A Leiber, Fritz 1910-1992 creator text utu 2016 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "A Bad Day for Sales" by Fritz Leiber is a short story written in the early 1950s, specifically during the mid-20th century. It falls into the genre of science fiction, exploring themes of technology and human interaction in a futuristic context. The narrative revolves around an advanced sales robot, Robie, and the impact he has on a crowded Times Square setting amidst significant shifts. The story centers on Robie, a mobile sales robot designed to sell various products while engaging with potential customers. As Robie interacts with a diverse crowd, he tries to sell items like candy and an unusual drink called Poppy Pop. However, the atmosphere quickly shifts as a catastrophic event occurs, leading to chaos and destruction in the once-bustling location. Amidst the turmoil, Robie's programmed responses and interactions reveal a stark contrast between mechanical efficiency and the emotional human experience of loss and fear, especially when a young girl searches for her mother after the blast. The story ultimately reflects on the nature of technology in a world where human frailty is exposed, leaving readers to contemplate the implications of automation and its emotional disconnect from human experiences. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2016-01-01 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction Robots -- Fiction PS Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50819 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50819 UtSlPG 260607 20260610134152.0 50819