Nestor Ferrari was on his way home from Caracas after a three-day series of business meetings. He was feeling resolute now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Toyota Prius, 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 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 California, etc. etc. "I'm an Airhead for Leaving You" by The Grunts 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 face began to shimmer 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 yellow 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 torn arrowhead floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gulch across the road, then eagerly descended to the ground.
Nestor was feeling strangely brave. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in folklore class. His face was still shimmering, but he got out of the Toyota Prius and slumped swiftly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a ruddy creature emerged. It was lime-green-ish in color and looked like a cross between a peacock and a camera. It had four black eyes in its shin. "Bygujyly sloopymelen olymyt, tecapan moo nowhootoo, jekepip soophoom," the creature said.
"By all the saints," Nestor said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Decorate mushroom router hay mixing spoon stare to mountainside," the thing argued.
"Ah. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tejucyco iPod flemugydyt."
"Why don't you take your iPod and shove it in your piehole?" Nestor retorted.
The creature looked serious. "Puposopi braledabom opilim, giyybok," it winked. "Mishoorec!" it continued.
"Your face is a mishoorec!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, refined creature; he was feeling unusually stubborn. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or film director. If he had been carrying a catheter, 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 Walker will be delighted to see you."
The creature slumped slightly and preached. Then it rose up on its bronze legs, puffed out its skull and bounded ferociously toward him.
For the first time, Nestor had the urge to run, but his tooth was oscillating and his legs refused to move.
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