“Project Lashon Hara – now that has a ring to it, doesn’t it?”  Chaya smiled.  She had been working to get this project started for how long now?  Five, maybe six years?

Chaya’s ingenious plan was simple.  She was going to send a completely human-looking android (aside from the fact it was a little less talkative than every other kid) into a school and see how kids would react.  More precisely, she wanted to discover if they could refrain from saying lashon hara.  The plan was not to tell the girls that it was an android (a human-like robot).  She would enter the school as a new girl and Chaya hoped the girls would not talk about the Android behind her back.  They would have the children’s teachers speak against lashon hara while the android was there, watching through hidden cameras, and they would decipher if their plan worked.  It was the year 2054, but still, the world was suffering from the most everyday crime of lashon hara!  Chaya frowned to herself.  How could they bring Moshiach if they remained like this!?

Breaking from her thoughts, she heard her cheerful assistant Deena’s voice.  “You know Chaya, we could just send you, instead of working on an android forever,” a sly smile on her face. “I can see it now – how will girls react to a crazy scientist lady?”

Chaya smiled.  At least Deena would say what she thought to peoples’ faces and not behind their backs. . . “What do you need, Deena?”

Deena’s usual smile appeared, her fiery-red hair pulled back in a messy bun and her typical green sweater.  “Is Rivka almost ready?” asked Deena.  Rivka is what Deena called the android. 

“No, Rivka is not ready yet!  And if I remember correctly, you were going to reinitialize the system backup center?” 

Deena put on one of her most convincing innocent faces and asked, “She has a system backup center?”  

“Of course, she does!  You made it!”  Chaya frowned; of course, she knew Deena was messing with her.  “Deena, if you don’t mind, I’d like that done now if possible?”

“Right away, boss.”  Deena bent down and grabbed the layouts of the Android.  “Do you think…” she began to say, as she started reinitialization of the inner networks.  “Well,” Deena asked bluntly, “Will Rivka work?” 

“Yeah, I know she is a fine piece of machinery, but pretending to be a kid is a lot of work!”  Chaya folded her arms across her chest and looked down at the Android.  “You know that from experience” she shot over her shoulder at Deena. 

“Yep, do it all the time, for weeks, months, even years at a time!”  Deena said with a smile so big Chaya didn’t know was possible! 

“Is that why you always forget to do your job?”  Chaya smiled; she had come so far with Rivka, and she would be done in a day, maybe two; then they would test the program and see if it worked.

 

To be continued . . .