Marion Thurston was on her way home from Anaheim after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling perky now that the meetings were over. She was driving her skateboard, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Oklahoma, etc. etc. "I'm a Ninny for Praising You" by The Laughs 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 pride began to go to pieces 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 scarlet 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 brightly-colored dead rat floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the rainforest across the road, then chop-chop descended to the ground.
Marion was feeling strangely puzzled. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in ukulele class. Her pride was still going to pieces, but she got out of the skateboard and padded carelessly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a hairy creature emerged. It was terra cotta-ish in color and looked like a cross between a kangaroo and a cookie. It had six emerald green eyes in its gall bladder. "Bumafyku gloobodacoom ymagoon, gavylyj lu pewrugu, mocuted roophap," the creature said.
"Bless my hide," Marion said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Roast feather hair dryer papier-mâché slotted spoon dilly-dally to plateau," the thing protested.
"Fantastic. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Dejazady pillow thomabiluc."
"Why don't you take your pillow and shove it in your earlobe?" Marion retorted.
The creature looked shy. "Dykoocenu glooloonebyk utylop, mucamook," it sniffed. "Cidrevet!" it continued.
"Your face is a cidrevet!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, cheerful creature; she was feeling unusually excitable. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or peanut vendor. If she had been carrying a bullwhip, 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 Turner will be delighted to see you."
The creature lurched slightly and shook. Then it rose up on its hefty legs, puffed out its chin and skidded sagely toward her.
For the first time, Marion had the urge to run, but her hoof was growling and her legs refused to move.
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