down in the cornfield. It was almost as rib-ticklin' as the time his cousin Cootie Buchanon had been caught crossing the state line with two cases of hooch in the bed of the truck and a goat named Evangeline sitting beside him in the cab. Marjorie was particularly fond of that story.
Arthur Sageman chortled as they drove back to Maggody. "I certainly nonplussed McMasterson when I identified the underlying fallacy of his theory, didn't I? I could tell the interviewer was impressed, and poor old McMasterson looked as though I'd hailed on his parade. A fine moment for the ETH movement, wouldn't you say?"
Brian dutifully agreed as he pulled into the parking lot of the Flamingo Motel. He wasn't sure Arthur's disposition would remain so gleeful after he saw the segment on the news, in that all six minutes consisted of sputters of outrage, puerile insults, and, toward the end, bodily assault. The interviewer had looked more appalled than anything else, but she'd promised to try to get in touch with the production office of X-Files since her station was an affiliate.
Arthur adjusted the rearview mirror in order to smooth down his hair. "I'd planned to spend the evening working on my Houston speech. However, Rosemary is running out of abduction stories, and there's something oddly promising about this local girl with her droopy eyes and aura of repressed sexual frustration. It's challenging to envision someone of her magnitude being swept up in a beam of light, but I've never been one to doubt the efficacy of a superior civilization."
Brian cut off the engine and, while Arthur continued to fuss with his hair, knocked on Cynthia's door. She and Rosemary came outside.
Arthur climbed out of the car and said, "I shall work in my room the remainder of the afternoon. Later Brian and I will go to the spot next to the creek where the craft landed last night so that I can supervise the placement of the equipment. Cynthia, you'll need to follow us in Rosemary's car in order to bring me back here. We'll leave as soon as my interview has been shown on the local news."
Cynthia gave him a surprised look. "You're not staying? I would have thought you'd want to be there in case our extraterrestrial friends return. You're the person most qualified to welcome them to our planet. Surely even those from the far reaches of the universe are familiar with your reputation, Arthur."
"Oh, they are," Rosemary added, hopping up and down like an anemic cheerleader. "They questioned me about you, wanting to know if you were sincere in your belief that they come to us in a spirit of harmony and love. I assured them that you were."
Arthur attempted a modest laugh. "Of course I am, Rosemary, but I feel it's more important to do what I can to help that poor, tortured girl. Besides, it may not be the right time to experience a close encounter of the third kind with this unknown race. The fact that they caused the explosion last night might imply they're -- "
"Hostile," murmured Brian, "or dangerous?"
"Neither hostile nor dangerous," Arthur said sharply, wishing he sounded bolder and more confident. "In Communications with the Universal Community, I made a very compelling argument that the extraterrestrials are unresolved how best to initiate contact until they've completed an extensive psychological profile of our species via abductions. Brian will make a perfect emissary, and I can better serve our cause by finding out if the girl has had previous interactions in this locale. If she has, it will give us insights into the incidents."
"She's very excited," said Rosemary. "She went home to take a nap in preparation for the session. Should I call her to set a time?"
Refusing to acknowledge the awakening gleam of cynicism in Cynthia's eyes, Arthur began to issue orders. "Yes, tell her to be here at eight o'clock sharp. I suspect she'll feel more comfortable if you're present to offer encouragement. Cynthia, we'll need to use your room since mine is
Arthur Sageman chortled as they drove back to Maggody. "I certainly nonplussed McMasterson when I identified the underlying fallacy of his theory, didn't I? I could tell the interviewer was impressed, and poor old McMasterson looked as though I'd hailed on his parade. A fine moment for the ETH movement, wouldn't you say?"
Brian dutifully agreed as he pulled into the parking lot of the Flamingo Motel. He wasn't sure Arthur's disposition would remain so gleeful after he saw the segment on the news, in that all six minutes consisted of sputters of outrage, puerile insults, and, toward the end, bodily assault. The interviewer had looked more appalled than anything else, but she'd promised to try to get in touch with the production office of X-Files since her station was an affiliate.
Arthur adjusted the rearview mirror in order to smooth down his hair. "I'd planned to spend the evening working on my Houston speech. However, Rosemary is running out of abduction stories, and there's something oddly promising about this local girl with her droopy eyes and aura of repressed sexual frustration. It's challenging to envision someone of her magnitude being swept up in a beam of light, but I've never been one to doubt the efficacy of a superior civilization."
Brian cut off the engine and, while Arthur continued to fuss with his hair, knocked on Cynthia's door. She and Rosemary came outside.
Arthur climbed out of the car and said, "I shall work in my room the remainder of the afternoon. Later Brian and I will go to the spot next to the creek where the craft landed last night so that I can supervise the placement of the equipment. Cynthia, you'll need to follow us in Rosemary's car in order to bring me back here. We'll leave as soon as my interview has been shown on the local news."
Cynthia gave him a surprised look. "You're not staying? I would have thought you'd want to be there in case our extraterrestrial friends return. You're the person most qualified to welcome them to our planet. Surely even those from the far reaches of the universe are familiar with your reputation, Arthur."
"Oh, they are," Rosemary added, hopping up and down like an anemic cheerleader. "They questioned me about you, wanting to know if you were sincere in your belief that they come to us in a spirit of harmony and love. I assured them that you were."
Arthur attempted a modest laugh. "Of course I am, Rosemary, but I feel it's more important to do what I can to help that poor, tortured girl. Besides, it may not be the right time to experience a close encounter of the third kind with this unknown race. The fact that they caused the explosion last night might imply they're -- "
"Hostile," murmured Brian, "or dangerous?"
"Neither hostile nor dangerous," Arthur said sharply, wishing he sounded bolder and more confident. "In Communications with the Universal Community, I made a very compelling argument that the extraterrestrials are unresolved how best to initiate contact until they've completed an extensive psychological profile of our species via abductions. Brian will make a perfect emissary, and I can better serve our cause by finding out if the girl has had previous interactions in this locale. If she has, it will give us insights into the incidents."
"She's very excited," said Rosemary. "She went home to take a nap in preparation for the session. Should I call her to set a time?"
Refusing to acknowledge the awakening gleam of cynicism in Cynthia's eyes, Arthur began to issue orders. "Yes, tell her to be here at eight o'clock sharp. I suspect she'll feel more comfortable if you're present to offer encouragement. Cynthia, we'll need to use your room since mine is
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