"Hey,” you say. “Trade you places.” Her eyes meet yours briefly. “What?” she asks, startled. “Come on, get down. You can wander around. Talk to people. Look at things.” She just looks at you speculatively, her forehead creased. “Very well,” she says finally. She steps down, and you climb up in her place — first hanging your jacket strategically over the placard. Which is how it comes about that you spend the rest of the night sitting on the pedestal. It’s rather amusing, in fact; your long familiarity with animate behavior styles makes it easy to emulate one. Of course you are a bit piqued by your reviews: “Supplied only with esoteric data... personable in a self-deprecating way, but unexciting... breaking no important barriers in the development of more human-like animates.” Damn critics. From the same source, you read that the gallery hired a new assistant. In the photo she’s looking severely at the camera, her pure-blonde hair taken up in a French twist. It’s already occupied, and there’s certainly no room for two. Interesting statement though that might make."