Member-only story
The Emotional Stability Center
“Welcome to the Emotional Stability Center. My name is Molly, and I will be your hostess. What can I make you feel today?”
“I would like some male affection and some female desire.” Bob Hammer answered. She thanked him and went to prepare his order.
He stood there, looking around. The stability center did not give the slightest psychologist’s vibe he thought he would get here. It felt more like a stripping club, and he just ordered some pleasure. Well, he did request some satisfaction, if you think about it — the emotional kind.
Bob looked down at the palms of his hands and couldn’t remember the last time he shook hands or hugged someone else. He was a thirty-two years old, fit American guy. Why was he feeling this way? It was the year 2054. Nobody touched anyone anymore. Social Media was how people primarily communicated with each other outside offices. He was perfectly normal for adhering to society and keeping his hands to himself.
Touch has been completely detached from marriage, too. Whenever he felt he was ready to start a family, he would just file for commissioning one. The commissioning service would find him a person that wanted that too. They would both go to the doctor to get a DNA sample, sign some papers and voila, nine months later, you had a baby, and are legally married. Automating this process…
