Understanding Humans
Part X - Tan
"Bee..."
"Sorry."
"Bee... You're doing it again."
"Sorry Sam. Better?"
"Yeah... BEE!"
"But Sam, your skin-"
"Bee, my skin is fine; I haven't even warmed up, for we just came here fifteen minutes ago!"
"It's 2 pm Sam, I don't think it is a very good idea for you to sunbathe, the ultraviolet light is still almost at its max; it might damage your upper skin layers and optics -"
"Bee, for gods sake, I'm wearing sun glasses!"
"They are not UV-opaque!"
"Bee - I'd be the first human to go blind for lying in the sun for 15 minutes... And I wouldn't be facing the sun directly anyway – unless I had to turn round every 2 seconds or so to talk to a certain giant robot who now and then steps in front of me to block the sun out, for he's on a wear sunscreen trip!!"
"But Sam, listen to me! This is insane, why are you doing this? You endanger your health by exposing that much of your skin to solar emission! Your armor will disintegrate!"
"It's skin, not armor Bee, and even it were to be 'damaged', it would grow back; for sure after something as simple as a sunburn... And I already told you three times I am here to get a tan."
"A Tan... I see the logic... So, all this is this for impressing Mikaela?"
"Ugh... Yeah, okay? Look, why don't you walk around a bit and stretch your legs before we head back home? It must be nice to be in your original form once again, right? Enjoy the beach.. and relax... and BEE! CUT IT OUT!"
"You said I should move."
"Yes! Like in 'Walk around on the beach and have fun for there's nobody here anyway' - but stay out of my sun!"
"But Sam, what is so great about a tan that you're willing to risk your health? Wouldn't a fake tan spray be a better solution? ... Are you that unhappy with being Caucasian?"
"Hu? What do you mean?"
"You're trying so hard to change the color of your skin -"
"Beeee... getting a tan isn't about changing the color of your skin... Okay, so maybe it is, but not like that, like changing your ra-... uhm, well, who you are. I'm not Michael Jackson, 'kay?"
"Who's that?"
"Never mind... Would you mind moving now? Still trying to get a tan here."
"You'll get a sunburn, and later on melanoma and skin cancer."
"Fine. Better than getting called cream puff and losing the best - and so far only - girlfriend I ever had."
"Sam, Mikaela sure isn't as superficial as not to be able to look beneath your armor... Otherwise she would be dating you."
"... Thanks Bee, that was really nice of you to say..."
"Hu? Did I say something wrong?"
"No way, what makes you think ... Sometimes I wonder if you guys are really the 'good' ones afterall; You sure can be quite mean at times..."