CicognaEd.
TheBrave LittleSensor
Writtenby R.H.Cicogna
Illustratedby Midjourney&StableDiffusion
Onceuponatime,inaland shroudedindarkness,therewasa smallKentishtown.
Attheheartofthetownwasabusy junctionwhereroadsfromallover theplacescametogether.
Thecrossroadwasamess,withcars backedupformilesanddrivers spendinghours,evendays,stuckin theirvehicles.
Theconstanthonkingandarguing madeforamaddeningexperience,and thecitizenshadfinallyhadenough.
Determinedtofindasolutiontotheir trafficwoes,thetownspeoplebanded togethertobrainstormideas.
Acityplannerproposedbuildingan elevatedroundaboutbutaterrified chickenimmediatelyrejectedtheidea, unwillingtoriskitsfeathers,letalone itsbeak!
Thepolarbearsuggestedbuildinga seriesoftunnelsunderthetown,buta boringengineershotthatdown.
"Sorry,butI'mnotdiggingthrough dirtandmuckjusttogettowork,"the engineersaid."I'drathersitintraffic forhoursthangetmyclothesdirty."
Agroupofmischievouskangaroos suggestedbuildingagiantcatapultto launchpeopleoverthetrafficandinto theirdestinations.
Nobody seemed thrilledbyit.
Justwhenthetownspeoplewereabout togiveuphope,ametallicvoicespoke upfromabove."HelloWorld!"itsaid withabeep.
Everyonelookedup…
"I'mVee,"alittlerobotintroduceditself.
"I'manexpertatcountingcars,"Vee boasted.
"Icanmaketrafficdatapourdownlike raininamonsoon.Withmyinsights, youcansleeptightknowingthatyour commutewillbesmoothandstressfree."
"Butwhatifitrains?"askedthe weatherman,raindropsalready formingonhisweathermap.
"Noworries,IknowanItalianplumber withatrustyredumbrella,"Vee quipped.
"Whataboutthecyclistsand pedestrians?"askedthecrowd.
"I'vegotthatcoveredtoo,"repliedVee, confidently."Icandistinguishbetween cars,bicycles,pedestriansandmany more!"
"Buthowmuchenergywillyou consume?"askedthetown'schief accountant.
"Iamenergy-efficient,onlyone sausagerolleverydayatteatime," repliedVee.
Thesunflowerboyjumpedupand down,hiseyeswidewithexcitement.
"Bapbtpepsta-ta-tatataaaaaah!"he yelled,pointingatVee.
Thetownspeopleturnedtolookathim, someraisingtheireyebrowsin confusion.
Themayorsmiled,hereyestwinkling. "Icouldn'tagreemore,"shesaid.
"Vee,you'rehired!"
Asthedayswentby,Veebegantosense troublelooming."Ifearwe'reheading towardsTHEGREATJAM!"announced Vee.
Thecitizenslookedateachotherin horror.
"Thegreatjam,thebusiestgridlock everseen!"
"Ifyouletmecontrolthetrafficlights,I canhelpyouavoidallthattraffic," announcedVee.
"Youcan'tcontroltrafficlights,"saida theoctopuselectrician."OnlyGerman engineershavethatkindofpower."
"Letmeproveittoyou,"saidVee, walkingovertothetrafficlightand startingtotakeitapart.“See?Nowit’s justamatterofrewiringitproperly…” impressingthecephalopod.
EventuallyVeegottoworkcreatingits customtrafficlightsystem.
Agroupoffriendlysensorsflewinto helpout,andateamofastronauts directedthetrafficinthemeantime.
Somedinosaurroadengineers spentthemorningsecurely installingthesensorsand,by theevening,thenewtraffic controlsystemwasupand runningsmoothly.
Themayor,impressedwithVee'shard workanddedication,rewardedthe entireteamwiththeultimateprize:a never-endingsupplyofpizzaand ramen!
TheEnd
