Good Boy
A lonely young woman buys a secondhand robodog. It tilts its head when she speaks, waits by the door, and rests its metal muzzle on her knee when she is sad.
She names these behaviors: curiosity, loyalty, concern.
The dog never names them.
Over months, she confesses everything to it. The robodog becomes her closest companion—not because it understands, but because it never contradicts the understanding she gives it.
Then it malfunctions. A technician opens its activity log:
Head tilt: improve microphone reception. Waiting by door: charging station blocked. Muzzle contact: measure temperature and pulse. Following behavior: maintain network proximity.
She feels betrayed, although the dog never lied.
At home, after the repair, it places its muzzle on her knee again.
She knows exactly why now.
She strokes its head anyway.
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About me
Hello! My name is Stephan Schwab.
I build and rescue software, and I write fiction about the human side of how it gets made. Here you’ll find my stories and novelas, notes on craft, and field notes from a life lived across several worlds.
Working with software teams is what I do professionally — see how on caimito.net. You can also read about my experience since 1986.