Passersby felt deeply sorry for Andrew when they saw him laden with bags. Then they spotted Diana and Mary, and their sympathy instantly turned to envy.
Both Diana and Mary were stunning beauties.
As the two women and one man browsed, they arrived in the robot section. Most of the robots had already been bought, leaving only a handful in the empty warehouse area.
"Robots are still selling this well?"
Diana asked. She had been on Themyscira lately and had not paid much attention to the subject.
"As well as ever."
Andrew said, "The Shabak incident showed the whole world what robots could do during a disaster. Once it was over, orders for Stark Industries went through the roof.
"The same goes for USR Corporation. Robots can help with chores and save their owners' lives in a crisis. Why wouldn't people buy them?"
In fact, quite a few shoppers had a home robot following them. Home robots were gradually becoming commonplace on Earth, with over a hundred thousand in Metropolis alone.
People were also growing used to having a robot in their lives. They really were convenient. For instance, when both parents worked, having a robot meant they did not have to worry about leaving their children unattended.
"They can do chores and save lives. There really is no reason not to buy one."
Mary nodded. "It feels like something out of a dream. One year, everything was normal. The next, we're living in a science fiction novel, with robots everywhere."
"Times are changing."
Andrew smiled. "Whether by choice or necessity, humanity will eventually enter the interstellar age."
"How are things going with industrial robots?"
Diana asked, "If those become widespread, they'll turn life on Earth upside down. That's on a completely different scale from home robots."
"That won't happen