The Good Neighbors

The Good Neighbors is a science fiction short story by Edgar Pangborn, published in the early 1960s. It narrates the unintended arrival of a massive alien creature on Earth, which triggers chaos in major American cities as military forces respond to the perceived threat. The story critiques human fear and misunderstanding towards the unknown, culminating in tragedy and a comically inadequate apology from the alien's home species. Pangborn's work explores themes of otherness and compassion, highlighting the shared responsibility between humans and extraterrestrials.