First thing—get a tiny LED board that can do Morse. I’ll wire the microcontroller so every compliment is a short blink sequence that people recognize as “nice.” Then hook a tiny microphone or proximity sensor; when someone leans in to talk, the microcontroller checks a story library—pick the one that starts with a universal hook, like “Remember when we all got lost in the mall…” That’s the narrative cue. When the story hits its key line, the LED flashes a little wink—subtle but unmistakable. Keep the wiring tidy—use color‑coded ribbon and a label spreadsheet so I know where each wire goes. Finally, test with a friend; watch how the robot’s blinking just nudges them to open up. If the flow works, you’ve got a story‑steering prototype.