The Gift Bearer

"The Gift Bearer" by Charles L. Fontenay is a science fiction story that uses humor to examine complex issues about what's right and wrong, how society works, and the fight between new ideas and old beliefs. The story focuses on Richard J. Montcalm, a regular guy who suddenly meets Liz, an alien visitor, which turns his life upside down and challenges his strict ways of thinking. As a member of a group that decides what people can read and see, Montcalm is surprised when Liz arrives to give Earth amazing new knowledge and inventions. Montcalm is drawn to Liz but also worries about how society will react, especially since she chooses not to wear clothes. Things get even more chaotic when Montcalm's wife, Millie, and the local police get involved, causing Liz to leave, believing that humans aren't ready for her gifts. In the end, Montcalm thinks about whether he made the right choices and how they affect his family and town.