"Alexa",I ask, "what time is it"? I am politely informed that it is 1:52 am. I've had two hours sleep, and will be awake for at least two hours more. My mind is at peace. The only sound I hear is the the soft murmur of the refrigerator, and if I concentrate, the comforting sound of my heartbeat – plus a faint ticking, as of a mechanical wrist watch.