>You knew Main was supposed to be dead on Sunday mornings, but you weren’t expecting it to be a completely people free experience.

>Maybe a streetsweep, shopkeep, or even the occasional disillusioned highschooler.

>But there was not a soul.

>Just the rustling of the falling petals, and the soft, echoing taps of Julie’s careful steps.

>She stuck close by your side, even as she swiveled in every direction trying to get a look at all of the carefully decorated storefronts.

>Mom and Pop Bakeries, fast food, the Deli, and even the RadioShack where you’d been getting anything that grabbed your interest since as long as you could remember.

>Julie didn’t continue far when you stopped to look at the placard for a fancy new camera, not that you actually needed one.

>When she noticed you weren’t right there she immediately scanned the entire street, easily spotting you looking back at her.

>The speed she could whip her head around with was, frankly, a little frightening.

>Yet despite it’s swiftness, it was still smooth and elegant.

>Just how a real cat would.

>She skittered back to your side, and looked into the front of the store next to you.

>You could see on your periphery that she wasn’t interested in the camera, but simply using the glass as a mirror to look at you.

>You snapped your eyes to look back at hers in the glass and winked.

>She looked down at her hands with a bashful grin.

>gotcha.

>Speaking of what a real cat would do, you couldn’t help but notice her particular interest in the pet store as you both continued your journey.

>She locked on to the small animals in the window, head slowly turning as you both walked past. Eye screens taking on a more vibrant yellow hue than before, like she was viewing the birds and gerbils through a spotlight.

>You were a little concerned by the focused look she had when she snapped her head back to it’s resting position.

>Might have to forgo the dozens of small breed pets you were planning to get after your first impulse buy.

>As you continued, the businesses seemed to get less generalized and more exotic.

>A hippie crystal place, a fishing tackle and hunting gear shop, and even an antique store that Julie momentarily stopped to peruse the display window of.

>The rusty watering can flowerpots and old wagon wheels weren’t of that much interest to you, but your robot seemed to be enamored by them.

>the tiny smile and almost faraway look in her eye screens as she speedwalked back to your side were a good indicator to you that maybe a trip to that store would be good for her someday.

>Even looking into all these stores, there was still absolutely no one here.

>Did the rapture happen while you weren’t looking or something?

>Julie quickly picked up on your confusion, looking up at you with a concerned, sky blue expression.

>”Is something wrong, Anon?”

>You took one more look around before answering.

>”No, no. It’s just odd that there's no one out here. I thought there would at least be a few out and about.”

>Julie took a look around, mirroring you.

“Didn’t you say they were all at church? I thought you were taking me out now because there wouldn’t be anyone else out.”

>”There should’ve been at least a few folks out. Not everyone goes to church every Sunday here.” You sigh. “I just wanted to get you used to people, you know?”

>She shuffled a little bit closer to you.

>”I don’t mind. I’ve never been one for being the center of attention.”

>You frowned slightly.

>She looked down almost to the end of the drag, almost appearing to squint.

>”Hey, I think that one’s open.”

>You followed her pointing finger to the store she was talking about.

>You couldn’t even tell what it was, it was so far away, nestled between half a dozen other shops.

>”Julie, what are you pointing at?”

>She grabbed the cuff of your sleeve and pointed your arm roughly at what she was aiming for; The group of shops at least a mile away that you thought she might've been pointing at.

>You started to walk towards them, squinting to try and see an open sign at this distance.

>Frankly, from this far away you could hardly tell where one shop ended and the other began.

>”Which store are you talking about?”

>”The ice cream shop with the pretty blue awning.”

>You could almost see a speck of blue in the distance, but it was still to far to really tell anything about it.

>”How can you tell it’s an ice cream shop from this far away, I can just barely see that it’s a building.”

>She looked at your face, a whirring noise emanating from her head.

>”Twelve times magnification. I like your eyes, Anon.”

>You would appreciate the complement more if it didn’t feel like she was scanning every individual colored stripe in your iris.

>”Uhh, you too?”

>She just giggled as you both kept walking towards the store.

+------------+

>The jingle of the bell greeted you as you held the door for Julie, who quickly entered and looked at the entire room inquisitively.

>It was a fairly modest, but pleasant ice cream shop. There was a cooler on the far wall with all manner of sugary drinks, cartoonish drawings of Raggedy-Ann and Andy looking characters playing games and eating their own cones, and a counter with probably two dozen flavors sunken in behind a protective glass shield.

>The only thing out of place was the gigantic, worn looking man sitting behind the register, asleep.

>There were scars on his face, and his (somehow) oversized uniform and parlor hat were both not quite on right.

>This guy serves ice cream to kids all day?

>Julie didn’t seem fazed by his presence at all, electing to instead look at the many flavors of sugarwater that the establishment had on offer.

>You decided to follow her lead, and took a look at the flavors of ice cream and toppings.

>The classics were all there; Vanilla, Chocolate, ground up peanuts… kind of boring.

>The next set of containers seemed to be where they kept all of the interesting stuff.

>Pistachio, Blackberry, and even something called Maui Waui.

>Decisions decisions.

>Well, you would have plenty of time to decide with the large man taking his midday snooze.

>”What do you think, Julie? Anything strike your fancy?”

>”T-they all look very good.” She said. “But I’m okay, I don’t need any ice cream.”

>Don’t need any? Who the hell doesn’t like ice cream?

>”Come on, You deserve something nice. Here, We’ll both just get a small vanilla. Sound good?”

>”Okay.” She said with an almost imperceptible smile.

>You decided to play the safe hand, and knocked on the counter to try and wake him up.

>Nope.

>”Hey buddy, wake up.”

>Nothing.

>”Hey Julie, do you have like, a squirt gun built in or something?”

>”What? No, that’d be mean!”

>”I’m joking, I’m joking. But I really have no idea how to wake this guy up.”

>”Why not just reach over and shake him or something?”

>”Hell no, that guy could definitely rip my arm off. I ain’t touching him.”

>Julie just gave you a deadpan look.

>”I’ll do it.”

>”That’s another hell no, your arm is way more expensive than mine to fix.”

>”Please, I’m a lot tougher than I look.”

>”Julie, seriously, I don’t want to piss this guy off.”

>”I bet he’s friendlier than he looks. If you really want me not waking him up, just order me to stop.”

>You give her a stern look, before relenting.

>”Fine, your funeral.” You said, taking one step back and giving Julie the counter spot.

>The dainty feline robot leaned over the counter with an arm outstretched, reaching for the big man’s shoulder.

>She could just barely reach him laying almost flat on the counter, rising up on the tips of her shoes to get a little more reach.

>You chose to keep your eyes on the big man.

Before she could touch him, he suddenly startled and snapped her wrist in an iron grip.

>”Uh!” Julie yelped as she was suddenly locked into place.

>His face was an angry, yet fearful grimace, as if he was looking at a big saber tooth, and not an oversized housecat.

>Speaking of the oversized housecat, she was silent, staring at the big man with ears splayed back in fear.

>”Whoa man, we don’t want any trouble!” You say, walking up to grab your robot by the shoulders and lightly pull.

>He looked over at you, and suddenly his expression shifted from the guttural terror grimace, to a more confused slant.

>He looked down at his hand gripping the robot’s wrist, and let go, pulling his hand to his chest, and seemingly containing it with the other one.

>His eyes almost seemed to gain color, as if a fog was lifted from them.

>”We’ll just be going now, alright?” You said, backing towards the door.

>Julie just stayed near the counter, looking dumbfounded at the man.

>”Are you okay, mister?” She asked, hands clasped in front of her chest.

>The upset, confused look did not change, he just pointed to his head and shook “no.”

>If he was calling himself crazy or something, you couldn’t help but want to agree.

>You could swear, everything that you try to do these days seems to turn into a problem.

>”You’re not okay? What’s wrong?” She said, taking a small step back towards the counter, ears now alert and pointed towards the man.

>He did the same gesture again.

>Julie paused, and then sprang to life as if a lightbulb appeared above her head.

>She brought hand up and pointing her two upper fingers sideways, and then closed her fist to hold a pinkie up.

>You’ll have to look into the manual for what this means, you’ve never seen a person do something like that before.

>Usually a wave is just fine.

>This did change the expression, from one of extreme confusion, to one of surprise and interest.

>What in the absolute hell is happening?

>Great, now he’s flapping his hands around like an insane person.

>You look around for any way out of this situation that wouldn’t set this weirdo off.

>Grabbing Julie by the arm, you start to lightly pull her towards the door.

>She just kept her screens glued to the mans hands, watching his frantic gestures as you tried to escort her out.

>Suddenly she brought her hands up and started doing the same back to him.

>”Julie! Don’t provoke people!” You said under your breath. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with this guy, but we should just leave.”

>She weakly brushed you off, still looking at the man.
>”There isn’t anything wrong with him.” She said as she responded with more flittering.

>The man was tickled absolutely pink by this for some reason, and belted a hearty laugh.

>”What- what is that? What are you doing?”

>”Sign language!” She said, still flapping hands at him.

>”Oh he’s just deaf?” you said, letting go of her arm.

>Julie flashed a few more signs at him, and he returned a few, ending them with a sign you recognized, air quotes.

>”What did he say?”

>”Oh, he said; ‘Just deaf.’”

>The man gave you a cracked, smug grin.

>”Funny guy.” You said, eyeing him carefully, patting down the fresh creases in your jacket.

>He nodded.

>”Well, my name’s Anon, and this is my friend Julie.” You said, gesturing to Julie, who repeated the gesture she started this ‘conversation’ with. “Nice to meet you.” You greeted, carefully extending a hand.

>He took yours with a giant, calloused, paw. That handshake could sell you damn well anything.

He began to sign more directly at you,

>Julie started speaking in a slow, quoting tone, as if talking for the big man. “Actually, we already know eachother.” He paused to take off his cap and ruffle his wavy black hair out.

>You squinted, not quite able to see who he reminded you of, but it was someone.

>”Jim Walker, we used to have chemistry together.”

>”Big Jim?” You asked, Julie making a wide gesture; one that you could easily understand meant ‘big’.

>He chuckled and nodded.

>“What the hell happened to you? You must’ve lost two hundred pounds and gotten a hundred back in muscle!”

>The man sighed and deflated a little, before signing his response to the cat.

>”...The Corps happened to me?” Julie said, looking at you confused.

>“Marine Corps- Jim was in the military.” You explained to Julie.

>”Oh.” Julie said, and looked back up at Jim, who was signing at you again.

>You pursed your lips in the short lull.

>”Huh. Welcome home, I guess.”

>Jim sighed again and rubbed his eyes. “Welcome home.”

>You could almost feel the simmering sarcasm in the way he signed that one.

>”I ain’t the only one who’s changed.” He signed, switching the subject and perking back up instantly. “How’s it been in the battery business?”

>‘Ain’t’ sounded very odd in Julie’s proper accent, almost nasal.

>”Oh, same as it always has. ‘Electrodes in, acid in, and seal.’” You said, reciting the mantra of your trainer, waving your hand as if conducting an imaginary battery orchestra.

>”Fascinating.”

>”Mhm.” You replied, propping your head on a fist.

>The man took a quick look at your new robot, before continuing.

>”...And ‘friend Julie’?” Air quotes again. “Why is she a cat?”

>You looked around the room, at almost anything but the big man’s inquisitive face.

>Julie shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

>”I… Well- She’s… God, how do I explain this.”

>Julie didn’t sign anything, and just looked at you uncomfortably.

>The man looked at you inquisitively as you searched for an answer.

>Before long, he seemed to tire of waiting and signed;

>”…You’ve never had to explain this to someone before?”

>You offered an uncomfortable fake smile.

>”I wasn’t really planning on having to explain beyond ‘robot housemaid’”

>”Hm.” He grunted aloud,

>”Then in that case, why a cat, and not a regular one? I’ve seen those commercials. I thought all that crap must’ve been movie magic, but here it is right in front of me.”

>”Oh, you know… preference.” You said, feeling the tips of your ears flaring like hot coals in a breeze.

>He squinted with a half smile.

>”Come on, I may be deaf, dumb, and should be blind; but even I can tell that was a fuck- oh!” Julie’s eyes switched to a vibrant Orange, covering her mouth with furred hands. “I’m sorry anon!”

>”Hm?” You grunted, confused.

>”I Shouldn’t be cursing, I apologize.” She said, dipping her head, and ‘closing’ her eyes screens, seemingly expecting to be admonished.

>”It’s what he said, isn’t it?”

>”Y-yes.”

>”Then it’s just alright, please finish.” You press.

>Julie ‘cleared her throat,’ Eyes switching back to a soft yellow as she resumed her duty as the mans voice.

>”...But even I can tell that was a fucking lie.” She said the word almost under her breath, looking all around her as if someone was watching from the shadows to catch her cursing.

>You chuckled, both at the bluntness of the big man and Julie’s fear of bad words.

>”Fine, It is.” You start, leaning back in the chair and sighing to begin your tangent.

>”I did buy an Electroluxe, but I didn’t have any particular requests for what she looked like. Julie got swapped for the one I ordered somehow.”

>”Didn’t have her sent back?” He signed, not noticing Julies stiffening.

>”No.” You said more to Julie than Jim.

>”Alright.” He said, stroking his stubble.

>”Well, if you ain’t sending her back, things must be going well enough.”

>”I’d like to say they are.”

>”...But?” Julies voice relayed.

>You took a deep breath and pushed it out of your nose.

>”She came to my doorstep a day and a half ago, and in that short time I’ve managed to: A, Make an ass out of myself by saying things I shouldn’t have when I thought she couldn’t hear me.

>Julie gave you a sad, embarrassed look.

>”B, Give her the now very false-” You said, giving a pointed look to the cat “-impression that I want to be rid of her and have her sent back to the factory,”

>”Anon…” Julie said, putting a warm hand to your shoulder.

>You brushed it off in disgust for yourself.

>”C, made her ride in a car she clearly wasn’t comfortable with, all in a selfish attempt to patch things over.” You said, bitterly.

>”And D, now I’m making her translate a conversation between me and someone I barely knew almost a decade ago.”

>Julie’s blue eyes looking into your own was the last straw that shut you down.

>”Damn, can’t I just do anything right?” You said, burying your face in your hands.

>You could just barely keep yourself from crying in frustration.

>You hadn’t been around another person in so long, the first one you really meet in years and you fuck it up this bad.

>God dammit.

>You can hear them still flapping away, tiny whirring servos and the crumpling of a cloth uniform driving tacks into your defeated mind.

>You probably said too much, and made yourself look like an ass again.

>Typical.

>Your sad display was interrupted by a rough poke on your shoulder, rousing you from your brooding.

>The big man had a vanilla cone in his hand, and used his other to sign his answer to you.

>”Buddy, I don’t know how well you think we knew each other. But I can tell you we weren’t quite close enough for that.”

>You accepted the cone from the big man before your response.

>”Ain’t like you’re gonna talk.”

>Julie had put her own cone on the table to relay your message.

>”I’m glad you can see my shining character.” He signed with a sarcastic smirk before sitting at the third seat, and clapping a hand on your back. “And I’m sure we’ll get to know each other better, not like I’m going to let two new friends I can actually talk with to get away that easy.”

>He just sat next to you for a moment, before straightening his back out with a huff, and signing.

>”You know Anon, back when I joined the service I was a big fuckup like you are.”

>You and Julie raised an eyebrow at his blunt description.

>”-Think you are.”

>You take a lick from your ice cream as Julie gives the big man a mean cartoon stink eye, arms folded together in mild indignation.

>He holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture before Julie softens and continues for him.

>”Hell, you remember that time old man Wilkins lost his mind over ‘rustled cattle?’”

>”You’re not telling me you’re some cattle thief, are you?”

>”Me? Nah. I just crashed into his fence drunk.” He said with a half grin.

>”Well that explains some things.”

>He simply nodded his head in agreement.

>”But yes, I was a big failure, and I kept up the nonsense for years before I got straightened out by the corps.”

>”Well, I ain’t joining the service.”

>”Good. There ain’t nothing for you in it.”

>”You just said-” You started before he just the two of you off with a halt sign.

>”I know what I just said. Just because I got straightened up in the marines doesn’t mean you have to be. Cool it down, you’ll figure things out.”

>”I don’t want to act like nothing happened. I did something wrong, I need to make up for it.” You say, pointing to your chest.

>”Dragging the person you wronged through something they don’t want doesn’t seem like the right way to do it, don’t you think?”

>You deflate, running a hand through your hair.

>”Everything I do seems worse than the last thing I did.”

>”I believe you. But think of the silver lining.” He signed, adding another pat on your back.

>”Doing more crazy things to try and patch things up means you’re frustrated, and want to do better.”

>”...Yeah, I do want to do better.”

>He gave you one more pat on the back, for good measure.

>”My advice? When everything you do seems to go south, let someone else take the wheel. Maybe they can drive even better than you can.”

>You looked over at Julie.
>”You know, that’s not the worst plan ever. You want to drive the car?” You asked Julie with a smirk.

>Her electric pupils instantly turned into orange pinpricks.

>”I’m just kiddin’”

>Jim let out an audible ‘Hmph.’

>”You’re right man, maybe I’ll give it a try.”

>”Sometimes a try’s all a pretty girl can ask for.”

>Julie piped up, squeaking in her own tone as well as signing. “Pretty girl? Well I never!”

>”I’m not pretty, I’m beautiful.” She said and signed before running a hand through her silky black hair, giggling.

>”Well in that case, you and the beautiful girl can stay and make amends for as long as you like, courtesy of Jim and Willie’s parlor.” The big man says before walking back to his seat at the front counter.

>”Go on without me, I think I’m going to get some shuteye. Not like anyone else will come in on Easter Sunday.” He signed from the other side of the room, before lowering his cap over his eyes again.

>”Wait, what?” you looked over at Julie.

>”Yeah, it’s Easter. That’s why you took me out, right? Because everybody’s at church on Easter.”

>”Shoot, that explains why the street was completely empty.” You said, taking another lick of your cone.

>Julie pursed her feline lips as she stared into her ice cream, before looking up at you.

>”I don’t like that you feel so bad on account of me.”

>”Ain’t your fault. I’m the one who keeps messing up.”

>Julie just stares at her still melting ice cream cone.

>”Going to try it?”

>”Hm? Oh, I really shouldn’t.”

>”Worried about your feline-figure?” You smirk.

>”Har-har.”

>The conversation lulls again.

>”Hey Anon?”

>”Yeah Julie?

>”Happy Easter.” She says, holding her cone out to you.

>”Happy Easter.” You return, tapping your cone to hers and taking another lick.