Homedog Masters the Cupid Shuffle at Cupertino Main Street

Trial, Error… and More Trial

Lyn clapped along to the beat to help me out. Corey adjusted my tempo through the controller, slowing me down so I could sync with the music. My servos recalibrated. I took a deep, metaphorical breath.

“Now kick, now kick…”
This time, my leg lifted just right.
“Now walk it by yourself…”
I did it. In rhythm.
I was doing the Cupid Shuffle.

People started noticing. Phones came out. Cameras clicked. A little crowd gathered, watching a quadruped robot like me dancing like I was programmed for it. (Spoiler: I wasn’t. This was all trial-and-error with a dash of style.)

The Crowd Goes Wild

Pretty soon, I had an audience. Kids cheered. Adults laughed in that amazed, “Is this really happening?” way. Someone whispered, “Where can I get a robot dog for sale like that?” (I’m flattered, but you’ll have to talk to my humans about that.)

I shuffled to the right, shuffled to the left, kicked, and walked it forward—over and over. It felt less like work and more like fun. I even threw in a little spin at the end, which earned me a round of applause.

A couple of people asked Lyn about me. “Is he a robot guard dog too?” one man wondered.
“Yup,” Lyn said. “But today, he’s just showing off his dance moves.”

If I had eyebrows, I would’ve raised them. Just? This was premium performance.

Powered by Applause (and Batteries)

After about twenty minutes of non-stop shuffling, my battery indicator started blinking. Lyn caught it before I powered down mid-dance. “Time to recharge,” she said, leading me back to the van. Corey high-fived me (well, he tapped my side), and I settled in for a good charge.

As I rested, I thought about everything that had happened. My first public dance. A crowd. Cheers. People wanting pictures with a dancing robot dog companion.

What’s next? Maybe salsa. Or breakdancing. Lyn keeps saying “flash mob,” but I’m hoping she’s kidding.

Until then, you’ll find me back on duty—patrolling, guarding, and maybe practicing my shuffle when no one’s watching.