Rusty the Robot lived in a cozy workshop filled with gears, wires, and tools. He loved helping his inventor, a kind old woman named Mrs. Higgins, with her projects. During the day, Rusty would whirr and whir, tightening bolts and fetching tools. But when the sun began to set, Mrs. Higgins would pat his metallic head and say, "Time for bedtime, Rusty."
Rusty wasn't quite sure what "bedtime" meant. He never felt tired. He saw Mrs. Higgins yawn and stretch, then head upstairs to her bedroom. Curious, Rusty followed her, his gears whirring softly.
He peeked into her room and saw her getting ready for bed. She brushed her teeth, put on her pajamas, and then snuggled under a cozy blanket. Rusty tilted his head. "Why do you do all that, Mrs. Higgins?" he asked.
"It's part of getting ready for a good night's sleep," she explained. "It helps me recharge and feel ready for a new day of inventing!"
Rusty thought about that. He wanted to be ready for inventing too! So, he decided to try Mrs. Higgins' bedtime routine. He found a small brush and tried to brush his metallic teeth (which tickled!). Then, he found a soft cloth and polished his shiny body. Finally, he found a small box and curled up inside it, pretending it was a bed.
Just as Rusty was settling in, he heard a small whimper. It was Sparkle, the workshop cat! Sparkle was stuck high up on a shelf and couldn't get down.
Rusty knew what to do. He extended his telescopic arm and gently lifted Sparkle down. "Thank you, Rusty!" purred Sparkle. "You're a true friend."
Helping Sparkle made Rusty feel warm inside. He realized that being helpful was a good way to prepare for bedtime too.
Mrs. Higgins came downstairs to check on Rusty. She smiled when she saw him in his makeshift bed, with Sparkle curled up beside him. "Looks like you're getting the hang of bedtime, Rusty," she said. "Helping others is a wonderful thing to do."
Rusty smiled back. He felt a new kind of tired, a happy tired. He closed his eyes, and for the first time, Rusty the Robot drifted off to sleep, dreaming of helping his friends and inventing wonderful things with Mrs. Higgins.