DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Fan, issue 2, July 1945

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Fan, issue 2, July 1945

Page 32

32

"There are none like this in the shops yet. Father stumbled upon a little place in Paris -- Fornier's -- and had Francine specially made. But they're expensive!"
"That's all right, I want one. I like them! And they do look very human, don't they?" Ric laughed. And at the door he turned and said: "Myra, I will be here for you. On your birthday at eight sharp. Maybe it won't be so bad at that."

RIC flew over to Paris the next day.
To his surprise he found "Fornier -- Robot-maker" in an ancient little shop in a side street on the lower level. He pushed open the door, and a bell tinkled. He stood staring around  tiny room full of work benches, cogs, wheels, sheet metal, batteries, tubing, circulating valves, and a haphazard scattering of other parts whose uses he could not begin to comprehend. A few robots in various stages of assembly stood against the walls.
Ric moved forward, bumped into a shelf, and a painted metal head rolled off. He caught it in his two hands, and it smiled up at him as though saying, "Thanks."
Ric put it down hastily!
A little stooped Frenchman came from behind a bench at the rear of the shop, muttering and peering through thick-lensed glasses. "Always being disturbed, can't get any work done," Ric heard him mumbling as he came near. "Well, what is it? I'm very busy -- very busy."
"I came in here to buy a robot. The very latest type, such as you sold to Mr. Morison of New York a short time ago."
"Monsieur Morison?" The little man adjusted his spectacles and seemed trying to think. "No, I do not remember him."
Ric described Francine in detail.
The little Frenchman's eyes lighted up, and he straightened his shoulders a little. "But her! I remember her, mais oui!" He sighed prodigiously. "Monsieur, I have not yet another like her, although I am working---"
"I don't want a her," Ric smiled, "I want a him! Very carefully he gave the specifications.
Fornier frowned, shaking his head. "It would take time to make such a one."
"Longer than a week?"
"Monsieur, I am afraid so."
"It's got to be ready in a week. In six days." Ric sat down at a bench and wrote out a check. "There, is that enough? That'll buy a lot of parts!"

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32 "There are none like this in the shops yet. Father stumbled upon a little place in Paris -- Fornier's -- and had Francine specially made. But they're expensive!" "That's all right, I want one. I like them! And they do look very human, don't they?" Ric laughed. And at the door he turned and said: "Myra, I will be here for you. On your birthday at eight sharp. Maybe it won't be so bad at that." RIC flew over to Paris the next day. To his surprise he found "Fornier -- Robot-maker" in an ancient little shop in a side street on the lower level. He pushed open the door, and a bell tinkled. He stood staring around tiny room full of work benches, cogs, wheels, sheet metal, batteries, tubing, circulating valves, and a haphazard scattering of other parts whose uses he could not begin to comprehend. A few robots in various stages of assembly stood against the walls. Ric moved forward, bumped into a shelf, and a painted metal head rolled off. He caught it in his two hands, and it smiled up at him as though saying, "Thanks." Ric put it down hastily! A little stooped Frenchman came from behind a bench at the rear of the shop, muttering and peering through thick-lensed glasses. "Always being disturbed, can't get any work done," Ric heard him mumbling as he came near. "Well, what is it? I'm very busy -- very busy." "I came in here to buy a robot. The very latest type, such as you sold to Mr. Morison of New York a short time ago." "Monsieur Morison?" The little man adjusted his spectacles and seemed trying to think. "No, I do not remember him." Ric described Francine in detail. The little Frenchman's eyes lighted up, and he straightened his shoulders a little. "But her! I remember her, mais oui!" He sighed prodigiously. "Monsieur, I have not yet another like her, although I am working---" "I don't want a her," Ric smiled, "I want a him! Very carefully he gave the specifications. Fornier frowned, shaking his head. "It would take time to make such a one." "Longer than a week?" "Monsieur, I am afraid so." "It's got to be ready in a week. In six days." Ric sat down at a bench and wrote out a check. "There, is that enough? That'll buy a lot of parts!"