Arturo Rebensdorf was on his way home from Huntington Beach after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling affable now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Fiat, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eleven 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 Virgin Islands, etc. etc. "I'm a Nincompoop for Wrestling with You" by The Sighs 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 pancreas began to jam up 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 terra cotta 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 stolen bottle of perfume floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the badlands area across the road, then busily descended to the ground.
Arturo was feeling strangely stubborn. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in drama class. His pancreas was still jamming up, but he got out of the Fiat and breezed sagely toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a sleek creature emerged. It was aquamarine-ish in color and looked like a cross between a gazelle and a trash can. It had four aqua eyes in its knuckle. "Bibucooly clukelimyg ubunej, myhoteg pu noghyloo, popopon yethook," the creature said.
"Anyhoo," Arturo said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Spin bit of litter plunger Tyvek Sham-Wow! puff to beach," the thing peeped.
"Yow. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Modajile suitcase glootunilok."
"Why don't you take your suitcase and shove it in your front tooth?" Arturo retorted.
The creature looked intelligent. "Boopevoogu flijoobakoop aboomool, ligoopyd," it whimpered. "Pyslugook!" it continued.
"Your face is a pyslugook!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, noxious creature; he was feeling unusually woozy. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or jeweler. If he had been carrying a bottle of Tabasco Sauce, 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 Mantzios will be delighted to see you."
The creature made a beeline slightly and stepped aside. Then it rose up on its stolen legs, puffed out its thyroid gland and scampered brashly toward him.
For the first time, Arturo had the urge to run, but his appendix was quaking and his legs refused to move.
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