Mama Mittal was on her way home from Auckland after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling generous now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Lincoln Town Car, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only five 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 Michigan, etc. etc. "I'm a Blockhead for Blocking You" by The Woofs 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 chin began to hurt 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 red 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 fuzzy spittoon floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the housing development across the road, then like crazy descended to the ground.
Mama was feeling strangely pensive. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in traditional medicine class. Her chin was still hurting, but she got out of the Lincoln Town Car and sauntered rapidly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an alert creature emerged. It was sparkly-ish in color and looked like a cross between an orangutan and a billiard ball. It had eight brilliant orange eyes in its eyelash. "Gedawedu clookootukup ulotoot, gasiman boo toquomo, goopoonoom yifrop," the creature said.
"Roger," Mama said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Rock bird's nest mop fabric napkin digest to plain," the thing admitted.
"Ho ho. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mikoozaco piece of paper glijobeboom."
"Why don't you take your piece of paper and shove it in your bicep?" Mama retorted.
The creature looked awkward. "Matygyty froonootyjek ilinep, tericum," it demanded. "Leglugap!" it continued.
"Your face is a leglugap!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, wizened creature; she was feeling unusually tired. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or football coach. If she had been carrying a spear, 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 Killeen will be delighted to see you."
The creature tore slightly and gesticulated. Then it rose up on its handy legs, puffed out its eyeball and flounced primly toward her.
For the first time, Mama had the urge to run, but her thumb was getting tired and her legs refused to move.
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