Close Encounter

Marc Friedlander

I played a gig (classical guitar) at a wedding the other day, and as usual, the dinner was interrupted by some speeches - all perfectly fine. Then the father of the bride began reciting an incantation to the heavens, to god and Jesus, in both English and then Spanish. All the others in the room bowed their heads reverently.
While this was going on, I had an imaginary conversation with an extraterrestrial from another galaxy, whose technology and civilization are far beyond ours here on Earth. So the ET looks bewildered and says to me, what's going on here - you were just playing so beautifully. That Bach! We love him back on TS345&*. And I say, well, thank you, we love him here on Earth as well. So he says, so, what's going on? And I tell him, well, they're all worshiping and talking to...well...well, it's hard to explain but they're talking to this invisible dude who they think is listening, and he's always existed, and they think he created the entire universe, including TS345&*. The ET says, what makes them believe this nonsense? I answer, it says so in an ancient book, and it gives them comfort for some reason to believe it, but I just can't take it seriously - as the ET nods approvingly at me.
Then the prayers ended and I continued playing Bach's complete first Cello Suite, on the guitar, to the general approval of all present, including the imaginary ET.