Chapter VI
Ananas and AnionitesI left the restaurant after having something to eat and
walked slowly to my car to get a blanket. My head wa s
spinning. I needed time to think, to sort out things in my
mind. I wandered down to the river, where I found Rama
sleeping peacefully on a patch of green grass near the
water's edge. I put my blanket down and sat next to her.
She looked exactly like any other earthling born in
Levittown or any other city, I thought, contemplating
my beautiful sleeping friend. I'd always imagined an
extraterrestrial would look different, perhaps green
with one eye and antennae, wearing a space suit with a
helmet. Certainly not someone walking around with
jeans, hiking boots and a scarf on her head.
The circumstances in no way matched the mood and
the feelings I'd have anticipated on meeting an extra
terrestrial. I thought someone from outer space would
arrive in a large city in front of crowds of thousands and
emerge from a flying saucer or some other kind of
incredible flying vehicle. Definitely not on an L.A.P.D.
patrol motorcycle in a remote place in South America.
I guess the image I had was of some kind of invasion
that would cause destruction and interplanetary wars.
Who could have guessed that an alien being would be
talking about Moses, Ezekiel, Jesus Christ and the Bible?
Rama looked sweet and gentle as she slept; it was so
nice being around her.
But I knew she wasn't kidding when she'd said, "Take
it or leave it." She had said it emphatically enough for me
to get the point. As soon as she opened her eyes, I was
supposed to have made up my mind.
Rama wa s being very understanding about my feel
ings of incredulity and disbelief. She even said she didn't
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