food. Havesome frismils."
"No, thank you," Narli replied coldly.
Slood looked at him in distress. "Oh, how you must have suffered! Was itvery, very bad, Narli?"
Narli hunched low in his chair. "It was just awful."
"I'm sure they didn't mean to be unkind," Slood assured him. "Naturally,you were a strange creature to them and they're only--"
"_Unkind?_" Narli gave a bitter laugh. "They practically killed me withkindness! It was fuss, fuss, fuss all the time."
"Now, Narli, I do wish you wouldn't be quite so sarcastic."
"I'm _not_ being sarcastic. And I wasn't a strange creature to them. Itseems there's a sort of popular child's toy on Earth known as a--" hewinced--"teddy bear. I aroused pleasant childhood memories in them, sothey showered me with affection and edibles."
Slood closed his eyes in anguish. "You are very brave, Narli," he saidalmost reverently. "Very brave and wise and good. Certainly that wouldbe the best thing to tell our people. After all, the Terrestrials areour allies; we don't want to stir up public sentiment against them. Butyou can be honest with _me_, Narli. Did they refuse to serve you inrestaurants? Were you segregated in public vehicles? Did they shrinkfrom you when you came close?"
Narli beat the desk with all four hands. "I was hardly ever given thechance to be alone! They crawled all over me! Restaurants begged for mytrade! I had to hire private vehicles because in public ones I wasmobbed by admirers!"
"Such a short time," Slood murmured, "and already suspicious of even me,your oldest friend. But don't talk about it if you don't want to,Narli.... Tell me, though, did they sneer at you and whisperhalf-audible insults? Did they--"
"You're right!" Narli snapped. "I _don't_ want to talk about it."
Slood placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "Perhaps that'swisest, until the shock of your experience has worn off."
Narli made an irritable noise.
"The Perzils are giving a vilbar party tonight," Slood said. "But I knowhow you feel about parties. I've told them you're exhausted from yourtrip and won't be able to make it."
"Oh, you did, did you?" Narli asked ironically. "What makes you thinkyou know how I feel about parties?"
"But--"
"There's an interesting saying on Earth: 'Travel is so broadening.'" Helooked down at his bulges with tolerant amusement. "In more than oneway, in case the meaning eludes you. Very sound psychologically. I'vediscovered that I _like_ parties. I _like_ being _liked_. If you'llexcuse me, I'm going to inform the Perzils that I shall be delighted tocome to their party. Care to join me?"
"Well," Slood mumbled, "I'd like to, but I have so much work--"
"Introvert!" said Narli, and he began dialing the Perzils.
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