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<v Speaker 1>Welcome Back friends to short Stories for Kids.

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy first met the robot on a Monday morning, which

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<v Speaker 2>was unfortunate because Mondays were already difficult enough. They were

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<v Speaker 2>Monday yuck. Tommy was already running late for school. His

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<v Speaker 2>backpack felt heavier than usual, He'd forgotten where he'd put

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<v Speaker 2>his math homework, and one of his shoelaces kept coming

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<v Speaker 2>undone every ten steps. How annoying, the last thing he

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<v Speaker 2>expected was to discover a strange kid following him down

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<v Speaker 2>Maple Street. At first, he didn't think much of it.

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<v Speaker 2>Lots of kids walked to school, but after three blocks,

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<v Speaker 2>the stranger was still there. After four blocks, he was

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<v Speaker 2>still there. After five blocks. Tommy finally stopped and turned around.

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<v Speaker 2>The stranger stopped too. Tommy blinked and pouted. The stranger

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<v Speaker 2>blinked a moment later, Then he pouted a moment after that,

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<v Speaker 2>well sort of. His eyelids made a mechanical clicking sound,

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<v Speaker 2>his lips made a metallic clang. Tommy stared in disbelief.

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<v Speaker 2>The stranger stared back with a smile that seemed just

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<v Speaker 2>a little too perfect. A faint whirring noise came from

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<v Speaker 2>somewhere inside his chest. Um, were you following me? Tommy asked.

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<v Speaker 2>The stranger shook his head immediately. No, he replied in

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<v Speaker 2>a buzzy voice. At that exact moment, a small silver

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<v Speaker 2>and popped out of his ear. It rose six inches

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<v Speaker 2>into the air. Then it wobbled and slowly lowered again.

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy pointed, you have an antenna. The stranger glanced upward. No,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't. I mean, yes, you do, I mean the

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<v Speaker 2>stranger thought for a moment that went on too long.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my words do not compute. Tommy gasped, you're a robot.

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<v Speaker 2>The stranger gasped dramatically and placed both hands against his chest.

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<v Speaker 2>I am absolutely not a robot. A printer noise came

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<v Speaker 2>from his feet. Bee. Tommy folded his arms. The strange

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<v Speaker 2>kid smiled proudly. My name is Bradley, he buzzed. You

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<v Speaker 2>seem very robody, Bradley. Bradley looked horrified. I am a

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<v Speaker 2>perfectly ordinary human boy. At that exact moment, one of

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<v Speaker 2>his ears fell off. It bounced twice on the sidewalk

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<v Speaker 2>by a little metal spring on its back. Bradley calmly

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<v Speaker 2>picked it up. Darn, he snapped it back into place.

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<v Speaker 2>There perfect he smiled, I'm totally normal. Tommy stared for

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<v Speaker 2>several seconds, said weird, then he turned and continued walking.

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley followed. The moment they arrived at school, everyone noticed

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<v Speaker 2>it is very difficult not to notice a robot pretending

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<v Speaker 2>not to be a robot. Kids pointed, whispered, and laughed.

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley smiled proudly at all the attention. They can tell

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<v Speaker 2>I am fitting in b he said happily. Tommy looked

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<v Speaker 2>at him. No, they can tell you're a robot. Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>shook his head. I am not. His eyes flashed bright blue.

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy sighed it was going to be a very long day.

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<v Speaker 2>Things became worse. During homeroom, Missus Parker stood at the

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<v Speaker 2>front of the classroom and smiled, Good morning everyone. Good morning,

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<v Speaker 2>d Bradley shouted. The class jumped. Missus Parker blinked, well,

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<v Speaker 2>good morning, Bradley. Bradley nodded proudly. I am participating in

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<v Speaker 2>normal human greetings. See I am a human. Boo. Tommy

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<v Speaker 2>buried his face in his hands. A few minutes later,

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<v Speaker 2>Missus Parker asked everyone to sit down. Bradley immediately obeyed. Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 2>he sat before reaching his chair, he dropped directly onto

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<v Speaker 2>the floor. Clang. The sound echoed through the room. Several

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<v Speaker 2>pencils rolled off nearby desks. Bradley stood up and dusted

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<v Speaker 2>himself off. Typical human mistake. Bo The class burst out laughing.

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<v Speaker 2>Missus Parker grimaced. Tommy could already tell she regretted asking questions.

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<v Speaker 2>Things didn't improve during math. Bradley had apparently decided that

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<v Speaker 2>being human meant copying Tommy exactly. If Tommy scratched his head,

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley scratched his head. If Tommy raised his hand, Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>raised his hand. If Tommy sharpened his pencil, Bradley sharpened

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<v Speaker 2>every pencil in his desk at once. At one point,

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy sneezed shit, Bradley immediately sneezed too, except instead of

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<v Speaker 2>a sneeze, a long printer receipt shot out of his mouth.

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<v Speaker 2>The receipt fluttered through the air and landed on missus

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<v Speaker 2>Parker's desk. Missus Parker picked it up and read it.

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<v Speaker 2>The receipt said error four four human response not found.

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<v Speaker 2>The class exploded with laughter. Bradley looked delighted. See he said, proudly,

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<v Speaker 2>I am blending In lunch was somehow even worse. Tommy

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<v Speaker 2>sat down and opened his sandwich. Bradley sat beside him,

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<v Speaker 2>then opened his lunch box. Inside were six batteries, a screwdriver,

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<v Speaker 2>two bolts, and a banana. Tommy stared, Bradley stared back.

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<v Speaker 2>The two sat in silence. Finally, Tommy pointed batteries for

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<v Speaker 2>a lunch. Bradley quickly slid them behind the banana. It's

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<v Speaker 2>human food, right, sure. Bradley picked up the banana, then

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<v Speaker 2>attempted to peel it sideways. He squeezed it so hard

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<v Speaker 2>the banana exploded. A chunk flew across the cafeteria and

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<v Speaker 2>landed in the principal soup. The principal slowly removed the banana.

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<v Speaker 2>The entire cafeteria erupted into laughter. Bradley looked, impressed. That

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<v Speaker 2>was an advanced human maneuver. Listened to the happiness. I

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<v Speaker 2>am a happiness creator by recess. The entire school knew

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<v Speaker 2>who Bradley was. Kids crowded around him, not because they

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<v Speaker 2>believed he was human, because they absolutely didn't who would,

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<v Speaker 2>but because he was funny and surprisingly nice. Unfortunately, Bradley misunderstood.

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<v Speaker 2>They admire my excellent human behavior. No Tommy said, they

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<v Speaker 2>think you're hilarious. Bradley smiled, exactly because I am. Tommy

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<v Speaker 2>decided not to argue. The following weeks were filled with chaos.

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<v Speaker 2>During art class, Bradley became so enthusiastic about finger painting

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<v Speaker 2>that he accidentally launched paint across three tables, a bookshelf,

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<v Speaker 2>and a hamster age. The hampster emerged bright blue. For

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<v Speaker 2>two weeks it looked like a tiny blueberry. During music class,

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley blew into a recorder so loudly that birds flew

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<v Speaker 2>off the school roof. A nearby dog started barking. Someone's

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<v Speaker 2>car alarm went off. Bradley smiled proudly. Music b he declared.

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<v Speaker 2>During gym class, he jumped rope with such force that

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<v Speaker 2>he accidentally skipped over the rope, the gym teacher, and

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<v Speaker 2>half a bench. Nobody knew how he had managed it,

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<v Speaker 2>least of all Bradley. Every time something went wrong, he

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<v Speaker 2>insisted it was perfectly normal. I am doing excellent human ing,

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<v Speaker 2>He exclaimed, you mean being a human. Tommy corrected. Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>nodded and grinned. Weeks passed, and something surprising happened. Tommy

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<v Speaker 2>started looking forward to seeing him. The robot was ridiculous,

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<v Speaker 2>absolutely ridiculous. But he was also kind. He helped carry books,

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<v Speaker 2>he held doors open, he always offered to help when

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<v Speaker 2>someone dropped something, even if his version of helping occasionally

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<v Speaker 2>made things worse. One afternoon, Tommy noticed something unusual. Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>wasn't launching basketballs into orbit, or accidentally printing receipts, or

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<v Speaker 2>even explaining why batteries counted as a balanced lunch. Instead,

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<v Speaker 2>he was sitting quietly behind the playground alone. Tommy frowned.

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<v Speaker 2>That didn't seem like Bradley at all. He walked over,

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<v Speaker 2>you okay. Bradley didn't answer immediately. He simply stared at

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<v Speaker 2>the ground. A small puff of steam escaped one ear. Finally,

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<v Speaker 2>he sighed, A bolt fell out of his shoulder. He

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<v Speaker 2>screwed it back in. I have a confession, Tommy sat

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<v Speaker 2>beside him. What is it? Bradley looked around dramatically, then

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<v Speaker 2>lowered his voice. I am a robot. Tommy sighed and

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<v Speaker 2>threw his hands up in the air. Yeah, Tommy said,

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<v Speaker 2>no kidding. I know we all know. Bradley froze. You do,

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<v Speaker 2>sure everybody does. Bradley's eyes widened, the teachers, the principal,

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<v Speaker 2>the lunch lady. Tommy nodded and said, especially the lunch

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<v Speaker 2>lady looked stunned. Oh, his shoulders drooped suddenly, he looked smaller. Somehow,

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<v Speaker 2>I thought if I acted human, everyone would like me,

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley said. Tommy smiled gently. Why Bradley looked down at

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<v Speaker 2>his metal hands. Because robots aren't real humans, and I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted human friends, so I pretended I was human. Tommy

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<v Speaker 2>patted Bradley on the back. I know, but everyone loves

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<v Speaker 2>you because you're different, Tommy said, and pointed toward the playground.

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<v Speaker 2>Kids were laughing, playing basketball, telling stories. Several spotted Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>and waved, Hey, Bradley robot basketball after school. One asked

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<v Speaker 2>want to come play? Bradley stared, They still want me

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<v Speaker 2>to hang out, even though they know I am not human.

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy pointed toward the kids. If you want people to

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<v Speaker 2>like you, all you have to be is yourself. You

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<v Speaker 2>don't have to pretend to be something you're not. Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>listened carefully as Tommy spoke. If you're always yourself, then

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<v Speaker 2>all the right people who like the same things as

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<v Speaker 2>you will know who you are. And if you both

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<v Speaker 2>like the same things, you could be buddies, Bradley exclaimed excitedly.

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<v Speaker 2>A genuine smile spread across his face, not the programmed smile,

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<v Speaker 2>a real one. I think I understand good, Tommy said,

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<v Speaker 2>it's good to be different. Think how boring it would

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<v Speaker 2>be if everyone was the same. Bradley jumped to his feet,

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<v Speaker 2>then turned toward the playground and shouted, I am a robot.

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<v Speaker 2>The entire playground erupted and yelled back, we know. Everyone laughed,

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<v Speaker 2>including Bradley. For the first time, he wasn't pretending or copying,

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<v Speaker 2>and he wasn't trying to be something he wasn't. He

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<v Speaker 2>was simply Bradley the Robot, a funny, slightly clumsy robot

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<v Speaker 2>who launched basketballs into space and turned hamsters blue, And

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<v Speaker 2>that turned out to be exactly the kind of friend

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<v Speaker 2>everybody wanted. Tommy stood beside him, ready for basketball. Bradley

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<v Speaker 2>grinned absolutely. The two headed toward the court together. This time,

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<v Speaker 2>Bradley wasn't following Tommy or copying him. He was walking

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<v Speaker 2>beside him like a real friend, and that felt far

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<v Speaker 2>more human than anything Bradley had ever tried before the

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<v Speaker 2>end