‘I recall nothing. I was asleep. You brought me here. I understood people were selected for surveys. You picked me at random.’
‘Mrs Evans, I found you by accident. I thought you would do.’
‘That’s nice, that is.’
‘I want to know what you do daily, who you see, what you eat etc. Then you go home.’
‘Are you a scammer or something?’
‘I’m a something. Didn’t you notice I have three eyes and a head twice the size of a human’s? I tower over you by several feet and have bright green skin. Didn’t that sink in? Don’t you realise how unusual it is for something like me to encounter someone like you? Where is the respect?’
‘I was raised not to be personal. One cannot help how one is made. In my day you earned respect, sunshine. You should’ve researched. I’m not a woman who likes chance encounters. I plan everything.’
‘I would normally plan better. I have a student assignment, Mrs Evans, and a tight deadline for it. I cannot fail this. You can help me.’
‘You want the boring stuff? Who set you that assignment? Is someone having you on?’
The alien sighed. He was wondering that. ‘Could you give me something I can write up for my educator?’
Seven hours later, without a break, the alien wondered if he’d ever get feeling back in his right arm. Mrs Evans only fell silent when she’d needed a big cup of tea.
Still, the alien thought, I have met my word count requirement.
‘Many thanks, Mrs Evans. Time to take you home.’
‘Really? I’d only reached 1962.’
The alien sighed. ‘What I have is fine, thanks.’
And I’m seeing my educator first thing tomorrow. They will regret setting Mrs Evans on me.
‘Mrs Evans, I found you by accident. I thought you would do.’
‘That’s nice, that is.’
‘I want to know what you do daily, who you see, what you eat etc. Then you go home.’
‘Are you a scammer or something?’
‘I’m a something. Didn’t you notice I have three eyes and a head twice the size of a human’s? I tower over you by several feet and have bright green skin. Didn’t that sink in? Don’t you realise how unusual it is for something like me to encounter someone like you? Where is the respect?’
‘I was raised not to be personal. One cannot help how one is made. In my day you earned respect, sunshine. You should’ve researched. I’m not a woman who likes chance encounters. I plan everything.’
‘I would normally plan better. I have a student assignment, Mrs Evans, and a tight deadline for it. I cannot fail this. You can help me.’
‘You want the boring stuff? Who set you that assignment? Is someone having you on?’
The alien sighed. He was wondering that. ‘Could you give me something I can write up for my educator?’
Seven hours later, without a break, the alien wondered if he’d ever get feeling back in his right arm. Mrs Evans only fell silent when she’d needed a big cup of tea.
Still, the alien thought, I have met my word count requirement.
‘Many thanks, Mrs Evans. Time to take you home.’
‘Really? I’d only reached 1962.’
The alien sighed. ‘What I have is fine, thanks.’
And I’m seeing my educator first thing tomorrow. They will regret setting Mrs Evans on me.
