O.H. Leslie

“ How I wish Faw-Faw were here! What joy to be a child again, and sit once more in his strong wide lap, and rest my fevered cheek against the cool metal surface of his chest, and let my sticky, stumpy fingers play idly over the buttons of his back, and finally press down the one that brought forth his soothing, smoothing, story-telling voice:
"There was once a shoe-maker who through no fault of his own had become so poor that at last he had only leather enough for one pair of shoes...." ”

“ My mother's face went white.
"My robots will do all the world's work," my father said. "Not just the fighting. But they know a lot about that, too." He turned his eyes on me again, significantly, and he smiled.
In the middle of that night, awakening suddenly, hearing an unexpected sound. My mother, sobbing, sobbing. My father, whispering, harshly, so close to red anger:
"Oh, shut up, Laura! For heaven's sake, SHUT UP!"
Oh, Faw-Faw, quick! Tell me a story!
The wide lap, the cool chest, the soothing voice:
"Once upon a time there lived a king and a queen, very peacefully together...." ”

“ My mother came in.
"Leaving again?" I said to her. Was I sad, Faw-Faw? Did I cry?
"The experiments aren't completed," my mother answered. "Your father and I will have to stay at least another six months."
Father said: "But it's worth it, son. There may be a whole army of Faw-Faws some day!"
"A whole army...." My mother looked frightened. "It's dreadful, Richard, dreadful...."
"Laura—"
"Metal soldiers. Robot killers—"
My father looked displeased. "This is no time for that kind of talk. You knew full well what my assignment was about. I'm not ashamed of it." He looked at me sternly. ”