In the fall of 1994 my parents went on a road trip to the west coast
with my grandparents. My sister housesat at my grandparent's place in the
city, and I was home alone in the country with the cat, the dogs and a list
of chores to do.
Of course, one of the first things I did was change the message on the
answering machine.
The Experiment
© 1994 Lorne Laliberte
Sept 17, roughly 8 PM...I don't have much time left. The experiment
worked...unit thirty-seven came to life at 6:45...I thought...I thought I
could keep it under control...I'm a prisoner in my own lab. I've barricaded
the door...it's outside now, I can hear it trying to get in...it still
hasn't learned about windows, I can hear it trying to claw through the
logs...oh God please, if you hear this message send for help!...or leave
your own message...at the sound of the beep.
One of my Mom's friends (a neuroscientist who supported Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar during her space shuttle flight)
liked the message so much, she played along, asking if she should contact the authorities, and sounding convincingly
concerned for my welfare.
This was one of the best weeks of my life, because while my parents were
gone, I called, fell in love with, and then met Michelle. :)
