On December 24th the alien landed. A silver spaceship shaped like flying electric frying-pan with flickering lights around its rim glided with a low hum across the hills above the river then descended slowly into Gonville, Whanganui. A shaft of light shot out as it touched down on a suburban lawn in a quiet street.
The residents first thought was that the local DIY bloke on the corner had turned on his Christmas lights. Some went out to look and were astonished to see the strange craft sitting on the lawn outside a house.
Children who had been wide awake listening for Santa's sleigh got out of bed and looked out their windows as a growing crowd assembled in the street. There was a flash of dazzling light as the side of the flying saucer opened and a figure appeared. It was dressed in a white robe and appeared to have a glowing hat on its head. It floated down to the ground.
The crowd fell silent as they realised this was not just a Christmas parade float abandoned on someone's lawn. As the figure moved towards them everybody stepped back a few paces. It became apparent that the figure was very small, no bigger than a small child. It appeared to be carrying a silver ukulele.
All went still and silent. Then the figure spoke in a voice that seemed like an echo from far away. "Where am I?" Nobody spoke. A child stepped forward and answered. "This is Whanganui. You are in Gonville and it is Christmas Eve. Where are you from and why are you here?
