This reminds me of a short story I read many ages ago: A group of military and government types were talking to an alien out in the desert. Nearby was a Mexican fellow, who had first alerted the government to the alien's presence, and his donkey.

Over the course of the conversation the alien fell backward and lay still, and one daring officer put his ear to its chest, finding no heartbeat. The Mexican spoke up, not in Spanish but in very clear English, explaining that the aliens had created the effigy to match what humans would expect an 'alien' to be.

Upon questioning, the Mexican chap admitted that the 'alien' was somewhat analogous to Mortimer Snerd, admitted that he was analogous to Charlie McCarthy - and he fell down.

The actual alien, the donkey, had the last word.

Love it! That’s just cool...

V.

Oh god I read that story 50ish years ago in middle school I think it was.

Yeah, the anthology (Tales of Time and Space, Whitman Classics) came out in 1969. I was eight.

I was 13 at the time

I was 16...

v.

The three old gray muzzles...

and there ya go...

V.

And counting.

I was 18

I'll toss in my two cents worth a bit late. 11 ..

11 for me, too.

Is it only old people that read anymore?

I'm not really sure, but I do know that my son didn't read much (unless it was a vid gaming magazine), though my daughter read the entire Harry Potter series.

V.

My son doesn't read much but he did read the Read the Red Wall and Goosebumps series' and another series I can't recall the name.

I'm late to the party, but I was a mere 3 years old in 69. However, I did make up for it later and read the same story in a Sci-Fi magazine in my teens. And your comparison is right on the (wet) nose.

Space Cowboy, eh? Bet you weren't ready for that...

Could've been worse - instead of a Space Cowboy, he could've grown up to be the Gangster of Love.

You two crack me up.... and you forgot Maurice...

V.

Wheeeee-whooooo!

And you speak of the Prophetess of Love...

https://www.straightdope.com/213421.....mpatus-of-love

Schist, man, that article was released only 32 days after I was born! Talk about a dive into cyberspace history! And here I felt old...

Heh. I think we can take me waving my cane and screaming "GIT OFFA MAH LAWN" as having been read, then.

now that was really really interesting...

V.

Yeah. I don't always agree with Ceese, but he is an interesting read. :)

Ooohers.
So many questions.

Bunners

yes... so many...

V.

That was good, very good. The ending was a great twist.

I'm glad Walt remembered the title of short story it's simular to.

*smiles very big... and I'm glad you enjoyed it...

V.

Good one Vix...and the discussion above has me wanting to score a copy of that book.

ty ty ty having people like what I do just keeps me going...

V.

This uh story is making me want to make a lot of double takes during work; especially since I get calls all the time asking about the "aliens."

Still, great and enjoyable read.

*laughs... now that made my day Helix...

V.

Shoot, are you a government agent at Area 51?

Shhh Mum's the word
wink wink nudge nudge knowing, looks in glances, you not say more, know the mean, know the mean"?

*chuckles... will do...

*gives a hug...

V.

Right down your alley, in the storytelling sense. This tourist father doesn't seem to fit his own stereotype. I still read, as often as possible. Working through DIckens and Asimov as time allows. Short stories like this one are nice before bed, but I'm trying to limit screen time for the sake of my eyes.

*hugs... hugs a bunch... I was thinking of you yesterday and would have sent a note today checking on you... enjoy the classics Onic... books are definitely better for the eyes...

V.

Its almost an allegory for children's changing fascinations over the years, westerns giving way to science fiction. The last line does make me wonder what the tourist's final question was.

*chuckles... we may never know...

V.

Aside from the very accurate comparison to 'Puppet Show' by Fredric Brown, I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a friend back in the 80's. The question was asked, "What would aliens look like?" My viewpoint was that any alien not involved in a science fiction story would be truly ALIEN. As in, possibly not even recognizable as a life form to us humans. They might look like any conceivable thing you could think of. Or maybe they'd be so small or so large that we'd overlook them. It was one of the most interesting conversations I've ever had.

All it needed was a talking dog and his cowboy.

I love conversations like that... *smiles very big...

thank you...

V.

heh, heh, heh
"belong to"?

*smiles... yes... in the end, who really knows for sure...

V.