*****

Recorded Reading (7:45): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/be1m3atklw8ts9tf8j1cd/An-Unexpected-Visitor.mp3?rlkey=tluw5hzg4irat0pkr8kccdhx8&st=9kbb9i05&dl=0

*****

An Unexpected Visitor

Poet:
Good evening! Um ~ welcome! Me casa es su casa ~ even if it is just a travelin’ van… Maybe I should say, “Me pod es su pod!”

Visitor:
Hope it’s not a bad time. Saw a soft little isolated Earth light and thought I’d stop in for a chat.

Poet:
Well, I’m glad you did!

You know, I can’t help noticing ~ you’re blue!

Visitor:
Yes ~ everyone is, where I come from. We don’t have all the lively differences in skin tone you have among you on this planet.

Poet:
Well, may I say, it’s a lovely shade of cornflower… Oh, now it’s shifting to more of a cobalt! Just as beautiful, though…

Visitor:
We do that when we’re pleased, when we’ve received a compliment. It’s our way of blushing, so to speak.

Poet:
Well, it’s nice! Um ~ what did you mean by the “soft little isolated Earth light”?

Visitor:
Well, on our planet we’ve found ways, let’s say, instead of fighting darkness, to encourage light! Energy is free, and we also don’t use much of it, because we work in cooperation with natural forces rather than trying to enslave them, and then one another to pay for them, as you’ve been in the habit of doing here ~ though that’s, of course, about to change, and high time, too!

… But, oh, yes, there are ways to make the very atmosphere within a room glow softly, though we do love also our ornamental lights, floating and otherwise. When in need out of doors, it’s actually a simple matter to create light with the mind alone ~ but it’s seldom necessary.

For one thing, our surface isn’t hospitable like yours ~ most planets’ aren’t ~ so most of life takes place under the surface ~ indoors, as it were! For another, energy is so available that there’s always lots of light everywhere…

So ~ we don’t have these piquant little glowing points of lonesome light beckoning through the forested gloaming the way you do ~ very lovely!

Poet:
It is, isn’t it? Kind of tugs at the heart strings.

Visitor:
Oh, everything about this place does. You guys are like a good three hanky movie for us.

Poet:
“Spectacle for the gods,” eh?

Visitor:
Something like that, yes.

Poet:
Well, so how do you move things around? Get around yourselves?

Visitor:
Electromagnetic floatation, mostly. Even if we’re just going into the next room, it’s much more convenient and graceful to do so about an inch off the floor. Considerably less stressful to the spine as well.

Poet:
If you don’t mind my asking ~ what do you eat?

Visitor:
Oh, we don’t ~ not as you know it. We have no teeth at all, and as you can see my mouth doesn’t open very far ~ not far enough to form words as you know them, either. We communicate as you and I are doing ~ mind to mind ~ only between us it’s greatly enhanced, a full sensory immersion in what’s being communicated.

Poet:
Well, you do have a corporeal body ~ it must take some form of nourishment…?

Visitor:
Oh, yes, it does ~ I got off topic, didn’t I? Yes, we’re capable of absorbing nutrients suspended either in air or in liquid ~ smoking and drinking, you’d call it.

Poet:
So, hmmm. I’m just thinking: that’s a lot of time and energy saved, not having to grow, hunt, raise, harvest, kill, process, ship, purchase, cook, serve, eat and clean after meal after meal every day. You say energy production is easier too ~ and that you can float objects into place, or yourself off to another location, just like that ~ What do you do with your time?

Visitor:
Well, first of all, we don’t have time ~ exactly ~ but, actually, when we’re not learning (which we love to do), serving the community (which we love to do more) or following some consuming passion (heads the list), well ~ we ~ play!

Poet:
You play?

Visitor:
There’s no glory in positions of leadership the way there is here ~ everybody just feels some sympathy and gratitude that you’ve taken it on. The way to get real renown is to invent a new game or pastime for everybody.

One thing we like to do is, so to speak, “go to the movies,” only the movies are in one another’s minds ~ a beautiful memory, or a fantasy they made up. We sit around in a circle and enjoy it together ~ and, since we’re all linked, we get to enjoy the way everybody else is enjoying it too!

Poet:
Goodness ~ sounds lovely!

Visitor:
Oh, it is! You’ll have something like it here too, soon, or I wouldn’t get to be here talking to you about it.

Poet:
I’m very glad you did come! Thank you for the visit.

Visitor:
Oh, this is nothing. Right now, the human race is just on the brink of outgrowing its childhood fascination with war, by taking a good look at its present potentials. Once they get over shooting at everything that moves, we’ll be able to come in much closer to help out. Not that you’d hurt us ~ no chance of that ~ but you’d probably hurt yourselves and one another very badly while trying.

After that, we’ll be around. You’ll see. This lovely planet’ll be much easier to clean up than you can imagine, with a little help. From what I understand it’ll be brushed up as a galactic resort. You know, lovely sunsets, majestic forests, Mai Tais, R & R, multidimensional diplomatic lounges…

Poet:
Ah ~ think I get the general drift!

Visitor:
You’ll love it.

It shouldn’t be too long now before the light dawns bright enough to tip the balance toward cooperation around here.

Poet:
Sounds wonderful. Sometimes I despair of it ever happening, though.

Visitor:
Just like any adolescent despairs of ever being allowed to drive the family car! And ~ just as inevitable.

Poet:
I’ll hold that thought!

Visitor:
Do. It helps more than you know. Okay ~ I’m off! All my friends say so! Haha! See you soon!…

*****

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