K-Pax by Gene Brewer

amin o   aci d   balance .   M y   favorite combinatio n i s dra k an d tho n an d adro . I t ha sa nutt y flavo r muc h lik e you r cashew."

"Gesundheit."
    pro t   ha d   eithe r   a   well-develope d   sens e   o f   humo r   o r   non e   a t   al l   -   I   wa s   neve r   abl e   t o   tell .   "Thank you, "   h e   said ,   withou t   blinkin g   a n   eye .   "No w   th e   fruit s   ar e   a   differen t   story .   W e   hav e   severa l   wonderful kind s   –   I   especiall y   lik e   th e   one s   w e   cal l   yorts ,   o r   suga r   plums-bu t   the y   can' t   compar e   wit h   EARTH's variety , whic h i s du e primaril y t o you r grea t variation s i n climate . T o summarize : I f w e ge t hungr y   w e   grab som e soake d grains , usuall y i n frui t juice , an d si t dow n agains ta balno k tre e an d fal l to."
    "Wha t abou t vegetables?"
    "Wha t abou t them?"
    "D o yo u hav e them?"
    "Oh , o f course . Afte r th e nex t snooz e w e migh t munc ha bunc h o f kree s o r likas."
    "Meat ? Fish ? Seafood?"
    "N o meat . N o fish . N o seafood . N o sea."
      "N o animal s o f an y kind?"
    H e tappe d   hi s   glasse s   o n   th e   ar m   o f   hi s   chair ,   "Now ,   gene ,   I'v e   alread y   tol d   yo u   abou t   th e   ap s   and mots-remember?"
    "Wha t abou t pig s an d cow s an d sheep?"
    Wit h   a   dee p   sigh :   "A s   I   pointe d   ou t   i n   sessio n   two ,   w e   don' t   hav e   an y   `domesticated '   being s   on
    K-PAX . Bu t w e hav e wil d pigs , wil d cows , wil d sheep-"
    "Wil d cows??"
    "Well , they'r e calle d rulis ,   bu t   they'r e   muc h   lik e   you r   cows-big ,   cumbersome ,   placid .   Hav e   yo u   ever notice d   ho w   gentl e   you r   larg e   being s   are ?   You r   elephant s   an d   giraffe s   an d   whales ,   eve n   whe n   the y   are mistreated?"
    "S o basicall y yo u jus t ea t an d slee p o n you r planet?"
    "Perhap s   I   shoul d   bac k   u p   a   step .   Whe n   I   tol d   yo u   tha t   w e   snooz e   whe n   w e   fee l   th e   need ,   you probabl y imagine da be d i n a bedroo m i n a hous e muc h lik e th e   on e   yo u   liv e in .   Wroooong !   It' s   different
    o n K-PAX .   Yo u see , ou r weathe r i s ver y dependable . Ever y da y i s abou t th e sam e a s th e on e   before .   It i s usuall y quit e warm , an d i t neve r rains . Ther e ar e structure s scattere d   aroun d   fo r   storag e   o f   utensil s   and th e like , fo r th e us e o f anyon e wh o happen s   t o   pas s   by .   Foo d   i s   kep t   there ,   a s   wel l   a s   mat s   an d   musical instruments- a variet y o f things-bu t n o beds . Fo r th e mos t part-"
    "Wh o own s thes e structures?"
    "N o on e `owns ' anythin g o n K-PAX."
    "G o on."
    "Fo r th e most-par t w e slee p ou t o f doors-excep t ther e ar e n o doors-usuall y fo r a n   hou r   o r   two ,   your hour , a ta time . Wher e w e won' t ge t steppe d o n b y a n ap , o f course . B y th e way, "   h e   interrupte d   himself, sittin g u p   again ,   "sinc e   sexua l   contac t   i s   no t   a   desirabl e   thin g   o n   ou r   PLANET ,   o r   o n   mos t   others ,   men an d wome n   ar e   fre e   t o   shar e   everythin g   withou t   fea r   o r   th e   nee d   fo r   guile .   Yo u   migh t fin d   yoursel f   lying dow n fo ra na p nea r someon e o f th e opposit e gender , bu t yo u don' t nee d t o   worr y   abou t   wha t   you r   wife o r husband-o r whatever-migh t thin k i f h e o r sh e hear s abou t it ,   o r   suffe r   embarrassmen t   o r   discomfor t   of an y kind ,   eve n   thoug h   w e   usuall y   wea r   littl e   o r   n o   clothing .   Sexua l   apparat i   ar e   simpl y   n o   bi g   dea l