[Richard G]

.

The Package


............"Good morning," said the package as Carmen opened her front door.
"Do you accept delivery?"

............"What?" Carmen looked down at a drone rig in the familiar black and
orange livery of Atacama, and its cargo, a mid-sized parcel in the same colours.
"I haven't ordered anything." (This week, she qualified silently.)

............"Voice print and facial recognition accepted. Identity confirmed.
Carmen Resto, do you accept delivery?"

............"But, I haven't ordered anything."

............"That is correct, Ms. Resto, however, as an Atacama Singular Subscriber™
you have been automatically enrolled in the company's trial program of Predictive
Purchasing – Yours, before you know it!™ – and this is your first order. Do you
accept delivery?"

............"What is it?"

............"That information is not available to this unit at this time. Do you accept
delivery?"

............"But how can I accept something when I don't know what it is?"

............"Do you wish to report a problem with the Predictive Purchasing Program?
Please answer yes or no."

............"I guess so. Yes."

............"An error notification form has been sent to your devices. Please complete
this within twenty-four hours. Your feedback is important to us. Do you accept
delivery?"

............"But what is it?"

............"Delivery," the package recited, "may be achieved by verbal acknowledgement
of the consumer, or the consumer's representative, by agreement that the package
may enter the dwelling or through physical interaction with the package by the
consumer or their representative, by –"

............Carmen lowered the foot with which she had been about to kick the drone
and its contents from the step. "No, that's not what I ... Never mind. I decline
delivery," she replied, slowly and clearly.

............The drone's engines restarted – Quiet as a Wasp™ (a part of Atacama's enviro-
commitments) – and it rose to eye level. "Scans reveal you do not have a hall mirror.
Links to Atacama's most popular hall mirrors have been sent to all your devices,
as well as three additional links to products from independent suppliers, as per local
ordinances."

............"Dee. Liv. Err. Ree. Dee. Cline. D."

............The drone sank slowly back to the step, cut its rotors and began to play a
jaunty tune over its speakers.

............"What are you doing?"

............"Automatic reflection period in effect," the package said, even as the muzak
continued. "The consumer is allowed ten minutes in which she may reconsider her
decision."

............Conceding that she was going to be late for work as leaving now might result
in an accidental purchase, Carmen took a step back and closed the door, firmly. When
she looked out of the window, one explanatory phone call and half a cup of coffee later,
the package was just taking off.

............"See you tomorrow!" it cried.



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