Page 15 - English Class 07

His head was mango shaped and his mouth widened and contracted on and off in a grin

that stretched wide to right behind his head. I gathered up courage and said, “Hi!”
He smiled back and I grew braver and extended my hospitality by asking him if he

needed food. He grinned and nodded and I doubted that he understood me.

By now, I was enjoying this strange encounter
considering that he wasn’t harmful and I really
wished to communicate with him. I was
afraid that he would take off abruptly,
as it always happened in movies I

had seen. I prodded his tummy and
said, “Food?” I made a chomping
sound as if I was munching away.
Grin, nod. Grin, nod.

“Drink?” and I made a gulping
sound.

He stared bewildered. I picked
up a tetra pack of juice from the

shopping bags I had dropped open
and offered this to my alien friend.

Grin, nod. Grin, nod.
gestured : communicate with
Words like ‘fridget’, lunch, chapattis, expressions or movement
rice made absolutely no sense to him. emanated : emerged
When I next tapped his tummy, I heard some static sounds as though he were a goofed

up radio. Few beeps followed and the antennae on his metal head flashed tiny lightning
lights. The brightly lit UFO had lodged itself upon the field beyond and like all the UFOs I’d
seen in movies, dimmed its lights and stood like an enormous dark shadow in the

background. A few serial lights flashed on and off to remind us of its presence.
I gestured for my friend to come into the house. I took few steps forward and began
climbing the few stairs that led to my veranda. I was amazed and happy to find the alien

hadn’t slackened his hold on my saree pallu. He slid in with me and floated up the stairs. His
every move fascinated me. I just had to slow down and watch his every move. I couldn’t
understand how he mobilized without legs or feet.

However, he stopped moving once we were in the veranda. He turned himself to face his
space craft and emanated a few of his beeps and static sounds. I heard a soft crackle from
the craft in answer.

English-7 15