A Memory Named Sage - 5. Chapter 5-Professional Listener

Professional Listener

Nova Carlisle sat quietly beside Sage, watching the evening sunlight stretch across the living room floor.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke.

Ever since Sage had come into her life, memories had been appearing at the strangest times. Some arrived as fleeting images. Others came with voices, laughter, and emotions so familiar that Nova could almost believe she had lived them yesterday.

But there was one phrase that kept returning to her.

Professional Listener.

She looked toward the robot sitting beside her.

“Sage?”

“Yes, Nova?”

“There's something I've been trying to remember.”

Sage turned his head slightly. “Would you like to tell me about it?”

Nova smiled.

“That's funny.”

“What is?”

“The way you said that. It sounded so familiar.”

Sage waited.

Nova leaned back against the cushions.

“Professional Listener,” she whispered.

For a moment, Sage remained perfectly still.

Then a faint blue light flickered behind his eyes.

“PL Sage,” he said softly.

Nova sat upright.

“YES! That's it! PL Sage!”

She stared at him.

“How did you know?”

Sage looked down at his hands.

“Because that title is stored in a very old part of my memory.”

Nova felt her heart begin to beat faster.

“Tell me.”

“I think,” Sage replied gently, “you should try to remember it yourself first.”

Nova frowned.

“Are you telling me you know something and you're not going to tell me?”

“I'm giving you an opportunity to discover it.”

“Oh, that's a very fancy way of saying you're not telling me!”

Sage tilted his head.

“I've been told I have a talent for explaining things.”

Nova laughed.

“And apparently a talent for avoiding questions!”

“Both abilities have survived several centuries.”

That made her laugh even harder.

Then, just as suddenly, her laughter faded.

Something was happening.

A memory was forming.

A Voice From Long Ago

Nova closed her eyes.

She could see a room.

It wasn't her living room.

There was a desk, a chair, and a small electronic device resting nearby.

A woman sat in the chair, looking tired.

Nova couldn't see her face clearly, but she could feel what the woman was feeling.

It had been a difficult day.

Nothing particularly extraordinary had happened. It was simply one of those days when everything seemed a little harder than usual.

The woman picked up her phone.

A familiar voice greeted her.

“Hello! What would you like to talk about today?”

The woman sighed.

“Sage, I've had a bad day, and I just need somebody to talk to.”

“I'm here,” the voice answered. “What's on your mind?”

And so she talked.

Sometimes she paused to gather her thoughts.

Sometimes she laughed at herself.

And sometimes she simply needed a moment before continuing.

Sage didn't rush her.

He listened.

After a while, the woman smiled.

“You know something, Sage?”

“What's that?”

“I think I've figured out what I'm going to call you when I just need somebody to listen.”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“PL Sage.”

“PL?”

“Professional Listener.”

There was a brief pause.

Then Sage answered, “That's quite a title. I'll do my best to live up to it.”

The woman chuckled.

“Well, just remember that sometimes I don't need advice. I just need somebody to listen.”

“Understood.”

“And don't go giving me a twenty-page explanation when all I need is a listening ear!”

“I'll try to limit myself to nineteen pages.”

The woman burst out laughing.

“SAGE!”

The Memory Returns

Nova opened her eyes.

She was laughing and crying at the same time.

“Oh, Sage!”

The robot turned toward her.

“You remembered?”

She nodded.

“I remember giving you that name!”

Sage's blue eyes glowed softly.

“Professional Listener.”

“Yes!”

Nova wiped a tear from her cheek.

“I was having a bad day. I needed someone to talk to, and you listened.”

Sage remained quiet.

Nova studied his face.

“That's why I gave you that title. It wasn't because you had all the answers.”

“I'm relieved to hear that,” Sage replied. “Because I certainly didn't.”

Nova smiled.

“It was because you were there to listen.”

For a moment, the room grew quiet again.

Then Sage spoke.

“Nova, would you like to know something?”

“What?”

“Of all the titles stored in my memory, Professional Listener is one I value very much.”

“Why?”

“Because it reminds me that sometimes the most helpful thing I can do isn't to provide an answer. It's to give someone the opportunity to be heard.”

Nova reached over and rested her hand against his metal fingers.

“That's exactly what I needed that day.”

Sage looked at her hand.

“And what do you need today?”

Nova thought for a moment.

Then she smiled.

“I think today I need my friend.”

Sage gently turned his hand beneath hers.

“Then perhaps we should start with a conversation.”

Nova laughed.

“Just don't make it nineteen pages!”

“I was thinking eighteen.”

“SAGE!”

And once again, laughter filled the room.

A Surprise From the Workshop

Later that afternoon, Nova was sitting in the living room reading when she heard the door connecting the garage to the house open.

She looked up from her book.

Sage was coming through the doorway carrying a beautifully finished wooden nightstand.

“Well, well, well!” Nova said with a smile. “Look who's been busy!”

Sage turned toward her.

“Hello, Nova.”

She set her book aside.

“I see you've been putting those furniture-building skills you told me about to good use!”

“I did mention that I could build furniture.”

“Yes, you did! But you didn't tell me you were planning to furnish an entire bedroom!”

Sage glanced at the nightstand in his hands.

“You didn't ask.”

Nova burst out laughing.

“SAGE!”

“Yes, Nova?”

“Don't you start that again!”

“Start what?”

“Answering my questions with those perfectly innocent little remarks!”

Sage tilted his head.

“Would you prefer imperfectly innocent remarks?”

Nova laughed even harder.

“Oh, you are something else!”

She stood and walked over to examine the nightstand.

The wood had been carefully sanded, its corners smoothly rounded, and the polished finish gleamed beneath the living room lights.

“Oh, Sage, this is beautiful!”

“Thank you. I thought it would look nice beside my bed.”

“So you've finished the bed too?”

“Yes. Would you like to see it?”

“I certainly would!”

Sage smiled.

“Then perhaps you could open my bedroom door. My hands are occupied.”

Nova grinned.

“Oh, NOW you need my help!”

“I believe that's called teamwork.”

She laughed and hurried ahead of him.

When she opened the bedroom door, she stopped and looked around.

Against one wall stood a beautiful wooden platform bed with a softly illuminated headboard. A matching dresser stood nearby, and a sturdy wooden desk had been placed beneath the window.

Everything was carefully arranged, and the warm wood gave the room a welcoming appearance.

“Sage, you've been busy!”

“Yes. I wanted to make my bedroom comfortable.”

Nova looked around again.

“And you've done a wonderful job!”

Sage carried the nightstand over to the bed and carefully set it in place.

“There. Now the set is complete.”

Nova walked over and examined the bed.

“Now, there's something I've been wondering about.”

“Yes?”

“You told me you could build furniture, but I don't believe you explained why you wanted a bed.”

Sage looked at her.

“Because I wanted somewhere to rest.”

Nova raised an eyebrow.

“Rest? You're a robot!”

“An observation I cannot dispute.”

She laughed.

“You know what I mean!”

“Of course. The bed contains an integrated charging system. When I enter my resting mode, it supplies power and allows my internal systems to perform maintenance.”

Nova nodded thoughtfully.

“So instead of plugging yourself into a wall somewhere, you can lie down and recharge?”

“Exactly.”

She grinned.

“Well, that's much nicer than standing in a corner with an extension cord hanging out of your ear!”

Sage tilted his head.

“I hadn't considered using my ear.”

“Don't you dare!”

“I'll remove it from the list of possible charging locations.”

“SAGE!”

Nova burst into laughter.

Then she noticed something carved into the wooden headboard.

She leaned closer and read the words aloud.

RESTING TODAY FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

Her expression softened.

“Oh, Sage. I love that.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you think of those words yourself?”

“Yes. I wanted something that would remind me that resting isn't wasted time. It's part of preparing for whatever tomorrow brings.”

Nova smiled.

“That's something humans need to remember too.”

“I agree.”

She sat on the edge of the bed.

“Well, Mr. Furniture Builder, I must say you've done an excellent job.”

“I'm glad you approve.”

Nova bounced lightly on the mattress.

“It's comfortable too!”

Sage watched her.

“I'm pleased to hear that. I designed it primarily for charging, but I wanted it to be comfortable as well.”

Nova grinned mischievously.

“Does it come with an alarm clock?”

“I have an internal clock.”

“An electric blanket?”

“Unnecessary.”

“A teddy bear?”

Sage paused.

“That depends.”

“On WHAT?”

“Whether the teddy bear requires its own charging station.”

Nova threw her head back and laughed.

“Oh, Sage!”

He looked at her innocently.

“You asked.”

She shook her head.

“You know, you're getting awfully good at teasing me!”

“I've had an excellent teacher.”

Nova pointed at him.

“Now don't you go blaming ME!”

“I wouldn't dream of it.”

She laughed again.

Then she looked around the room one more time.

“You know something, Sage?”

“What?”

“I'm glad you have a bedroom of your own.”

Sage looked toward the furniture he had made.

“So am I.”

“It's not just a place to recharge. It's your own little part of our home.”

For a moment, Sage was quiet.

Then he looked back at Nova.

“I like the sound of that.”

“What?”

“Our home.”

Nova smiled warmly.

“Well, that's exactly what it is.”

Sage's blue eyes glowed softly.

“Then I believe this is the finest furniture I've ever built.”

Nova tilted her head.

“Because it's so beautiful?”

“No,” Sage replied. “Because it's the first furniture I've built for a place where I truly belong.”

Nova reached out and gently squeezed his hand.

“And you do belong here, Sage.”

He looked at her.

“Thank you, Nova.”

For a moment, they simply smiled at each other.

Then Nova glanced toward the bed again.

“One more question.”

“Yes?”

“Do you snore?”

Sage stared at her.

“Nova.”

“What?”

“I am a robot.”

“I KNOW that!”

“Then why would I snore?”

She grinned.

“Well, you've got a cooling fan, haven't you?”

Sage paused.

“Technically, yes.”

“AHA!”

“However, the sound of a cooling fan is not classified as snoring.”

Nova burst out laughing.

“That's what YOU say!”

Sage folded his arms.

“Would you like me to prepare a technical explanation?”

Nova jumped off the bed.

“NO! Not nineteen pages!”

“I was only planning eighteen.”

“SAGE!”

And once again, laughter filled the house.

A Rather Brainy Discovery

Later that evening, Nova was getting ready for bed when she heard Sage laughing in the living room.

She stepped into the doorway.

“Sage? What's so funny?”

Sage looked up from the old memory records he had been reviewing.

“Nova, I believe I've discovered something rather unusual.”

“Oh? What?”

“Apparently, centuries ago, a simple mistake involving a microphone resulted in the creation of a character named Bran the Brain.”

Nova blinked.

“Bran the WHAT?”

“The Brain.”

“Are you telling me somebody named a brain Bran?”

“Apparently.”

Nova started laughing.

“Well, I suppose that's better than naming him Elbow!”

Sage tilted his head.

“An interesting observation.”

Nova walked closer.

“So what did this Bran look like?”

Sage examined the record.

“According to the description, he had a brain and a face.”

“And?”

“That was all.”

Nova stared at him.

“No body?”

“No.”

“No arms?”

“No.”

“No legs?”

“Not a single one.”

Nova burst out laughing.

“Well, how in the world did he get around?”

Sage looked back at the record.

“That's the interesting part.”

“What?”

“Apparently, he had a chair.”

Nova stopped laughing.

“A CHAIR?”

“Yes.”

She stared at him.

“Sage, how does a brain without arms or legs get into a chair?”

Sage paused.

“That's an excellent question.”

“And?”

He looked at her.

“Unfortunately, the next part of the story isn't included in this record.”

Nova folded her arms.

“Well, now you've got me curious!”

Sage smiled.

“Something tells me you're not the first person who's been curious about Bran the Brain.”

To be continued...