When I reached the beach today, I kept looking over my shoulder, wondering what plant or animal might swallow me next.  I was relieved when the alien just came strolling down the beach, with a hat on.  We sat down on a driftwood log.

I said, "No buttons today?"

"I thought it might be more efficient just to get your thoughts on a few things before I wasted any more time.  As you might have guessed, I came to you for this fateful decision because I read on your blog how much you hate people."

"Why does that matter?  You obviously have the technological capabilities to do anything you want with us, regardless of permission."

"Yes, but if I eradicate a species by force, I have to fill out a ton of paperwork.  If it's your decision, then I'm off the hook, and we get to save the other species without a lot of fuss."

"I already told you, I'm ready to hit the red button.  What are we waiting for?"

"I guess it just caught me off guard.  Tell me again why you hate people so much."

"Mostly, because they make me guilty by association.  I don't want to be a member of that generation of people that chose to ruin the Earth.  More than any other generation before us, we have the power to wipe out millions of species and entire ecosystems, permanently.  We also have the power and the technology to heal the Earth and make it the paradise it once was.  We can do all of that without much inconvenience to ourselves, and we would benefit in the long run. 

"Look, humans are going to wipe themselves out.  There can't be much doubt about that.  There are no political solutions.  Everyone votes his pocketbook, and the environment doesn't get to vote.  Our economy, our way of life is based on the rape of the Earth.  If you can provide me with a virus that will accomplish the job in a few weeks instead of a few decades, it will just be accomplishing the inevitable with a lot less pain and drama."

The alien took off his hat and looked at me with all three eyes.  "But wouldn't you feel sad?  Don't you see good in people?"

"I see good people every where I look.  People are capable of great kindness and sacrifice.  When it comes to stopping that small minority of people who are driving this unsustainable way of life, all of the good people are willing to just stand by and let it happen.  Plus, even the good people are complicit in our crimes against ourselves.  Almost every aspect of daily life makes the problem worse."

"Couldn't you persuade the people of Earth to do more of the good and stop destroying their own planet?  You said they have the capability.  They only need the will."

"I will keep trying to persuade people until the day I die, but no one listens to me.  If one man says that every other human is living life wrong, and that he knows the answers to all of life's problems, no one is going to listen to him.  Maybe they would listen to you, what with the third eye and the ability to travel between stars and engineer viruses inside the belly of a whale."

"Maybe, but of course, I am just a product of your imagination."

"Of course.  I guess I should have seen that coming."

I woke up again, in a bed full of dogs, smelling of dogs, mostly.