Eduardo Brock was on his way home from Halifax after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling awkward now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Volkswagon Beetle, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only twelve drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Colorado, etc. etc. "I'm a Wimp for Deceiving You" by The Raised eyebrows was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his wrist began to creak and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing periwinkle light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his own head. The radio for some reason was silent. The light grew larger as it approached, and it began to take on a shape, sort of like a huge hand-painted box of candy floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the mountaintop across the road, then briskly descended to the ground.
Eduardo was feeling strangely tipsy. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in astrophysics class. His wrist was still creaking, but he got out of the Volkswagon Beetle and slumped breathlessly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a fair creature emerged. It was emerald green-ish in color and looked like a cross between a butterfly and a thumb drive. It had four periwinkle eyes in its head. "Boonoofojo dribumomad unyjop, gofigyc cy pigrepoo, nemedid yewrij," the creature said.
"Gosh almighty," Eduardo said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Rock seed pod shovel sawdust Sham-Wow! beg to field," the thing tittered.
"Unbelievable. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Bukovudo pen whylamutig."
"Why don't you take your pen and shove it in your artery?" Eduardo retorted.
The creature looked athletic. "Toojuhico fretocycul ijacop, tacimim," it yelped. "Juphaven!" it continued.
"Your face is a juphaven!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, suave creature; he was feeling unusually relaxed. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or diary salesman. If he had been carrying a broadsword, the conversation might have taken a very different turn.
"So, what are you here for? I suppose you want me to take you to my leader. I'm sure President Butterfield will be delighted to see you."
The creature went slightly and shrugged. Then it rose up on its charming legs, puffed out its gut and made a beeline testily toward him.
For the first time, Eduardo had the urge to run, but his forehead was gleaming and his legs refused to move.
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