We Have a Lot in Common

We Have a Lot in Common

In response to an important question posed to him by two very serious looking individuals, David replied with the following words.

“We have a lot in common, my wife and I. For one thing, we both love watching the outrageous, but still very engaging science fiction movies from the 1950s, especially those that feature scary aliens. I do not know how many times that we have viewed such classic movies as “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” (my wife especially likes that one), “Forbidden Planet” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. These movies were made before either of us was born, so we can only imagine what the effects would have been on people who saw it in a theatre, as opposed to our giant sized, but still much smaller television screen. The Attack of the 500 Foot Woman is my wife’s favourite. After we watch it, she stands with as much height as she can muster to imitate the part of the leading woman in the movie. And as you can see, she is already pretty tall as it is. I love when she does that, not that I ever picture here as a monster.

We are both roughly the same age, well into our  thirties. It is unfortunate that we could not have children in the normal ways, as we both are absolutely certain that she would make a great mother. Admittedly, there is a happiness in having her almost completely to myself, both living and working together at the Department of Interplanetary Relations. Still, we haven’t given up hope. That is why we are here today talking to you two, as you no doubt know very well.

Back to what we have in common, the two of us also share a love of walking in the forests not far from where we live. We still call them forests, althoug they are barely that. The trees are only about 20 years old, almost babies for their species. The trees that had been there before were destroyed in what is known to many humans (but certainly not to all thinking people) as ‘The Great Invasion’, when life-seeking rays mistakenly set some wooded areas on fire. My wife is a ‘tree-hugger’, putting her long arms around the tallest of the young trees. As for me, I have a respectful, non-touching relationship – with the trees that is, not with my wife. Sorry about saying that last bit.”

“No problem, sir, just go on. You are sounding good so far. What about animals? Do you two share the same feelings towards them?

“Yes, we have a dog that we both love. I grew up with dogs. You could almost say that they were my brothers and sisters when I was a kid.  I had no human siblings.  And my wife, although, she never had a dog when she was growing up, loves our Ralph every bit as much as I do. It is clearly a love that we share.

“What about the group animals, sir, the ones that share their lives more completely?”

“I can answer that question by telling you about my appreciation for what I saw a few days ago, something that was done by a group animal that earned my respect. I looked down at the curb when I was waiting for the light to change, and I saw an ant dragging the body of a wasp. I do not know what the back story was behind what I saw, but I really had respect for that ant. I even congratulated him on his achievement.”

“We appreciate that, for although we are greatly different in size, we are socially quite similar. to the ants on this planet.”

Now how about food? Do you enjoy the same foods in your meals? Does your wife cook any of her traditional meals, not just the ones that you grew up with?”

“I can honestly say that we eat all the same foods, and enjoy both those of her tradition and of mine. It took me a little while to reach that enjoyment, as it also did her with dishes I grew up with. But now, if you saw the meals we ate, you would think that we have always eaten the same foods.”

“And what about your reading? You both are well-educated, or you would not have the jobs that you do, so we think that you both read a lot.”

“You are right there sir. We both do quite a bit of reading, and once one of us is finished with a book, that book is shared with our partner. And I know you will like that I don’t just read the books originally written in English, but I read a lot of translations. And that includes the works of Howitzer, whom Trintot introduced me to a few years ago.”

“You haven’t pronounced his name correctly, but we appreciate that you have read such an important author belong to our people. We are going to go to the next room to discuss your case. It shouldn’t take very long.”

The couple sit down together on a couch in the waiting room. He crosses his fingers, she crosses her elbows, both gestures of wanting good luck. They do not have to wait very long. The officials soon return to the room.

“Trintot, David we have made a decision on your case. We believe that you share a lot in common, enough to make you worthy of having a mixed child, despite your age, and your being born on two different peoples. All we have to do, as you probably know, is to alter the chemistry of both your contributions to child birth. It is not a complicated procedure, and there are no side effects – just the possibility of having a child, which we know that the two of you want, and deserve to have. We have prepared for you, David a kind of ‘cocktail’ for you to drink so that your reproductive chemistry will be sufficiently compatible with the reproductive chemistry of your wife. We wish you good luck in this. There are very few children born of mixed couples that are made up of two individuals from the two different planets, less than 100. You will add to them important number.”

Trintot and David give each other a hug, his arms barely cross her back, hers cross his and hold him around his chest.