The Bin That Talks

There is a talking bin on Budget Bend. Give it a wrapper and it says ‘Thank you.’ Sometimes it says:

Cheers, pal!

It had said that to Ava twice. I am a robot too, and I was still waiting for my turn.

A nearby stall sold tiny wind-up bin robots for two coins. They had googly eyes, but no voices.

‘I'll teach one to talk,’ said Ava.

Mum explained that the little robots could only trundle. The big talking bin was free to visit, but it could not come home.

Cheers, pal!

The stallholder wound a little robot. It rolled across the pavement, bumped gently into Ava's foot and stopped.

Ava looked down at its googly eyes. A quiet robot to keep, or a talking bin to visit? There was more than one way to enjoy a machine.