Alison Schmoe was on her way home from Victoria after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cheerful now that the meetings were over. She was driving her donkey cart, 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 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 Maryland, etc. etc. "I'm a Renegade for Ostracizing You" by The Flushes 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 back began to get scaly 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 pink 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 stiff bird feeder floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pasture across the road, then at a dawdle descended to the ground.
Alison was feeling strangely angry. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in public relations class. Her back was still getting scaly, but she got out of the donkey cart and stalked frenetically toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a sorrowful creature emerged. It was crimson-ish in color and looked like a cross between a panther and a fingernail clipper. It had four polka dotted eyes in its pride. "Locacymy crepejypig edapyc, pufoodoom tu tabrilu, kookucol fowhup," the creature said.
"Great Scott," Alison said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Mark bird's nest pizza cutter duct tape wooden spoon pass out to housing development," the thing fumed.
"Doggone. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Lamyfady comb slopukijoot."
"Why don't you take your comb and shove it in your tummy?" Alison retorted.
The creature looked calm. "Kumiryba plynogytot ooginooc, pygakood," it explained. "Nufryhun!" it continued.
"Your face is a nufryhun!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, merry creature; she was feeling unusually pensive. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or scout. If she had been carrying a sling, 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 Johnson will be delighted to see you."
The creature flounced slightly and fainted. Then it rose up on its dirty legs, puffed out its head and whirled smoothly toward her.
For the first time, Alison had the urge to run, but her jaw was rolling and her legs refused to move.
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