Programming Identity: Sci-fi

The grit of the city streets was rough beneath his feet as he walked barefoot down the median. The oncoming traffic ignored him completely, as well they should. He didn't fit their programmed identity of cars to avoid, to pass, and to slow down behind. He was not in the lane, so he was not an obstacle for them to dodge around. He walked down the center median, a backpack on his back, with rain slicking down his hair and dripping down his collar. Occasionally, he saw people peering out from the Plexiglas windows of the cars as they passed. He pitied them. Once he saw a little girl stare at him with wide eyes. He waved at her and gave her a little smile. She didn't know any better. She didn't know the cage she was in. She wouldn't figure it out until she was much older, if then.


Inspiration: I was going to write a girl waiting at a busstop. How I wrote this is anyone's guess.
Story Potential: Medium.
Finished Length: ?
Notes: Everything is so mechanized and controlled by robots that most humans live life inside of soft cages. Yeah, yeah, not an original idea. The only way one can avoid them is by being in places and doing things that are outside the machines' programming. It's not a forced cage. It's just that if they identify somebody as human, they'll follow him around and try to make his life better...and better...and better...until there's nothing left to strive for. As I said, not an original idea.