He put the end of the banana in his mouth and was just about to take a bite when a savage burst of laughter cut him off. "Looka him!" the vender cried. "Stupid spacer don't even know how to eat a banana! Looka! Looka!" Alan took the fruit out of his mouth unbitten and stared uncomprehendingly at it. He felt uneasy; nothing in his past experience had prepared him for deliberate hostility on the part of other people. Aboard ship, you did your job and went your way; you didn't force your presence on other people or poke fun at them maliciously. It was the only way to live when you had to spend your whole lifetime with the same shipload of men and women. But the little vender wasn't going away. He seemed very amused by everything. "You--you a spacer, no?" he demanded. By now a small crowd had paused and was watching the scene. Alan nodded. "Lemme show you how, spacer," the vender said, mockery topmost in his tone. He snatched the banana back from Alan and ripped back the rind with three rough snaps of his wrist. "Go on. Eat it this way. She tastes better without the peel." He laughed raucously. "Looka the spacer!" Someone else in the crowd said, "What's he doing in the city anyway? He jump ship?" "Yeah? Why ain't he in the Enclave like all the rest of them?" Alan looked from one to the other with a troubled expression on his face. He didn't want to touch off any serious incident, but he was determined not to let these Earthers push him around, either. He ignored the ring of hostile faces about him and calmly bit into the banana. The unfamiliar taste pleased him. Despite hoots and catcalls from the crowd he finished it. "Now the spacer knows how to eat a banana," the vender commented acidly. "Here, spacer. Have another." "I don't want another." "Huh? No good? Earth fruits are _too_ good for you, starman. You better learn that fast." "Let's get out of here," Rat said quietly. It was sensible advice. These people were just baiting him like a bunch of hounds ringing a hare. He flexed his shoulder in a signal that meant he agreed with Rat's suggestion. "Have another banana," the vender repeated obstinately. Alan looked around at the crowd. "I said I didn't want another banana, and I _don't_ want one. Now get out of my way!" No one moved. The vender and his monocar blocked the path. "Get out of my way, I said." Alan balled the slimy banana peel up in his hand and rammed it suddenly into the vender's face. "There. Chew on that a while." He shouldered his way past the spluttering fruit vender, and before anyone in the crowd could say or do anything he was halfway down the street, walking briskly. He lost himself in the passing stream of pedestrians. It was easy to do, despite the conspicuous orange-and-blue of his _Valhalla_ uniform. There were so many people.