#9 - Good Company

 Vivaldi floated from the record player in the corner of the room. A fire crackled in the hearth and settled in the leather chair that rested beside it was a man who called himself a scholar. Gerald surrounded himself with books and thought of their knowledge to be the most important in the universe. He held a glass of wine to his nose wafting the flavor his way. This was his oldest and finest vintage. There was nothing better than relaxing with a fine glass of wine.

“Nothing but fine company,” he said with a laugh that didn’t meet his eyes. It was a joke that he had with himself. Gerald had yet to find someone that matched his intellectual prowess, but soon that would change.

He had ordered it a month ago, an android downloaded with every piece of information in existence about Shakespeare. That was why he had cracked open his finest vintage to celebrate.

Then the doorbell rang. When he answered the messenger carted in the box and left with a signature. He opened the box and was delighted at the perfect replica of himself that stood before him. No one rivaled his own knowledge so why not get a copy of himself. 

He powered on the android and its eyes focused on Gerald.

“What are your thoughts on Dr. Moren’s paper on the magic in The Winter’s Tale?” 

“Juvenile and archaic.” 

“Excellent.” Soon the two of them were sitting in the living room comparing notes and all the famous papers agreeing on every aspect. Gerald had never had a conversation go on this long and he enjoyed every second of it.

“Yes, just as Beck said about The Tempest characters, they reflect the inner turmoil of society at the time.”

Gerald stopped short on the next point he was going to speak of. “Remind me again of the title of that paper.”

“The Inner Workings of Society in the Tempest by Sophia Beck.”

Gerald frowned. “I have not heard of that paper.”

The androids face contorted in disgust.

“Plebeian.” It stood. “How can I have a discussion with someone whose knowledge is so limited.” Then it walked out of the room.

Gerald was left with only wine of the finest vintage and no company to speak of.