Outsider

Part One

"Mork, where have you been?" Mindy asked. "I thought you were right behind Dad and me at the musical instrument convention. When I turned around, you weren't there." She looked around the crowded convention center. "Did you get lost or something?"

"Oh Mindy, it's incredible!" Mork said. "I don't need to hide that I'm an alien anymore."

"Shh!" Mindy said, looking around to make sure no one heard him. The noisy din of the crowd nearly drowned out their words, so she relaxed slightly, confident that no one was listening. "Of course you do. What are you talking about?"

Mork's innocent blue eyes widened with excitement. "I just met a whole group of aliens, right here in this convention hall!" He said. "I'd never seen anything like it. I didn't recognize any of them from my travels, but that didn't matter. Maybe they're from planets I haven't been to yet. They were all very nice and accepting of me. We talked about interplanetary travel, other aliens—Mind, for the first time since I've been here on Earth, I really feel like I fit in. Why didn't you tell me that other aliens visited here? I don't see the need to keep my origin a secret if the others are so open about it. And the regular earthlings—they just walk by as if there isn't anything unusual about it! Your people are far more advanced than I gave you credit for to openly welcome all races of aliens from around the universe."

Mindy looked around. Half of the hall had been reserved for the music convention, but the larger portion of it was devoted to groups of people dressed in all manner of outlandish costumes, from superheroes to monsters. She sighed. She didn't want to upset him, but she had to tell him the truth.

"Those aren't real aliens, Mork," she said. "That's a sci-fi convention. They're just humans dressed as aliens. Those are costumes. Some of them are very elaborate I'll admit, but they're still costumes."

Mork looked around, disappointed. "You mean, they're dressed up like those children were that came to our door asking for candy during that Earth holiday?" He asked.

"Halloween," Mindy said. "Yes, it's kind of like that, I suppose."

Mork frowned. "I don't see anybody giving them candy," he said, confused. "I thought you told me that only kids dressed up. These all look like adult humans."

"This is a different occasion," Mindy said. "You see, these people are all fans of science fiction movies and TV shows. They come dressed as their favorite character from those films to show their appreciation, and to have a little fun discussing it with other fans. It's a chance to be social with people who share common interests."

"I see," Mork said, deflated. "I should have known something was wrong. Half of those people didn't know what they were talking about. If only they knew the reality of what's out there. Most of those movies are inaccurate. I used to laugh at them on Ork."

A man dressed as a giant, hairy monster took off his headpiece to drink from a nearby water fountain, revealing that even though he was dressed to look like a monster, he was really only an ordinary human, who probably had a rather ordinary profession in his daily life, like accounting, using the escapism of the convention as a chance to become something more extraordinary. It felt to Mork like the final betrayal. He had hoped he had finally found people he could relate to and understand. Instead, it turned out to be a cruel charade. He felt even more isolated and alone than before, even with Mindy at his side.

"I'm sorry, Mork," she said, squeezing his hand to comfort him, noticing how dejected he looked. "I didn't mean to disappoint you, but you had to know the truth."

"I understand," he said, looking sadly at the floor. He almost looked like he was about to cry.

"People love aliens in their movies," Mindy said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm just not sure they're ready to love them in real life. You have to be patient with us. Some of us just aren't ready for the reality. It would scare them."

Mork nodded. He looked up at her. "You were ready," he said, smiling.

"I guess I was."

"I'm glad you were."

They kissed.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Mindy said, releasing him. "I have some vacation time coming up, and I want you to come with me. That should cheer you up."

"Where are we going?" Mork asked.

Mindy giggled. "If you thought the sci-fi convention was amusing, you'll definitely get a kick out of this," she said, pulling out a folded, crumpled brochure from her purse and handing it to him. "I wanted to surprise you. Go ahead, read what it says."

"Roswell, New Mexico?" Mork asked.

"Yes."

Mork frowned. "I don't understand," he said. "Why Roswell?"

"Mork, you're an alien," she said, looking around to make sure no one heard them. She supposed if some of the sci-fi conventioneers overheard, it wouldn't make a difference. They were probably in the safest public place they could be to discuss the upcoming trip, surrounded by the world of fantasy and role-play.

"Well I am an alien Mind, but I don't see what that has to do with Roswell, New Mexico," he said, handing her back the brochure, shrugging. "Is it nice there?"

"I can't believe this," Mindy said, stuffing the brochure back in her purse. "Nobody on Ork has ever heard of the Roswell incident?"

"No, what was it?"

Mindy shook her head in disbelief. "Wow," she said. "I thought it was common knowledge across the universe."

"Orkans are a little slow, Mind," Mork said. "They might be highly advanced, but they don't necessarily keep up with current events."

"This wasn't a current event. It happened in 1947."

"Oh, well then Orkans are really slow."

"You see, what happened was a spacecraft containing extraterrestrials allegedly crashed in Roswell, and there was a massive government cover-up. Those were aliens all over the brochure, Mork. Didn't you recognize them?"

"I thought those were Earth cartoon characters," Mork said. "Mind, no other aliens I know look like that. It must have been some kind of mistake, some kind of hoax."

"That's what most people now think," Mindy said, "but some conspiracy theorists still insist that aliens landed, and our government went to great lengths to cover it up because they felt the American public wasn't ready to accept such a thing." She gestured toward the human aliens and monsters congregating in the convention hall. "I'll bet you if you asked any of them, they would know what the Roswell incident is. It's a part of our folklore now, I guess."

"Strange," Mork said. "Although, it may not be so far from the truth."

"It's not," Mindy said, grinning. "After all, I am standing in front of an actual alien right now, aren't I? There isn't any science fiction about that."

"No, there sure isn't," Mork said. He looked around, lowering his voice. "Of course, you and I both know now that your government would capture aliens like me to study me, and that they would try to conceal it from the public."

He looked at her seriously, recalling the time he had been taken to Dr. Feldman's top secret government laboratory beneath the Flatirons, where he had almost died. Mindy's smile waned as she remembered it, too. They had avoided talking about it for so long, trying to get past the event but also trying to avoid the detection of the mysterious men in black.

"Don't worry, Mork," she said. "Nothing like that is going to happen to you again, I promise. I will protect you. I just thought that if you found humor in our science fiction movies, you might find Roswell hilarious, too. What do you say? Would you like to go?"

"Sure Mind," he said, beaming. "I could always use a good laugh, especially if I get to laugh with you."

"Great! We'll start packing once we get home. It'll be fun, you'll see."