The Purple Pariah

"The Purple Pariah" by Byron Tustin is a science fiction story from the 1950s that follows space travelers Archie Simms and Ed Bailey after their ship crashes on a deserted planet, is a journey of friendship in the unlikeliest of scenarios.. They find a purple sphere that feels incredibly sad. The story looks at being alone, being nice, and talking to other beings. At first, Archie and Ed aren't sure about the sphere, but they start to see it can do amazing things and has a sad history. Archie calls the sphere Melancholy, and they learn it's been alone for millions of years since it lost its family. While trying to survive on the planet, the explorers notice the purple thing is helping them, fixing their ship, and showing them the way home. The story ends with Archie showing how important it is to care about others, especially when Ed thinks the sphere is dangerous. Overall, the story highlights how important it is to have friends and how tough it is to be alone, teaching us that kindness is possible, even between very different creatures.