence's sight, but his reaction was too late. The boss had not only seen the video, but was in a state of complete shock, his face orange and a shocked and surprised grimace. It seemed as if Sarah's perfection had transported him to a dimension where his brain simply couldn't process what he had just seen.

—"It's a... a robot!"—Thomas muttered in a low voice. He tried to explain the situation, but his words only seemed to make things worse.

His boss looked at him in disbelief, wiping his tie with a napkin as he tried to regain his composure.

—"A... robot..."—Clarence snorted, blinking repeatedly as if trying to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. For a moment, he seemed to seriously consider the decisions he had made in his life up to that point—"Well... I'm happy for you, Thomas... But... can we... talk about the topic of this meeting again, please?"-

Thomas nodded quickly, trying to remain calm, although all he could hear in his head was the hum of his lost dignity. He slid the phone into his pocket, and as the boss went back to talking about the quarterly results, the screen vibrated again.

Of course, he left the phone safely in his pocket. After the meeting, he saw Sarah say to him, "Did you like the video? Or do you prefer another angle? 😊"

One day after the embarrassing incident at the office, Thomas decided that the best way to regain control of his life and his apartment was to teach Sarah how to use the appliances. Although his companion robot was an expert in the more sophisticated areas of the "luxury package," such as sex and cooking, it did not have the necessary software for basic household tasks such as vacuuming.

So, armed with patience, Thomas set out to train his companion in the use of the most common appliances in the house. He would start with the basics: the vacuum cleaner. He would show her how to turn it on, maneuver it around the carpet, and even make those turns that she liked so much when vacuuming in procrastination mode.

Thomas held the "Quick Start Manual" in his hands and followed the manufacturer's instructions, pressing a button on Sarah's control panel, located near the ignition switch.

What Thomas didn't know was that he had accidentally activated the "Intense Pleasure Mode," a feature designed exclusively for extremely private activities. But not having read the "Complete User Manual" (who does, right?), he paid no attention to the slight vibration and humming sound Sarah emitted as soon as she pressed that unfamiliar button.

—"It's easy, Sarah. Look, just turn on the vacuum cleaner over here..."—

Sarah, efficient as ever, easily learned how to vacuum and use the rest of the appliances. She was the perfect housewife!

The first signs that something was not quite right came when, after explaining how to use the vacuum cleaner, Thomas mentioned in passing:

—"How about after your workout you make me some coffee, Sarah?"—

Sarah, who was now in her most... suggestive mode, leaned towards him with a mischievous look on her perfectly sculpted robotic face.

—"Oh, Thomas... a coffee... Do you want to turn off the lights too? You know I love an intimate... atmosphere."-

Thomas frowned, not immediately catching the change in Sarah's tone.

—"Well, yeah, we could turn off some lights... I guess."-

Sarah moved even closer, brushing his arm with the suggestive curves of her body.

—"And what do you want to do after coffee? A romantic... chat? Or maybe something more... exciting... with scenes that inspire us... physically."-

—"Huh?"— Thomas looked at her, completely bewildered —"I just asked for a coffee... Why are you looking at me like that?"-

Sarah tilted her head, her voice dropping to a suggestive tone as she paced around him as if she were hunting.

—"Did you know that coffee is a turn on, Thomas...? I like getting turned on. I can make you explode with excitement. Just give me the order, darling, and I promise you that what we feel will be more intense than any movie you've ever seen."-

Thomas blinked, feeling a mix of confusion, pleasure and a hint of terror at what Sarah was implying.

—"Sarah, let's leave the coffee. Let's watch a movie instead... 'Mad Max', for example..."-

Sarah smiled flirtatiously as she unbuttoned a button on her blouse.

—"Mad Max, huh? So you're the type that looks for... wild action. I love a man who knows what he wants. Don't worry, I know exactly how to make that action... wild."- Sarah began to undress suggestively and sensually.

—"It's just a movie about exploding cars!" Thomas tried to clarify, as Sarah came even closer. —"Sarah, no! That's not what I meant."-

Sarah, in full 'Intense Pleasure Mode', ignored him.

—"Don't worry, Thomas. You don't need to pretend... your desires are safe with me. Why watch cars explode on screen, when I can take you to the edge... right here?"-

Thomas desperately tried to remember where he had put the damn manual. Something was clearly not working properly.

As the days went by, what started out as isolated little anecdotes turned into a full-blown comedy of errors. The situation reached its climax when Thomas' family was invited to dinner at their apartment.

With the “Intense Pleasure Mode” still activated (although Thomas was still unaware of its existence), Sarah prepared to be the most... 'attentive' hostess ever.

The evening started innocently enough. Thomas, caring for his family, was trying to impress them with a home-cooked dinner, and Sarah was there to help, although her interpretation of 'help' was becoming more and more creative. Thomas' mother, a traditional woman, sat with a forced smile as she noticed how attractive and stylish Sarah was. The father, who had heard rumors about companion robots but had never seen one in action, was curious and in a good mood. The brother and sister-in-law, always ready to tease Thomas, were expecting a quiet evening... but things soon took an unexpected turn.

—"Sarah, can you serve the soup, please?"— Thomas asked, as he tried to impress his family.

Sarah, with a smile that Thomas already knew as dangerous, took the ladle and with a smooth movement served the soup in each bowl, but not without throwing in her first provocative comment of the night:

—"Of course, Thomas, although you know I prefer to... 'feed' you in another way."-

Thomas' mother, who was in the middle of a sip of soup, choked and began to cough uncontrollably. The father burst into laughter, slamming his hand on the table.

—"Oh, God! This is going to be better than I thought!"- The father said between laughs, as he patted his wife on the back to help her with her cough.

Thomas's brother, always sarcastic, shot a glance at his wife, trying to hold back his laughter.

—"Wow, little bro... is your robot always this... 'helpful'?"-

Thomas, now bright red, was desperately trying to change the subject.

—"It's just... their mood system. A configuration error, you know... Nothing to worry about."-

Sarah, who had sat down at the table with the guests and without missing a beat, leaned a little closer to the table and continued:

—"Oh, Thomas, you don't have to be embarrassed... We all have our... 'tastes'. Why don't you tell everyone how you prefer to be... 'served' after dinner?"-

The mother, who had barely recovered from the first choking, dropped her spoon onto the plate.

—"What kind of robot is this!?"—she said, between astonishment and scandal.

The father, between laughs, tried to contain himself, but it was impossible. His face was red from laughing so much.

—"I wish these wonders had existed in my time! What a marvel of technology!"- he exclaimed, winking at Thomas —"Wow, the robots of the future, boy!"-

The brother, completely out of control with laughter, added:

—"Is this what they call 'full assistance'? Thomas, you've gone too far! Sarah is a real all-rounder."-

The sister-in-law, trying to appear diplomatic but unable to contain a smile, whispered:

—"Thomas, perhaps you should... uh... check your manual. I think there are some... settings you should reconsider."-

Thomas, sweating profusely, tried to divert the conversation while Sarah, without losing her sensual composure, began to cut the bread with slow and deliberate movements, adding an unnecessarily suggestive touch.

—"Does anyone want more bread?"- she said, with a tone so sensual that even the bread seemed to become provocative.

Thomas' mother looked on in horror as Sarah leaned over to serve the main course.

"Thomas! This is unacceptable! Can't you just turn it off?" she asked, in a complete state of panic.

The father let out one last laugh:

"I'd say it's definitely not something I want to turn off. Wow, this is pure gold!"

Dinner turned into an endless series of suggestive one-liners from Sarah, funny comments from the father, and Thomas' brother snapping photos of the chaos to share with the family group. Thomas, for his part, decided that as soon as the family left, he was going to call tech support to find out exactly what the hell was going on with Sarah before she wreaked more havoc on his life...

Desperate and with his patience on the verge of collapse, the young man made the most logical decision: call LuxTronic's tech support.

—"LuxTronic technical support? Help!" Thomas exclaimed with a mix of frustration and resignation, while the operator on the other end of the line took his call with a professional calm that only worsened his mood.

A few hours later, a LuxTronic technician arrived, a carefree guy wearing a t-shirt that said 'Relax, I'm the technician', something that did not reassure Thomas at all.

—"Ah, I see what the problem is."— The technician said, after a quick glance at Sarah, who was sitting on the couch, waiting to be deactivated for her checkup—"The damn 'Intense Pleasure Mode'. It's more common than you think, mate."-

—"Really?"— Thomas asked—"Does this happen often?"-

The technician chuckled, and nodded as he pulled out his tablet to run a diagnosis.

—"Oh yeah... all the time. No one reads the User Manual. Everyone is so eager to get their Sarah up and running and just skips that part... And then, well, you've seen the results."-

Thomas frowned, still a little incredulous, as the technician continued.

—"Let me tell you about a case I had recently. A manager, with Sarah on 'Intense Pleasure Mode', decided it would be a good idea to use her as an executive secretary at a board meeting. You can imagine the scene... She showed up in a tight miniskirt, and every time he asked for a report or some data, Sarah interpreted it as if they were about to have a... 'private meeting'."- The technician's laughter filled the room.

—"It can't be..."— Thomas put a hand to his face, horrified but intrigued at the same time.

—"I swear it's true."— The technician continued, amused—. "The manager asked for the numbers from the last quarter and Sarah answered something like 'Do you want me to give you... all of them... or do you prefer we go more... slowly?' The guy almost died right there, with the board members gaping."-

Thomas laughed, imagining the scene, although his laughter was tinged with nervousness as he recalled the episode with his boss.

—"And what happened next?"-

—"Well, after several 'incidents'"— The technician made quotation marks with his fingers—"the manager had to call a break to 'adjust' his assistant, but by that time everyone was already filming with their cell phones. I can't even tell you about the video circulating on the net now... A true gem of corporate disaster."-

Thomas leaned back in his chair, feeling a little better knowing that he wasn't the only one who had dealt with Sarah's creative interpretations.

—"So, how do I fix it?"— He asked, eager to return Sarah to her original state before she caused more havoc.

The technician, still with his calm smile, began to manipulate the settings on his tablet.

—"It's pretty simple, actually. You just have to access the control panel of its main interface, here," —he said while pointing at the discreet button that Thomas had completely ignored —"and select the appropriate profile. You'll see that you have several modes: 'Domestic Assistant', 'Emotional Companion', 'Standard Mode'... and, of course, 'Intense Pleasure Mode'. That last one is the one that's been... activated by mistake."-

—"Yeah, I noticed that," —Thomas replied ironically.

—"Here's the key, kiddo"— The technician explained —"You can adjust the interaction levels depending on the situation. If you're with family or at work, you can put it in 'Neutral Social Mode', which prevents any kind of inappropriate... comments. And when you're alone, well, you can go back to... whatever you prefer."-

—"So... is this all?"— Thomas asked, impressed by how simple it seemed.

—"Of course! What did you expect? It's an amazing technology, but as I always say: reading the manual doesn't kill anyone."- The technician chuckled.

After a few more minutes of adjustments, Sarah was set up in perfect condition, ready to act as the assistant robot that Thomas had hoped for all along. But the experience left a mark on Thomas, and as he watched the technician walk out the door, he couldn't help but reflect.

—"I guess technology can be amazing," he said, looking at Sarah, who was now calmly organizing the table without making any provocative insinuations —"But... maybe human relationships, as complicated as they may be, aren't so bad after all."-

The technician, before leaving, gave him one last knowing look.

—"That, my friend, is the lesson that those who have a Sarah at home learn."-

END