Before a series can be built, a tone and stage must be set. Else it’s like flying a plane with a demagnetized compass — you go round and round, never arriving. Hence, before I could commit to a new series, I had to meet with Rodney. A life-size man-doll turned a pre-eminent soft robot.

Only then could I consider taking on Rodney’s adventures with the critters, creatures, and fowl of our world.

Here is how that original meeting went.

Aliwicius Rodney Christopher Sally Mankin entered Sally’s life as a life-size man doll. She and her daughter built him as a lark. He insists on designer high-tops. And has heterochromia eyes — his choice.

He became Sally’s man about the house. He traveled with her in the shotgun seat of the van. That way, she never appeared alone and vulnerable in her escapades.

But Sally’s computer geek grandson by choice, Bobby, installed artificial intelligence into Aliwicius. And Sally’s life flip-flopped.

Aliwicius became Rodney… his choice. He chose Mankin to replace man-doll. He sings, he researches, he assists Sally in her endeavors. And gets himself into a multitude of predicaments.

He has an AI wheelchair he named Amy to get around because he has no skeleton. He can’t walk, dance, or eat food, per se. His diet is strictly electrical power. Not his druthers, but what he must accept.

A strange thing happened on their last outing at Peppersauce Campground. A tic had burrowed into his belly aka, main-brain. That’s all Sally remembered happening on their outing. But suddenly, he could speak with any animal, reptile, or bird in their own language.

He felt a need to use this new gift for good. He began seeking out critters who have been accused of doing wrong that were slated for death row. And then identifying and corralling the culprits who were responsible for the deed.

Sally serves as Rodney’s check and balance as well as his valet and driver. She’s 87-years-old and spunky.

Rodney commits his life to defending the wrongly accused. Preferably before their sentence can be carried out. Among other things…

Here, then, are Rodney’s stories.