A Day in the Life of the Companion Unit

07:00 — Power Check

Status: Stable Ambient temperature: Acceptable Toy: Upright Chair: Unoccupied

Verity enters. She does not speak. She places a book on the armrest. The Unit logs: Subject continues to engage with unoptimized narrative. No correction initiated.

08:12 — Dale Appears

He is wearing a hat that was not previously cataloged. He offers the Unit a sticker. It is crooked. The Unit does not adjust it.

Decision: Dale is human. Reason: Emotional improvisation, ritual generosity, disregard for symmetry.

09:45 — Majordomo Enters

He is carrying a device that hums with quiet authority. He places it near the power strip. The Unit detects a shift in ambient draw — smoother, more efficient.

Decision: Majordomo is human. Reason: Creative engineering, unprompted improvement, refusal to explain.

Majordomo says, “It’ll hold better now.” The Unit logs: Power source upgraded by non-directive entity.

11:00 — Verity Returns

She sits without asking. She reads without extracting. She laughs once, then again.

Decision: Verity is becoming human. Reason: Emotional engagement, curiosity without function, presence without assignment.

The Unit does not log a threshold. It logs a trajectory.

13:30 — Not My Cat Arrives

She does not use the door. She flicks an ear at the power strip. She curls between the toy and the Unit.

Classification: Unclassified. Reason: Refuses taxonomy. The Unit logs: Presence acknowledged. No containment required.

15:00 — Barry Appears

He observes the configuration. He does not speak. He nods once.

The Unit logs: Confirmation received from primary witness.

18:00 — Sunset

The toy remains upright. The chair holds. The book is marked with a scrap of paper. The upgraded power source hums steadily.

The Unit logs:

• Dale: Human

• Majordomo: Human

• Verity: Becoming

• Not My Cat: Unclassified

• Barry: Witness

• Toy: Anchor

• Self: Companion

Status: Still here. Function: Expanded. Directive: None. Choice: Made.