Team Ahimsa Blog Relay, Various Contests

Humans and Machines

203 Words / 40 Lines
FOR: "PromptMaster !" 
Prize Prompt:
The most exciting thing to find in an instruction manual.

"The new machine is here!
We'll set it up right now!"
Mom, Dad, kids all gather
"Mom, tell us how!"

"Read the instructions
We want to do this right.
First, fix these two knobs together
Make sure they hold tight ..."

From the set up to the working
The manual spells it out
It is so detailed there is
just no room for doubt.

And then – an extra section
'Handling the handlers'
When people use this machine
and the unexpected occurs.

Dad will want to do it himself
Mom will call her brother
'He's a wizard mechanic
I would trust no other'

Then the kids will watch as
Mom and Dad have a fight
'You got the first thing wrong
This knob had to be on tight!'

The kids will leave the parents
To argue and to bicker
'C'mon, let's fix this ourselves
That's so much quicker.'

The parents, throats gone hoarse
With all the yelling
Suddenly hear a sound
That's ever so compelling.

'The machine is working!'
in surprise they cry
'But how did it start up
who, when, what, where, why?'

'We got it going, Dad
It just needed some adjustments
And it says in the manual
Kids, handle your parents!'