Every day the sounds of hammering could be heard in the garage next to the house. Andrew knew who was causing it. It was his father. His father was a kind of super-scientist. That was how Andrew’s mother had described him. Andrew had always wanted to know what exactly his father was making in the garage. All his father would say was that it would change everything. What would change everything? His father never wanted to tell him anything.
One night as he was sleeping nicely and snugging, Andrew was woken up to loud sounds: DRRRRRR! BAM! BAM! BOOM! BOOM! Quickly, he got out of bed and went straight to the window to check, but all he could see was a huge owl. Dogs could be heard barking. His father was making too much noise.
This went on for weeks. Andrew tried to see his father, but he would be chased. His father would tell him that he was almost finished and soon they would spend all day together. All he wanted, however, was to spend time with his father and tell him that he loved him.
One morning, Andrew woke up to the sound of shouting and scattering. It was his mother. He ran to her. He immediately knew that something was wrong because she was crying. She finally told him, and all Andrew could do was shake his head. It was not true. His father was alive. He was in the garage busy with his secret. Then he ran out of the house. He ran and ran until he could not anymore.
Andrew wiped the tears from his eyes. All he could think of was what was in the garage. What had been so important? Now it was too late. He wanted to know what was in the garage. He hated whatever it was. It had taken his father from him. He ran back home and went straight for the garage. He entered the garage door and what he saw surprised him.
It was a robot the size of a tall man. A robot that looked like a village warrior. Andrew stared at the thing for a long time. Was this what his father had died for? He started to cry again. It was not fair. Then he heard a familiar voice. “Don’t cry Andrew. Daddy is here for you. Daddy loves you.” Where had that voice come from? Andrew looked around, but could not see anyone. Then he looked at the face of the robot and saw that it was smiling. “Yes, my son. It is me. Your father,” said the robot. Andrew wanted to scream but found that he couldn’t. He strangely felt safe next to the robot. He believed what it had told him. His father had returned in the body of the robot.
Andrew spent every day coming to talk to his father. He would share all kinds of stories with him. Then one day his father told him that the robot could be used to help others with all kinds of problems. Andrew loved the idea that he was finally going to spend more time with his father, his father, the robot. He thought about his mother. How was she going to take the news? His mother was scared at first but after some time she got used. She had kept it a secret from everyone else; only she and Andrew were the only ones who knew the truth about the robot.
As the years went by, Andrew and the robot travelled everywhere. His mother was also there. They helped people who were in danger, and even helped the police catch dangerous criminals. They helped farmers. They found lost children and brought them back to their families. Everywhere they went people cheered. The news reporters followed. Everyone wanted to know the boy and his robot. Andrew was just happy to spend more time with his father even when he was now a robot. A robot his father had made just for him. His father promised that he would stay for as long as Andrew needed him.
Read – The Cupbearer – A Children’s Story by Moses Tololo, Zambia
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