Photo by: Yinglan
San Francisco’s streetcars still drew tourists to ride the ancient vehicles. An amazing mix of cultures also defined the city. On Geary Street alone one could explore the world’s selection of different ethnic foods.
Some ascribed the city’s “worldly success” to it being a sanctuary city. Nevertheless, some were still unhappy with the influx of foreigners.
The annual Parade of Aliens moved past the streetcar turnabout at Powell street. Burly Hispanic men strutted in traditional Aztec attire. Dancers swished to Brazilian beats.
And then, a Trubuti hovercraft drifted by, held aloft by the counter-gravity fields that revolutionized the city’s mass transport. The aliens waved four arms each to the cheering crowd. Newcomers followed. The Apti’Comarn, snail-like pseudo-pods waving from their massive shells, cruised by in their sub-orbital landers.
Watching nearby, Bob sneered, “Frickin’ snails! Who do they think they are?”
“They’re not regular guys like us.” complained Vic. The Colombian-Thai-African-Portuguese-Mongolian-American transsexual spat angrily.
“Seriously,” agreed Bob. He brushed his Mantis-like forelimb through his moth’s antennae. “They should leave the city to us natives!”
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Written for Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/fffaw-challenge-week-of-may-30-2017/
EagleAye
Momus News 
Absolutely on the money with this story!
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Thanks very much! 🙂
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Cute. I lived in the Bay Area, including in San Francisco, for seven years back in the late 1970s-early ’80s and I can attest that the City was a multi-national/multi-cultural community long before “sanctuary cities” became a thing.
I do agree though, that the latest “newcomer” will always be seen as an outsider, no matter how inclusive the “native” group is.
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Same here. I lived there from the ’90s to the ’00s. The City’s multi-(anything) is what I loved about it. Especially the food. Oh, how I miss the food!
People seem to have short memories about what is native and what isn’t. Go back far enough and even human beings are not native to this land. We need to remember things like that.
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Hahahahahaha! I love the mixed “aliens” in Your story! Seems like the newest to the community are always the outsiders. LOL! Cute story!
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Yep. There’s always somebody who thinks they have a greater right to a place than someone else. I like the idea of welcoming folks with open arms, and of course, sampling their native food. 😉 Thanks so much! 🙂
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Yes!
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What a picture you paint. The future sounds interesting.
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Well thank you! I just hope it’s interesting in a good way. 🙂
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A timely tale told with a light touch of humour. Nicely done.
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Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you kindly! 🙂
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What a futuristic vision have you painted. First come, last to leave, seems the motto, or, is that first come, first served.
I immensely liked this story and the dark humour that it conveyed.
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Hehe. First come, first served seems to fit. It’s a pretty crazy future, eh? I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much! 🙂
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LOL sounds a bit like Campbelltown or Leichhardt here in Oz 😀
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Well, then I want to see those places! Anyplace with a lot of diversity is interesting to me. Thanks Lyn! 🙂
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I can’t write this kind of science fiction but I love yours! Great and timely story!
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Good to hear that. I’m happy you enjoyed it. Thanks kindly! 🙂
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There is tendency for one to forget that they were once a newcomer. I think we have all been there sometime during our life. And, some get use to the norm and do not like change or feel threatened by it. It’s like that now and will be in the future as well. You come up with some very interesting characters. 😄
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It’s true. We do forget we all were newcomers at one point. And people can feel threatened by change even if it is good change. People are funny about a lot of things. What would writers write about if people weren’t complicated? 😉 Glad you enjoyed the characters. Thanks so much! 🙂
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Well, you nailed it. You said it all, putting a new, yet accurate spin on things. Well done.
Going Home
Annie at ~McGuffy’s Reader~
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Thank you! I hoped the story, and the message, would get through. 🙂
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I believe it did!
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Funny that everyone hates foreigners but when they visit/invade other’s places they want to be welcomed.
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So true! If only people would think, and feel with their hearts, a lot of life would become much clearer. Thanks Indira! 🙂
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A futuristic vision of multi…. everything carnival flashed in front of my eyes. the natives of any land do not welcome foreigners whether humans or aliens. an interesting story.
http://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/06/117th-challenge-flash-fiction-for.html
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People can be funny about changes to their environment. Those who are well-adjusted get used to it, though, and eventually welcome the new folk. There’s hope after all. 😉 Thanks very much for posting your thoughts! 🙂
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