The Fee For Government Burial
as smoking tears poured from his eyes- my mother was alive then
- one extraterrestrial humanoid
- furtive-faced little man in an oversize raincoat
- The fee for government burial is ten dollars
- with cars, refrigerators, a castle in Scotland
“The fee for government burial is ten dollars,” said the furtive-faced little man in an oversize raincoat as smoking tears poured from his eyes and he exposed himself.
“Let me give you some advice,” Carlo said, “one extraterrestrial humanoid to another. Keep that thing covered or the earthmen will know that you’re not just an eccentric rich man with cars, refrigerators, a castle in Scotland, and all the rest.”
“Sorry,” said the furtive-faced little man. “In my grief I forget myself.”
“Surely you can afford the ten dollar fee,” said Carlo.
“I used to wealthy, years ago,” said the man, “but my mother was alive then. When she died, our money was cremated along with her body. And now I cannot even afford the government fee to bury my monkey.”
Feeling sympathy, Carlo slipped the man a tenner.