The Last Human Customer

Every morning at eight twelve, Mr. Lin ordered tea without sugar. He spoke to the café robot as though the pause before its answer mattered.

The robot, service unit Nine, recorded his preference accurately. It also recorded the little questions that were not part of an order. Was the rain expected? Had somebody changed the music? Did Nine have a favorite song?

On Monday, Mr. Lin did not arrive. Nine prepared the tea at eight twelve, canceled it at eight thirty and listed an inventory discrepancy. On Tuesday, the discrepancy happened again.

There was no fault in the booking system. There was no booking. The man came because he chose to, and a system built to respond to demand had no category for missing somebody.