Starbrook's Alien Encounter -
Starbrook went for a drive in…I mean on Saturday. When I’m feeling under pressure I often hit the road. Changes in scenery are good for one’s mind. I looked up into the night sky. So cosmic!!! If I took a trip on a Gemini Spacecraft like astronaut Edward White, I wonder if I’d have a different perspective on life? Are we the only ones in the universe? Is there life on Mars or Europa?
I tuned into the radio. They’d just played a string of disco hits including ‘Lady Bump’ by Penny McLean, 'Fly Robin Fly' by Silver Convention and ‘Aint Goona Bump no More (with no big fat woman)' by Joe Tex. These songs made Starbrook think that the future of popular music was looking very grim.
While going from station to station looking for some classics I noticed a strange shining star out to the right. Strange because it glowed white, then green, then blue, then red, then purple, then yellow, then turquoise, then magenta, then topaz, then indigo, then white, then green, then blue, then red, then purple, and so on…..

The radio crackled and ‘Starman’ by David Bowie began playing. This was an oddity indeed. I pulled over and peered out the side window. Above a stretch of trees the light glided, coming in low. Something in the air tasted like burnt lentils and I noticed the dials on my watch were spinning backwards. Starbrook pulled over and stepped out onto the road clutching Om Crystal tightly. The strange craft now hovered above me and a beam of blue light from its centre descended to the ground.
 Amazing!
 Inside the beam I could make out a humanoid form, rather thin and short, dressed in formal clothes, black tie, white….
My God! Could it be? Yes….it is he! The original starman himself!!!
He stepped out of the light.

“Hallow spaceboy!”


“D..D..David…..is it really you???” I stammered.


“Sure is… and do you like the outfit?“
Starbrook’s not into fashion, but of all the young dudes I’ve known, this one had style!
“Yeah…but how…how is this possible David?”


“Well...I’m just trying out one of these new NASA flying machines and…..nah…..not really.
Sorry to mislead you, but I’m not actually David Bowie. I scanned the neuro matter between your ears, accessed the world wide web and compiled this character from the info gathered. Didn’t
want you to scream like a baby at the big scary monsters. But I wasn’t sure whether to wear this suit, a dress, a demented clown outfit, or a very tight little off-the-shoulder number."
This guy is very versatile…or is it confused?”
“So you’re…..an ALIEN!!!”
“Yes…but don’t be afraid. Loving the alien is the best course to follow.”
“That’s ok.” I replied. “I’m afraid of Americans, but aliens I can cope with.”
​
He removed a pack of cigarettes from a pocket, lit up, gazed into the heavens above and then looked across to the glow of the city beyond.
“Little wonder….you’ve only got five years. Then it’s crunch time. This world is gonna shatter like breaking glass. When you’re on the outside looking in, it’s all so obvious.”
“You mean the end is coming?”
“Yes my friend….and it’s close."
“But can’t we change, adapt, survive? Surely there’s a brighter future than that Mr. ...er….Bowie?”
“Not with all the madmen in control. It’s ashes to ashes, dust to dust for this small plot of land. There’s gonna be a lot of pain and suffering. Future generations will look back in anger at the heedlessness of your times.”
“Future generations? So it’s not the end? There is a future?”
“Yes…oh…yes! A wonderful future! These are just the birth pains of a new world…a new order yet to come. But it’s gonna be one hell of a delivery!”
“So what can we do to avoid all the pain.”
“Not much…it’s ordained in a way. Almost necessary. However, you all have a part to play. What this world needs are heroes. Real heroes. People like you Starbrook!"
“Me????”
“Sure… Unique beings who look at life from a different perspective and don’t take everything for granted.
Those who are looking for answers in the outer spaces between the innermost ones……"
“Hmmmm…..I like that…I'll use that one day….”
​
“Well my friend. Now it’s time to slip away….”
“So where are you off to next?”
“Well….I have not been to Oxford Town, and Suffrajette City may be worth a look. So long!!!”
He stepped back into the light and was gone.
Starbrook was too dizzy to drive. I stared into the heavens and wondered. Another life- form. Will we be strangers when we meet….if ever again???
​
The radio crackled and the last lines of the song rang out….
“He’s told us not to blow it ‘cause he knows it’s all worthwhile….”
From Starbrook's diary 9th Sept. 1972
