rationalOne
December 18th, 2004, 06:17 AM
Hello,
I'm looking for a humorous short story that I read in the 70's or early 80's. It involves a brilliant inventor who wakes up one day to discover that he had completed a robot while drinking heavily the night before, but can't recall its purpose.
The highly intelligent (and annoying) robot proceeds to take over the house and make his life miserable. The man even tries to escape by leaving home, but it somehow tracks him down by a process it calls "vastening", as if it had telepathic powers.
-- Possible spoiler? Just to be safe:
He finally remembers that the robot was designed as a beer-can opener, and upon commanding the robot to do the task, it becomes obedient.
Any ideas?
I'm looking for a humorous short story that I read in the 70's or early 80's. It involves a brilliant inventor who wakes up one day to discover that he had completed a robot while drinking heavily the night before, but can't recall its purpose.
The highly intelligent (and annoying) robot proceeds to take over the house and make his life miserable. The man even tries to escape by leaving home, but it somehow tracks him down by a process it calls "vastening", as if it had telepathic powers.
-- Possible spoiler? Just to be safe:
He finally remembers that the robot was designed as a beer-can opener, and upon commanding the robot to do the task, it becomes obedient.
Any ideas?