He approached me and immediately I sensed that he was nervous. He was young, just past his teens. He was dressed in black jeans, a light blue shirt and white sports shoes. He looked like any other young man you'd see in the streets.
"Excuse me," he said politely and I wondered about how I'd look like to him. Slightly older than him, perhaps, and slightly more well dressed. He had the advantage in height and there was a glow in his eyes that mine would never have.
"Yes ?" I answered, rather gruffly.
"Could I talk to you for a minute ?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know you."
He followed me as I walked down the street. His tone was pleading.
"Please, it's a very important matter."
"I don't have time."
"I beg of you, sir."
Something in the voice told me that he was close to a breakdown. I stopped and looked at him. He licked his lower lip and sighed. His tone didn't change.
"You are not going to find this easy to belive," he said, "and I really wish there were some other way, but I can't help it now. Please, you must believe me."
Here he stopped, as if he expected a comment. I stared back at him and he continued to talk.
"I know it's hard to believe... I am not of this world..."
I started to walk away, but he grabbed hold of my arm. His grip was such that any normal man would find it painful. His voice now became intense.
"You must listen to me ! I'm only asking you to listen, damn you !"
What did I have to lose ? I began to wonder; suppose... just suppose what he said was... I stood in the street and listened to him talk.
"I come from the planet Xrrx. It's about five million light years from your sun. Xrrx is much more advanced than your Earth is; we have known about you humans for a long time. By a strange coincidence, we on Xrrx are also human; not humanoid, but human - there is no difference genetically.
"I was sent to your planet on an important mission. We have been battling with silicon based life forms from the Andromeda galaxy for years now. And we are losing the war. Xrrx desperately needs Earth's support. We need resources and energy and no other civilization in the galaxy is advanced enough to help us. If Earth doesn't help us, then it is the end of life as we know it in this galaxy."
He stopped again and looked at me. I could only feel pity for him. I said nothing.
"But I've run into major problems," he continued. "I was taught English before I left Xrrx, so I can communicate with your people. But my ship was totally destroyed in the landing. There's nothing left of it - couldn't handle Earth's magnetosphere, I think. Fortunately the flight computer ejected me before it went out. I stole these clothes from a clothesline; and so I have nothing with me to prove my story... it's the worst possible thing that could happen to me... I should have died like the earlier mission... nobody believes me. If I was hideous and slimy, you'd believe that I'm an alien - but I'm human. I've been trying to convince people, but they think I'm mad."
He was almost sobbing now. Delusions, hallucinations, I suppose would be the doctor's verdict. I spoke to him gently. I'm no doctor.
"I believe you."
My words shocked him and he stood speechless with his mouth hanging open.
"I believe you, but nobody else will. Trust me, I know. I've been trying to convince them for the past two years."
His eyes seemed to be popping out of their sockets. I then addressed him in Xrrxian.
"My ship was also destroyed by the magnetosphere but I survived. I've faced the same problem, and there's no way out. I'll help you find a job and a place to stay. We're both going to be here for a long time..."
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