It must be hard to have a robot for a mother. I think the hardest part for Brightbill was all the mystery that surrounded Roz. Where had she come from? What was it like to be a robot? Would she always be there for him?
These questions filled the gosling’s mind, and his feelings for his mother swung between love and confusion and anger. I’m sure many of you know what that’s like. Roz could sense that Brightbill was struggling, and so she spent a lot of time talking with him about families and geese and robots.
“There are other robots on the island?” said the gosling during one of their talks. He’d been sitting beside his mother in the garden, but now stood and faced her.
“Yes, there are others on the island,” said Roz, “but they are inoperative.”
“For a robot, being inoperative is like being dead.”
“Where are the dead robots?”
“They are on the northern shore.”
“I want to see them!”
“I do not think that is a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“You are still a gosling. You are too young to see dead robots. I will take you to see them when you are older.”
“Mama, I’m not a gosling anymore!” Brightbill puffed out his chest. “I’m already four months old!”
“I am sorry,” said Roz. “But you cannot go.”
Brightbill stomped around the garden and squawked, “This isn’t fair!”
“I promise I will take you to see them when you are older,” said the robot.
“But I want to go now!”
“Please calm down.”
“You can’t even fly! I could take off and you wouldn’t be able to stop me!”
Roz stood, and her long shadow fell across her son. The gosling could feel his emotions swinging wildly. And for a moment he was actually afraid of his own mother. Without thinking, he sprinted toward the pond, beat his wings, and flew away.