My first meeting with Nibuz is something I will catalog another day. For context perhaps it may help you to know it was rushed and focused on a problem not of my making or solving. Right now I’d like to remember my second meeting, because it was an important one.
Nibuz left my planet. But in doing so he did something that is familiar to most on my world. He forgot his cell phone. Typical earth mistake. I still don’t know how usual that is to his world. Regardless! It was left behind at my house, where previous events had occurred, and been resolved.
I was relaxing after a strange afternoon. It rang. I saw it for what it was, the device of Nibuz, equivalent of our cell phones. I let it go to voicemail. He’d be back for it. But it rang again. And then again. So I followed my hunch and did what many on earth would do. I answered it. Turns out I was correct; it was him calling.
Rainbow: Uhhh, hello?
Nibuz: Oh Rainbow, it’s you! Thank goodness the device wasn’t lost permanently. I’m so glad you knew to open it. Where are you?
Rainbow: Just in my house. Haven’t gone anywhere.
Nibuz: Ok, I’m coming back to collect it.
Rainbow: Any idea when you’ll get here?
Nibuz: An, an hour and one half?
Rainbow: Seems fine. Um. Do I just close the device back up when we’re done speaking?
Nibuz: Yes! Thanks so much.
Rainbow: No prob.
The next thing I did might seem underhanded. But, I wasn’t sure I could delay Nibuz any other way. An hour and a half went by. Nibuz was only a trifle late.
Nibuz: Ok I’m so sorry about this. Where is it?
Rainbow: You can’t have it back. Not yet.
Nibuz: Where is it?
Rainbow: I’ve hidden it. Stay and talk to me.
At this point Nibuz took out a cylinder and depressed a button. His cell rang faintly. I’d placed in in a spot that made echoes sound like it was within the wall near the kitchen. Nibuz frowned slightly but his eyes seemed to hold a mild amusement.
Nibuz: You’ve hidden it in a wall? I could just put a hole in your wall and get it.
Rainbow: That’s a support beam for the entire house. Mess with that and we’ll both be in trouble.
Nibuz: What is it you want? I do have things to be off doing.
Rainbow: What sorts of things?
Nibuz: Well, I help people. I can cure people sometimes. Like I did today on this world.
Rainbow: If there was someone else. Someone you didn’t know about, who needed help.
Nibuz: I couldn’t help them if I didn’t know about it.
Rainbow: What things do you cure though? There must be many things people need help for that you cannot fix.
Nibuz: Who needs my help, Rainbow? Is it you? Rainbow, I know that’s not a support beam. Are you going to give me an idea what’s wrong?
Rainbow: There are illnesses on my world that are mental in nature, related to the brain.
Nibuz: We have them on my world as well.
Rainbow: What’s wrong with me? Why am I different? It feels like I don’t belong on this world.
Nibuz took from his belt a small pack of medical tools. One of them looked like an otoscope. Nibuz used this against my temple. It buzzed briefly.
Nibuz: Your brain just has a strong flavor.
Rainbow: What? Do people eat brains on your world??
At this Nibuz laughed in a loud hearty way that reassured me once again as to my safety around him.
Nibuz: No, no! It is a figure of speech where I come from. To put it plainly- you aren’t different. Your world is. Your mind has a strong flavor. There’s no name to the mind flavors here. On my world your flavor is called something like Ykkanstrill. Most of the minds here are mild. Most other people meet and taste so little of each other, that it seems to them that they are alike. The flavor of your mind is so overpowering it throws people off, I think. Listen, Rainbow, I get along well with Ykkanstrills. It’s good to meet another. I’d like to be able to send you a message from time to time.
Rainbow: How?
Nibuz: Give me your device.
Nibuz took my phone and began a new text message. Instead of typing a string of numbers, he aimed his device at it. The screen filled with hieroglyphics, then registered as a fresh text.
Nibuz: Send me something.
Rainbow: Ok, it’s a picture of my name.
Nibuz: That’s very Ykkanstrill. Rainbow, I have a favor to ask.
Rainbow: What’s that?
Nibuz: A strong flavor on a mild world must be a very lonely thing. You said you don’t belong here. If that feeling gets too much, the feeling you don’t belong, you may think you need to leave…Are you following me?
Rainbow: I am.
Nibuz: If you become overwhelmed, if it gets too much, will you message me then?
Rainbow: May I also message you at other times too?
Nibuz: Yes.
Rainbow: Then yes.
Nibuz: Good. I’m glad you made me stay. May I have my device now?
Rainbow: Yes.
I ran to retrieve his phone. I handed it back to him.
Nibuz: Message sometimes.
Rainbow: Is there a too much messaging?
Nibuz: I will let you know if that happens. Goodbye Rainbow.