History Night on Union Station by E. M. Foner

Author:E. M. Foner [Foner, E. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Foner Books
Published: 2022-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

Eleven

“Our cast members have a tradition of sharing what they’ve learned from their time on Let’s Make Friends at the end of their final show,” Aisha addressed the front immersive camera when the commercial break was over. “I want to thank Hork, Kupe, Bleena, Frynlid, Emanuel, Nvellab, and Lothad for sharing such an important period of their childhoods with us, and I know that I’m a better human for having spent time in their company. Does somebody want to volunteer to go first?”

“I’ll—” Emanuel managed before Hork’s tentacle covered the young human’s mouth.

Lothad stepped forward with a smile, but the Dollnick girl picked him up with all four of her arms and deposited him behind Frynlid, a large Verlock girl who wasn’t going to beat anybody to the punch.

Bleena and Nvellab eyed each other for a moment, and then the latter tentatively raised her hand.

“Very good, Nvellab,” Aisha said to the Sharf girl. “What did you learn?”

“Never eat anything that a Drazen says is spicy.”

“I grew up with spicy food and I follow that rule myself,” the hostess said with a smile. “How about you, Bleena?”

“Don’t offer to teach an alien friend to dance unless you’re wearing steel-toed shoes,” the Vergallian girl said shyly.

“But the important thing is that you remained friends. Lothad?”

“You can’t tell how aliens are feeling from the color of their skins,” the Horten said. “It’s confusing.”

“That’s right,” Aisha said. “It must have been strange for you coming from a species that displays so many visual cues. Emanuel?”

“Hork forgot to wash his tentacle,” Chastity’s son said with a grimace. “It tastes like Drazen.”

“Is that the only thing you’ve learned in over two years on the show?”

“I was going to use what Nvellab said about spicy food.”

“Frynlid?”

“When some species talk about math, they mean arithmetic,” the Verlock said slowly.

“It’s true that our cultures emphasize different aspects of education for children—and adults,” Aisha said. “Kupe?”

“Even though four arms are twice as good as two arms,” the Dollnick girl began and then yawned. “I forgot what I was going to say.”

“I don’t know why so many shows ended up scheduled during your sleeping hours this rotation, Kupe. I’m very sorry about that. Hork?”

“Humans have weak stomachs,” the Drazen said.

“You told me those potato chips were from Earth,” Emanuel protested.

“They are from Earth. Habanero flavored. They’re not even that spicy.”

“Told you so,” Nvellab said.

“We’re almost out of time,” Aisha interjected before a real argument could begin. “Shall we sing our song together once more for the audience at home?”

The seven alien children formed a double chorus line and launched into the theme song with the first note from the sound booth.

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