You figure it can't hurt to do a little research into this manny person, so you message him through

your side of the app. He's friendly and kind and seems totally understanding of your skepticism.

He promises he really just likes your dad and wants to make him happy.

And when you ask the company to confirm that Manuel Mani Abelos works for them,

they confirm that he's a stellar employee based out of their offices just outside Manila.

They clarify that in general they don't encourage workers to disclose their real names or locations,

but they don't expressly forbid it. They tell you that sometimes a patient connects better

when they have some basic information about their companion. They offer to send you their white

papers on the topic without comes quantified, but you aren't all that interested in that.

All you care about is that Mani is a real bonafide employee who does not seem interested in

scamming your father out of his remaining meager funds. Your dad can't go alone, obviously,

so you book two round trip tickets to Manila. He's over the moon excited about it,

and you agree to keep your trip a secret from Mani, who will ask way too many questions and make

you both feel like you're rebellious teenagers, which maybe you kind of are.

Mani meets you at the airport with a huge smile, holding a little paper sign with a picture

of a cat on it. Your dad doesn't quite get the joke, but you find it incredibly endearing.

By the time he pulls out a color-coded itinerary of all the things he wants to show your dad,

he's fully won you over. You tell him about his litter box back at home,

and he tells you about his giant family, and how he got into working for the robot cat company

in the first place. How he wishes more of his patients could come visit him. How glad he is,

their father is here. Standing at the edge of a hotel's rooftop bar, you watch Mani put a

studying hand on your father's back while pointing out landmarks and his childhood home.

...