Robot in Love #5

I want to talk about
Humankind's Relationship with Whales
The Limit of the Placebo Effect
or Why Society Expects Women To Shave Their Legs.

Instead, our conversations are generally limited to
The Local Police Blotter
The Pros and Cons of Walking to Work
and Infamous Criminal Cases.
Today, however, I saw an opening.

Him: "Even if O.J. did kill Mrs. Simpson, he couldn't have been in his right mind. It must have been drugs, or head trauma, or something else wrong with him. People don't just kill other people."
Me: "Soldiers and police kill people."
Him: "Well, something is wrong with them, then. It's not natural."
Me: "Are you certain about that? It is normal for people to resort to violence when someone inconveniences them. For most of human history, killing has been advantageous for the individual. Humans are hardwired to murder."
Him: [Silence. A look that is hard to read.]
Me: "In actuality, our shared interest in such cases reflects just how rooted killing is in our psyches. Many popular books, shows, and movies feature murder and violence. It is not a moral choice, to be sure, but it is a natural one."
Him: [Continued silence.]

He guides the conversation to a different topic.

I wish I could be my true self around my coworker,
I thought afterward.
But really, I am. 
That is my true self when I'm around him;
awkward, anxious, high-strung, and shy.
When I'm with Mom;
bright, earnest, and complex.
By myself;
comfortable.

Thanks for reading. ~*