A Martian View

A Story by Barbara Stephons

The Thing from outer space landed on the hill above the city. Climbing out of the rocket, it spread its wings and tentacles to the sun. The air was like wine, and towers floated on the landscape below. Confusion olɔudeddits brain as it witnessed the biped-swarm below. What were they? Adjusting a bi-focal bug-eye, it pulled out "A Martian's Guide to Terra" and read therein:

"Terra, a middling-sized planet, inhabited by an organized form of matter called life. Paramount among the diversified forms is genus Homo Sapiens, otherwise known as 'thinking man'. The male of the species is rough, tough and burly; the females slender, tender and adorable. Should these characters be indeterminate it is well-known that the one is garbed in pants, the other in skirts. Homo Sapiens is noted, or notorious, for a great many eccentricities, including war, politics and slavery. Also, he is the reservoir of the noblest sentiments and creations. Truly he has a beautiful soul!"

Enhanced by this knowledge, it flew down the canyoned streets and up the rooftops of the city. Swooping down a gaily lit avenue, shrieking multitudes panicked in its wake. And down by the docks and piers, stalwart stevedores rushed head-long into the waves. The Thing came to a oreature all alone, a devastating oreature with long golden hair. "Eeiyi-yi!" she screamed, and slammed a door in its face. "Oh dear," thought the Martian, "What have I done? Why do they hate me? Am I really that homely?" And it sat down and wept.

The night came swiftly over the city, bearing a heavy peasoup fog. Unheard, unseen, the Thing eropt in among the houses, to study the ways of the being called "man". Turret and chimney-pot jutted black against the sky, and moon-orbed lamps barely lit the way. Further on, the road roughened, and it saw narrow-gabled houses etched deeply by time. A general squalor and deadening silence porvaded

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