“I don’t suppose you’ve ever been to Konnekt before.”

I just shook my head.

“Shame,” said the man with the mask. “You’d like it there. A place for people of all kinds to hang out. You really connect with people.”

I raise one eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s why they named the city Konnekt. Apparently they thought it was modern.”

I shrug, resigned to the fact that I was still all alone.

“You’re awful quiet. Something the matter?” the masked man asks. I cannot tell if he is being serious or not. Surely he can see me? Surely. He must be joking.

I give a quick shake of the head. I’m fine. I’ve been the same way for the last seven years.

“Huh. Well, stranger, I’m off. You’re not much to talk to, if you don’t mind me…”

Then the mask falls off, and bare circuits are exposed. He was artificial.

Of course, in this land, it’s not uncommon to have a robot that can’t pick out human features.

He’s the fourth in a row not to recognize that I have no mouth.