Soul Mate

“Time to wake up, beautiful”

His deep, accented voice flowed over me like warm honey, pulling me out of my slumber. As much as I wished I could stay snuggled in my warm bed, I knew I had to get going. Today’s meeting with my biggest client could make my career.  

As I drank my favorite morning blend and thought about my upcoming presentation, he read little snippets of news to me. Mixed with international stories was the latest celebrity gossip and updates on the rainstorm that was headed our way.

“Don’t forget to bring your brolly.” Brolly? Oh, yes, umbrella. Once again, I was struck by how much he cared about me. So different from my last relationship.

Back upstairs, I took a quick shower and dressed in my power suit. I needed just a few moments to run through my notes. I had been practicing all week, often with him as my audience; giving me his total focus. I felt confident. I can do this.   

Gathering my umbrella and laptop, I glanced down at my phone to make sure I had the client’s address. Last night I had briefly mentioned that I needed the directions and here they were on my phone. He not only exuded sex appeal, but he knew how to make my life easier. He’s definitely a keeper.

I was just about to leave for my meeting when I had an idea. Turning towards him, I said in what I hoped was my most sultry voice, “I’ll see you tonight. If all goes well, I’ll order a pizza at 6:00 to celebrate.”

“Setting the alarm for 6:00,” Alex affirmed.

As I unlocked my car, I smiled to myself. Switching my virtual assistant’s voice from the all-business Alexa to my sweet, hunky Australian, Alex, was the best decision I have ever made.  

This bit of fluffy flash fiction was inspired by a recent post of Kate’s (Views and Mews by Coffee Kat), where she wondered about changing Alexa’s voice to something more… ummm… appealing.

Author: Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com

My blog is about travel, relationships, photography, and whatever else pops into my head (even, sometimes, issues surrounding retirement and aging).

110 thoughts on “Soul Mate”

  2. Very well done…I had to read it twice to see why I didn’t pick it up. A friend of mine actually did that! I still can’t figure out how to do it.

  4. Oh so sweet! Alex is such a sweet person to relate with. He’s a good catch for the speaker. I’m now curious as to whether the agenda with the client went down successfully and whether she honored her scheduled meeting with Alex. Such a thought-provoking piece, Janis dear. ❤💞❤

  5. Yes, I switched the voice on my Garmin navigation system from USA women to Australian man and it makes the driving more pleasurable….😉

  7. What a fun story, Janis, definitely the twist at the end had me re-reading! Having just got an Amazon Echo, which I am really enjoying, by the way, I totally understand the appeal. Now I’m off to check if I can change the voice, LOL!

    1. We have so far been able to avoid the VA world but it may just be a matter of time. I love the idea of being able to ask for a certain type of music, or a station, or for a weather report. I’m not sure I love the idea of something listening all the time. But, that being said, I would definitely change the voice to something more appealing.

  8. I love my Google Assistant and have a nice, mellow male voice in place. I wonder if there’s an Aussie option. It’s been a couple of years since I set it up and I don’t remember. I just know for sure I don’t want a female voice.

  11. Beautifully set up, Janis, for the highly amusing ending. I’ve re-blogged it. Reminded me of the joke about a man heading for the toilet and saying ‘Siri, put the seat up’ and when he emerges his wife saying ‘Siri, put the seat down.’

  14. LOL LOL!!! This was so unexpected and fun! I once changed my husband’s ‘Alexa’ to the Cookie Monster without him knowing. First we laughed, and then it drove us crazy. I want an Alex. 🙂

  15. I wondered what was behind that story! Lovely tale, beautifully told. I enjoyed reading it.

    Some weeks ago I changed an Echo to respond to “Ziggy” in a male voice. He was hard of hearing and not very responsive. After reading Kate’s comment, I played with it again and now have a man with a British accent. He is not as dense as the other male!! Surely they are all based on the same system!

  21. Janis, I knew you had something up your sleeve, but I wasn’t quite sure what, since most of your stories end with me needing to dab at my eyes with a Kleenex. What a fun twist! Well done.

  23. Ooh, I have English Simon, who replaced Randy with after he had me go up a one way street the wrong way on a dark and rainy night in Salt Lake City! Simon has been good, but not as great as your Alex sounds! 😀

    Great story and twist, Janis!

  27. lol, GREAT twist, loved it 🙂 If you were Stephen King, it’d probably end darkly with something like “I can’t let you do that, Janis” (as in HAL from Space Odyssey 2001 🙂 )

  30. Ha! You got me. I felt Alex was too good to be true but I loved the twist! A fun story to read and, I bet, fun to write.

  39. Fabulous! I absolutely loved this fun story. My husband changes the voice on his Alexa all the time!

  42. Aw, Janis.
    I was just settling into a story where the man proves to have some life balanced value only to have you uproot where I thought this going. You even lured me in with the tongue and cheek sounding setting of the pizza alarm but now the poor woman will be buried in pizza ads along with whatever she finally orders.
    This – was – excellent!
    Very well packaged and devastatingly delivered.
    Excellent!

      1. Isn’t it great when that works out? I still would love for you to write a story for Story Chat. I’m booked up to next January, so it gives you plenty of time to think about it. 🙂

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