Training to be
a robot operator
was nothing like school
as Sonny knew it.
The trainer
was Sonny’s line boss.
He had learned
all about the new robots.
He was ready
to train the operators.
It was only Sonny
and three other workers.
The four of them
and the boss
became a team.
There were no books.
at videos
on a screen.
It was easy to see
what was going on.
But most of the training
was hands-on.
They looked over
the robots.
They watched
how the robots worked.
They learned
how to run
the controller,
the robots’ brain.
The controller
knew what to do.
Sonny learned
how to tell the controller
what to tell the robot.
The robot
did not look human.
and it was yellow.
It looked
like a giant desk lamp.
The robot’s arm
could move
this way and that way.
At the end of the arm
was a welding torch.
It was quite a sight.
At first,
Sonny felt silly.
To think,
a machine
that can weld!
A robot
instead of me!
But the more he watched
the robot work,
the more he liked it.
And that baby
was fast!
Weld two.
Weld three.
Weld four.
Just like that!
A robot
could do Sonny’s job
in far less time.
Two or four robots
could work together.
A robot
could even clean
its own torch.
Sonny’s new job
was to watch all this
on a screen.
He ran the controller
in a little room
with glass walls.
No sparks
flying around.
No hot helmet
to wear
No gloves.
Sonny wasn’t even close
to the heat.
But he had to know
what he was looking at.
“This is why
we picked you,”
said the trainer.
“You know
all about welding.
You know
when it’s right
and when it’s not.”
If Sonny needed help,
he could ask
one of the other guys.
If they needed help,
they could ask Sonny.
They were a team.
Day by day,
Sonny learned
the robots’ work.
He could check
a room full of robots
at the same time.
Now and then,
he put on a helmet
and went on the floor
to look close up.
One morning,
Sonny was on the floor
to check a robot.
“Hey, buddy,”
he said to the robot.
“You’re off
on that weld
by a hair.”
The robot
kept on working.
“Oh, no!”
Sonny laughed.
“I’m talking
to a robot!”