Author Topic: EP597: Ms. Figgle-DeBitt’s Home for Wayward A.I.’s  (Read 4179 times)

eytanz

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on: October 16, 2017, 02:30:08 PM
Escape Pod Episode 597: Ms. Figgle-DeBitt’s Home for Wayward A.I.’s


AUTHOR: Kurt Pankau
NARRATOR: Matt Dovey
HOST: Divya Breed

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watch with hope as Ms. Figgle-DeBitt samples a slice of caramelized banana upside-down cake. She takes a nibble and seems pleased. She sweeps cybernetic fingers through the shock of gray hair that sits on the human half of her face, a gesture I’ve learned is contemplative. She takes a larger bite, chews, and grimaces. She spits it out into a trash can.

I’m not upset by this. I do not get upset. I get better.

“This is definitely an improvement, Charlie,” she says. “If I may make a recommendation? Next time, peel the bananas first.”


Listen to this week’s Escape Pod!



ewentz

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Reply #1 on: October 18, 2017, 03:20:10 PM
This was a great story. The POV, the language and structure used, and the narrative structure all intrigued me.

I am in IT and listened at work while troubleshooting data issues; the technology related phrases made me smile throughout.

I have to say that I am excited for a world to exist where defragging is as outdated as blowing in a Nintendo cartridge. I love robust software solutions, and I loved this story.
Thanks for sharing it.
-eric



Katzentatzen

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Reply #2 on: October 22, 2017, 02:41:04 AM
I lost the thread of the plot a bit, but the narration was quite charming, and a nice break from the heavier stories that's EP has been running lately.

"To understand a cat you must realize that he has his own gifts, his own viewpoint, even his own morality."
--LILIAN JACKSON BRAUN


mjarvis

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Reply #3 on: October 23, 2017, 04:46:50 AM
I was grinning at work listening to this one! Lovely story start to finish. The I.T. humor hit home for me and I loved the quirky British robot AI's! 



CryptoMe

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Reply #4 on: December 20, 2017, 04:00:21 AM
Loved it! Great little story of an earnest screw-up, who does good by mistake. I'm just sorry that the ending wasn't completely positive for the MC though. :(



Fenrix

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Reply #5 on: February 15, 2018, 11:56:39 PM
It took me a bit to realize Ms. Figgle DeBitt wasn't rehabilitating the bots, since I accepted everything at face value. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to see that she's some sort of Cozy version of The Vulture from the most recent Spiderman flick, repurposing the castaway robots to try to navigate through the giant uncaring bureaucracy that cast the bots aside in the first place. Absolutely loved the bone-dry humor. Excellently done!

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”