The skill of manners appeared to be important despite the fact that they were thought of as old-fashioned.

“Open the door, Charlie, open the door, you think they’ll wait forever?”
From the airlock peephole, they could see one large eye peeking out, solemnly taking in the scene outside the door. Charlie would have liked to jostle his boss, the operator, but, keeping the impulse in check, he opened the door. Stepping back, making a sweeping gesture, he greeted the aliens.

“Welcome to Earth,” the operator said.

From the interior of the airlock, three particularly ugly creatures waddled out. Each one had only one eye. Slowly, they made it into the reception area, and many reporters yelled at them as was their custom. The aliens looked out on the group, each blinking their own huge green eye in unison.

“We are glad of being. We come to see.” This was the first attempt by the creatures to speak without a translator. Not bad.

Everyone had been briefed on the decorum required by the aliens, but some reporters couldn’t wait and started up again. Before they could get very far, a young girl approached the group and spoke in a loud, confident voice.

“Pardon me, only I am to speak at this time.” Turning to the green creatures, she said, “We are so glad you have come to visit us. Let me show you our world.”

With that statement, which she repeated in the alien’s language, she lowered her head completely down and bounced on one foot three times. The aliens reciprocated and then nodded in the human manner. Apparently satisfied, they followed the young girl outside. The reporters’ questions would be allowed when the aliens signaled that it was to be done, which was now in question.

Many people had applied, but few qualified. It seemed that manners were now important, despite being so old and rarely practiced today. As bizarre as these alien rules were, they were simple to follow and as simple to perform as those of humans. It was fortunate that some had passed the skills down through the generations, and they had not died out.

The End

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© J M Strasser June 2026 All Rights Reserved