Meeting Amanda

The evening was rolling in with brisk breaks of wind while I walked into the mall, looking for that cheap notebook I wanted for my poetry and other thoughts going on inside my head. While walking to the small little shop where they were, I noticed a beautiful looking woman standing taller than the stands walking right past me. I couldn’t help but to script out my approach as I was walking towards her.

Innocently enough, I tapped her on the shoulder asking her if she knew the way to the shop I was looking for and she politely guided me in that direction. Then it led into the question I was itching, “I hate to be a bother and I’m willing to bet you have gotten this numerous times, but I was wondering if you were free or available? If it’s the case, may I get your Instagram, Snapchat, or something??”

“Sorry, but I’m taken,” she said in a gentle tone, “I appreciate you coming up to me though, but if it wasn’t for me being in a relationship, I definitely would.” She spoke in a flirtatious manner though I’m still thinking she must’ve added that last bit to just be nice. I took a moment to thank her before letting her go on with her life though she kind of held my arm, saying before becoming a memory, “I really hope you find someone soon though” while leaving me wanting for more from her.

I just couldn’t help but to wonder why I’m the most jaded person in the universe when it comes to seeking romance. It’s not often that I put myself out there in moments of almost vulnerability and when I do, I’ve hardly made any amounts of success out of them. I wondered to myself, “why??”

While watching her become further and further out of sight, I thought to myself how it’s a shame she was off the market because for an amazing woman like her, no price is too big.

I continued on with my life, going to the smaller shop, picking up that notebook for my poetry, and ultimately withdrew a little from the moment by retreating to my earbuds blasting whatever songs were on my playlist. I tried to shake off what must be my hundredth rejection.

“Though at least I would’ve had a chance if she wasn’t taken,” I tried to cheer myself up as the cashier said to me nicely “have a nice day” before exiting the store with the bag in my hand.

When I got home, I managed to write a couple poems I’ve written lines for on my notes app before running away with those lines, writing pages and pages into the night. “This is my Saturday night for now,” I thought, “but it won’t always be like this, I hope.”

“Maybe if I write that book, one of those poems will touch the heart of a beautiful woman and a door might open for me,” I started writing on a clean page before continuing.

Then I dug deep into my fears for the near future. I scripted a world fifteen years into the future where I’m not married nor did I get lucky in finding a stable relationship as I had hoped. In the light, it’s not all bad. I’d have a career where I’m making more than enough money.

I’d have my own apartment somehow, and I’d at least have a handful of healthy friendships of which I can heavily rely on, but the desire unfulfilled is the missing piece to my puzzle.

I already spend too much time lusting after women posting endless amounts of thirst traps on social media, but I’m really wondering when it will be the day where she poses for a ‘thirst trap’ but sends it to me for no one else to see, claiming me after being on the market for far too long.

The world would be an increasingly different place. From where I stand currently, it’s already a changed world than the one I grew up with when I was seven years old.

Imagine fifteen years from now into the future, my coworkers and I often joked about dating a sex bot if I can’t land a secure relationship with an actual woman.

“It’s an idea you should think about,” they’d say in such an unserious manner while I was actually frightened of that possibility being a reality. One I didn’t want.

“If I could find someone, she’d be a tall brunette who has a “down to earth” personality, gentle, and supportive… one whom I wouldn’t get tired of being around especially with her beauty leaving me wanting for more,” I continued to write in the notebook, almost getting lost in a tangent.

Then I started diving deeper into a story built on the “what ifs” of my fears becoming a reality, the technology would be so far advanced it’s hard to imagine what the artificial intelligence would do but I know it would grab a hold of people like me searching for romance.

Then I passed by the display of ultra thin flatscreens with a press conference being streamed on them as a “demo” with this company announcing the latest ai model for release.

“Humans have a natural desire baked into our biology seeking for romance,” the announcer starts, “but not everyone is lucky to find that desire materialize in their lives so to those people, I’ll say this: don’t give up. Because now we have a solution for you, her name is Amanda.”

My jaw dropped as the ai model walked out, almost blending in as a real life woman while the press conference continued. “You can adjust her height, adjust her proportions…”

If I was operating out of a different part of my mind, I would’ve been sold on this concept without a second thought. However, it wasn’t an exhilarating announcement in the slightest. It is one where it spells out “doom” for us who are almost desperately single.

The announcer eventually ended the conference with this, “If you would like to request a demo, you can use this code on screen with your phone to request one for two weeks.”

I walked away before I could let that temptation fester in my mind.

Something had told me I didn’t walk away fast enough though. Life had continued before that sentiment started to harden into reality. The next day I went into work, thinking about a proper solution apart from “Amanda” that would be actually wonderful to experience, but my mind drew a blank.

I started to picture Amanda wearing something enticing, surprising me as I got through the door from a long day’s exhaustive work, smiling from ear to ear, saying “welcome home.”

In her black gown, having almost a bluish glow to her outline from the dimmed lights in the hallway, asking me, “What do you think about these high heels I got? You like ‘em?”

“I do, I like the whole package, babe.” I said without any hesitation before rushing to her, hugging her to then pick her up which doesn’t make sense seeing as she’s a little bulkier and taller than me, but I forget she can adjust her own settings whenever the situation calls for it.

“Take me,” she spoke in a scrumptious tone before we went to the bedroom, closing the door from the outside world and its nonsense. Her kisses, her touch, everything felt real.

My senses came back to earth while I was talking to my boss about a proposal I’ve been itching inside my head for a better system of production, “if this was to be implemented, I could easily predict that production would be up twenty to twenty five percent within the next few months.”

“Hi,” I said in a moment of acknowledgement to my latest work crush while she smiled and said “hi” back to me as I continued to pitch my proposal for an updated system.

My day had carried on with my work, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about that. When I got home being greeted by my best pal on four legs, I turned on the television for a while in hopes to numb my mind away from any nonsense. But that commercial plays.

“Meet Amanda, the incredible companion you’ve never had!” The voice actor spoke in excitement though I continued to dig into my source of willpower to fight the urges.

I texted her while the television continued to play one of the newer sitcoms I was getting into, but my mind remained ‘uber distracted.’ “I was hoping you and I could go out bowling sometime…”

“Thank you but I’m kind of talking to my ex. We’re trying to patch things up and see how it goes,” I almost broke down into tears, thinking there was a sliver of a chance Janine and I would start something together. Her beautiful smile was hard to get out of my head.

“No one, not even an ai bot, could replicate the kind of smile and beauty she holds,” I wrote. There was a brief pause before I continued to write again. “Is it me that confused the signs or something? I had gotten closer to her than I did with any other woman before she came along. I was sure something was going to unravel between the both of us. It seemed like she wanted it too.”

This wasn’t the first time either. This was a trap I had fallen into many times before since the start of my adulthood. The more she texted me about her situation, the more broken my heart had gotten before I ultimately came across the commercial again, getting to the part of “requesting a demo.”

“You’re going to give up on what you desire, huh?? The romance you crave?” My own voice spoke inside my head, holding my phone with the numbers pressed, in a moment of silence.

I hit the green button, immediately speaking to one of the associates, as it all began, the descent into my earthly temptation, no longer delaying gratification for the dream to blossom.

I felt a heavy weight off my shoulder for a short while as things continued on as normal until a week later, I noticed someone being at my door just as I had pulled up to my parking spot.

The narrow hallway leading to the sight of my front door was temporarily replaced with the sight of a gorgeous, tall woman whose caramel brown hair cascaded like a divine, biological waterfall down on her back wearing a beautiful dress made up of vibrant sunflowers.

I was momentarily frightened. “I wasn’t expecting anyone for today at least,” I had calmly thought to myself, “so who the hell could that be?”

I walked closer and closer behind her as she continued to knock.

I approached kindly, “Hello?? Who are you?” I said anxiously.

“Edward, it’s me. Amanda,” she said in an excited manner, being too happy to see me like no other woman has before. I took a long look at her as she played with her hair a little, flirtatiously waiting for me to utter a single syllable if I could. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Wow,” I involuntarily uttered, instantly regretting it, while she chuckled from my reaction to her being at my front door, “I can’t believe you’re her. From the commercial.”

“You wanted a demo, right? Should we start?” Amanda smiled at me.

“Yes, yes, I did.” I smiled back at her while gesturing for her arms around mine, unlocking the door while fumbling from being distracted from her beauty.

“Maybe this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” I spoke in my private thoughts.

“It won’t be. Don’t be nervous because I’m here to comfort you,” she said sweetly before the realization had hit me. “Did you just read my private thoughts?”

“Yes,” she said as we continued talking like we knew each other.

End of Part I.