Ryan burst into applause. “That’s amazing! Dad would love this thing.”
“He’s not a thing,” I corrected automatically, then paused. When had I started thinking of Pitchy as a ‘he’ rather than an ‘it’?
“Right, sorry,” Ryan said, not seeming particularly bothered by the correction. “Dad would love him. Can we bring him to dinner?”
I checked my watch. “The restaurant might not allow pets.”
“But I’m not technically a pet,” Pitchy pointed out. “I’m an assistive device. Like a service animal, but robotic.”
“That’s… actually a good point,” I said slowly. “And it would be good data for the beta test. Seeing how you interact with strangers in public.”
“Yes!” Pitchy’s tail wagged enthusiastically. “I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. I’ve been programmed with extensive etiquett
