The nannies ensured that sunblock was thoroughly applied, and then let their charges attack the playground with gusto, while they sat on the benches and chatted.  Their conversation ran its usual, tired course before settling on someone new.

“Oooh!  Who is that?  Haven’t seen him around before!”

“Him?  Oh, Kara.  You’re barking up the wrong tree.”

“What?  You think he’s gay?”

“No, I mean…look at the hair.  Don’t you think he’s a little…mechanical for you?”

“He is not!  Look at how he walks, look at the knees!  He’s totally human!”

“Oh my God, Kara!  That’s such a stereotype!  Cyborgs don’t really walk like that!”

“Some do.  My cousin works with a Cyborg, and he says it walks all stiff in the knees.”

“Well, the old models, yeah.  Not the newer ones.  Definitely not him.”

“Do you dare me to go talk to him?”

“NO!  I’m telling you, Kara, he’s a Cyborg!  You can just tell!”

“I’m so desperate, I might ask for his number anyway!”

Becca, who had been silent up until this point, spoke.

“What’s wrong with dating a Cyborg?”

A momentary silence was quickly followed by a cacophony of clarifications.

“Well, nothing, of course!”

“We’re not one of those human supremacists, or anything!  But…”

“They’re…y’know…”

“They’re just not like us.”

Becca did not look up, but continued to study her knees.