Free After Mind by Spencer Wolf Page B

context references. But to answer your question, yes, Robin’s invitation ‘to date,’ as in bringing me here with her to speak, is my biggest success.”
    The host ticked a smile. “Maybe you mixed your references. Being that this is your biggest success ‘to date,’ as in ‘up until now.’ So, tell me in your own words, why are you here?”
    “Did you know he still listens to really old music,” Cessini said. “And he still makes his own parts by hand sometimes instead of printing them.”
    “I’m nostalgic for the old days,” Daniel said as Robin snickered. “But I’m learning. Teaching myself to code. I’ve got some great ideas on a new kind of test, I think. An inversion test.” Then he glanced up at the host on the screen. “You’d love it. I’m also thinking of self-publishing a paper on algorithm compression, maybe kernelling. I don’t have that fully fleshed out yet, but I think it could transform robotics. I don’t know where it’ll take me. But as a dad, I interpret fate and free will every day.” He nodded like he figured out something great. “So, I guess you could say by interpreting Cessini’s world that, yeah, maybe that makes him the king.”
    “That’s a wonderful segue,” the host said. “And as a father myself, so you don’t think I’m a complete faux pas, I have a founders’ relationship with the prestigious Journal of Advanced Design and Computational Dynamics for Intelligent Systems . If one of your papers pan out, submit it to me. I’ll see what I can do.”
    “Thank you,” Daniel said, humbled. The host seemed sincere.
    “You’re very welcome. So, introduce your son so he can grant us his unique perspective on our topic of free will versus fate.”
    Daniel leaned forward with his elbows up on the table. He pinpointed his focus with his fingers scratching his brows. “Throughout all of history, we have had a symbiotic relationship with water. In order to live in this world, one must learn not to be reactive to water. Seventy percent of our bodies are made of water. Technology is ubiquitous, like water. Since we don’t genetically fear water, we shouldn’t genetically fear technology.”
    “And I don’t,” Cessini said.
    “Don’t what?” the host asked.
    “Fear technology,” Cessini said. “I like it. But I’m reactive to water. Genetically, we think. Aquagenic urticaria .”
    “Precisely,” Daniel said as he mapped out mental notes on the table with his hands. “By evolution, Professor, he shouldn’t be reactive to water, but he is. By psychology, Robin, he shouldn’t be conditioned to like water, but he does. Maybe that learned fear will come next, Reverend. We’re all hoping not. But for now, he’s moving forward, not fearful. I even just got him a wave machine that he wanted, and made a sort of bellows lamp in the shape of a squid to go with it that he absolutely loves.”
    “Your reactivity to water is not your imagination poking beneath the surface?” the host asked Cessini. “A fear of water induced by some previous event?”
    Cessini looked up and shook his head. Daniel said, “No.”
    The host stopped short of a follow-up question as a pixelated logo of “DNWR,” appeared at the lower right corner of his podium screen. “This has turned into quite the serious discussion,” the host said. “And what are you going to be when you grow up?”
    “I dunno,” Cessini said as he swiveled in his chair, then said with bright, lucid eyes, “Maybe I’ll walk on the sky and save everybody before a giant spaceship comes crashing, plhssss , and explodes all over the planet.” He bumped and crashed his fist across the desk.
    “Like a superhuman?” the host asked.
    “Yeah.” Cessini grinned with a bob of his head. “Something like that. My dad and I can make anything happen. I’m also going to invent a fireman’s hose without water.”
    “That already exists as foam,” the host said.
    “But mine’s going to shoot nano-tech cells