30-day wonder

"30-Day Wonder" by Richard Wilson is a science fiction story from the 1960s about Sam Kent, a clever reporter whose life turns upside down when the Monolithians, aliens who seem friendly, land on Earth to make friends. The story looks at diplomacy, how people react to new things, and how silly rules can be when something strange happens. At first, Sam is just bored at work, but then he hears about an alien ship landing at a golf club. As Sam and his friends try to figure out what this means, the story becomes funny, showing how normal life in a newsroom clashes with aliens showing up. The aliens want to sign a treaty, which makes people wonder if they are really telling the truth and how governments will react, setting up a funny but deep look at how humans deal with the unknown.