Journal 40

My alien friend was in trouble. A security team in red shirts surrounds me. A red shirt yelled at “Bubba” for not following the rules. I heard an order to let me go. The security team hesitates as Captain Patel steps up to me and says, “Let her go. She doesn’t look dangerous. She’s probably not too smart either. She followed Bubba into our station.” Everyone in the room laughs. (I am always being insulted.)

The captain gives an order to Lt Bryant to fix the security camera out front, so that Bubba couldn’t bring in any more unwanted guests. I get a gratuitous smile as the captain says, “Welcome to Earth Station 1.” Captain Patel steps up real close to my face “Why are you here?”

He smelled as if he had been eating tuna fish. At least I was hoping it was tuna fish and his breath didn’t smell like that all the time. I resisted the urge to grab my nose. I take a step back to relieve my nose from the nauseous fumes.

I explain my quest for canned apples as the captain and the rest of his crew stare at me in disbelief. Captain Patel asks me where I am from. I didn’t get a chance to answer. One of the flat screen TVs suddenly comes alive.