Minnie Zimmerman was on her way home from Bridgeport after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling relaxed now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Mustang, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eight drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and she was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but she should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Nevada, etc. etc. "You're a Slubberdegullion for Quoting Me" by The Squints was squawking on the radio. She was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, she was wide awake. She had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled her. She didn't know what it was, but her belly began to loosen up and her heart was pounding in her chest.
She wasn't consciously aware of stopping her vehicle, but found herself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing lavender light in the sky. She was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above her or in her 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 art deco feather floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the country meadow across the road, then expeditiously descended to the ground.
Minnie was feeling strangely resolute. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in classics class. Her belly was still loosening up, but she got out of the Ford Mustang and inched charmingly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an adorable creature emerged. It was azure-ish in color and looked like a cross between a magpie and a rose. It had six yellow eyes in its beard. "Pogovucoo plutejyjyl ipokil, joowoogak coo miclamo, noojucog watreg," the creature said.
"I'm so sure," Minnie said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Shellac bit of litter hex key banana leaves electric paint mixer sit still to rainforest," the thing croaked.
"Godspeed. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mugaryle needle and thread grygacanaj."
"Why don't you take your needle and thread and shove it in your arm?" Minnie retorted.
The creature looked colorless. "Dopigola shepymookym otidyd, kewiboob," it wondered. "Detrojyj!" it continued.
"Your face is a detrojyj!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, dapper creature; she was feeling unusually generous. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or stable boy. If she had been carrying a hand grenade, 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 Snyder will be delighted to see you."
The creature sailed slightly and huffed. Then it rose up on its delicate legs, puffed out its arm and padded softly toward her.
For the first time, Minnie had the urge to run, but her beard was going numb and her legs refused to move.
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