Terran note: Comments in red are mine.
October 31, 2021
Martha: I wrote to Jai and got this reply today. I asked him lots of questions. Some may seem random, but I am always curious what life is like for him and since it’s normal for him, it’s hard to get him to describe it. So I ask specific things and always answer them for myself too. Seems fair and maybe helps him understand life here.
Martha: What have you been doing?
Jai: MOMENTS ARE CONSUMED WITH MEETINGS. PREPARATIONS. DISASTEROUS FAILURES. NEW MEETINGS. MORE PREPARATIONS. YET NO FEAR OR LOATHING. IN TRUTH. ONLY LOVE.
Martha: What are you doing to get ready for life here?
Jai: THAT IS THE CUNUNDRUM. DO WE MERGE THERE? DO YOU MERGE "HERE". DO ALL "MERGE" TOGETHER AND CREATE A NEW WAY FORWARD? THUS THE MANY "FAILED" COUNCIL MEETINGS. AND PREPARATIONS. AND MORE PREPARATIONS. AND MORE MEETINGS.
Martha: What it is like to be multidimensional? What does it feel like to be in more than one place at once?
Jai: THAT IS SOMETHING NOT "DESCRIBABLE" HERE. WORDS AND WRITING DO NOT DO THE "PROCESS" JUSTICE.
Martha: So I should ask you more questions because we both (I think) find this funny.
Martha: What do you see to your left? (Me - the window to the back yard. The sun is below the horizon but it’s not dark yet.). (I’m now re-reading to check for typing mistakes and I turned on the light, only to realize that what seemed “light enough” was actually really dark.)
Jai: ME. NOW. THE DOOR TO THE CORRIDOR. CLOSED. NOW OPENED. GREETING A CREW MEMBER WITH A MEETING NOTICE. IN TRUTH. HERALDED BY THE MIGHTY "PEN". IN TRUTH. FUNNY?
Martha: What is in front of you? (Me - the table on the back porch with my computer. The cat is stretched out to the left and looking out the window (napping). The table has a tablecloth with bright orange pumpkins, yellow and green leaves, on a black background. Hideous, but seasonal.)
Jai: ME NOW. THE CONSOLE. THE SCREENS OF THREE OPPORTUNITIES ADVANCING.
Martha: What do you smell? (I smelled the lavender and rosemary I just brought in from the garden.)
Jai: MY TOBACCO AT THE MOMENT. DESCRIBED BY YOU ONCE AS BOTH "MANLY AND EARTHY". NOT EARTHLY IN HUMOUR. [Andromedan tobacco originated on Earth during Atlantis 1 and is not damaging to ones health]
Martha: What are you wearing? (Me — Brown jeans and a pink sweater. Comfy. When I met friends downtown, I added a necklace, a grey plaid jacket, and a knit scarf of bright colors. And my grey hat. And my new pink sunglasses.)
Jai: ME NOW. THE STANDARD FARE. BLUE PANTS. BOOTS. WHITE TUNIC. JACKET ON THE HOOK BY THE DOOR. READY TO GO.
Martha: Shoes? Boots? Barefoot?
Jai: BOOTS. BLACK. WELL WORN YET CLEANED AND SHINED WITH LUSTER. NOW.
Martha: Have you eaten bazjir lately? [Andromedan soup]
Jai: BAZJIR. FENNELTON. YES A "BEEF WELLINGTON" MOCKERY OF FENNEL. IN HUMOUR.
Martha: (I think he means fennel root, not the seed. It can be sliced.)
Martha: And he signed off with this:
Jai: WE ARE "SETTLING" THE DUST ON OUR OWN HERE AND YOU THERE. IT WORKS OUT BEAUTIFULLY I AM TOLD.