earth behavior

[int. kitchenette — evening]

INT. KITCHENETTE — EVENING

Jill #783 and I sit on adjacent bar stools, greedily chomping heaps of green salad from gigantic bowls.

ME
Do you know how young children sometimes
lick things, like bites of food at a
dinner table for instance, in order to
"reserve" whatever it is, so to say —
that is, to prevent older or younger
siblings from claiming it first?

JILL #783
(chewing)
Um. Nuh-huh?

ME
Well, what if adults did that?
What if, instead of food bites, adults
competing for a real estate deal, or
for a new car, "reserved" what they
wanted to buy by licking it in advance —
claiming it, that is, by keeping it away
from competing adults?

JILL #783
You mean — like, licking a new car?

ME
Sure. Why not?
Since kids do this type of thing so
easily, why shouldn't adults?

JILL #783
I… don't —
(considering)
I don't think you've fully grasped
Earth behavior.

ME
No?

JILL #783
(resolute)
I think you need to review the introductory
chapters from your Earth manual.
There are nuances of Earthling social
development which you've definitely missed…