02427cam a22003493u 4500 26536 UtSlPG 20260610133616.0 m cr n 260607r2008||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Pangborn, Edgar, 1909-1976 The Good Neighbors Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2008 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Published in Galaxy magazine, June 1960. Release date is 2008-09-05 Produced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "The Good Neighbors" by Edgar Pangborn is a science fiction short story published in the early 1960s. The narrative explores themes of otherness and compassion through the lens of an extraterrestrial visit. Set against the backdrop of a near-futuristic Earth, it deals with the repercussions of an alien creature's unintended arrival, turning a moment of curiosity into chaos and tragedy. The story follows a massive alien creature that escapes from a spaceship, causing panic as it drifts through major American cities, creating destruction without malice. The creature's lamentation echoes through urban spaces, stirring fear as military forces scramble to address the situation. Eventually, the alien is brought down in New York City by a misguided military pilot, leading to catastrophic damage and loss of life. In the aftermath, the alien's home species sends an apology, expressing regret for the chaos caused by their child's mishap with the airlock and offering a comically inadequate reimbursement to those affected. Through this tale, Pangborn critiques human reactions to the unknown, illustrating how fear can lead to misunderstanding and tragedy, while also hinting at a shared responsibility among neighbors—whether human or extraterrestrial. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Published in Galaxy magazine, June 1960. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26536 67465 67465