Peter Friend's "Minature" in Feb 2007, IGMS

IGMS is a nifty little ezine. Cheap, too: $2.50/issue.

In "Miniature," Peter Friend takes on the alien-knocking-on-your-door trope (which as we all know is anathema to Mundane SF, so it is evil. Okay, now that that's dispensed with, on to the review).

Here the door knocked on is that of a crochety gentleman who--unlike most elderly folk--wants no visitors. The alien's attempt to get inside the door gives the story its best line:

"We may talk please, random human," it said, each word in a different voice.

When the alien flips him a C-note, the old man finally relents. From here, however, the story gets sentimental as the old man describes his meeting his wife and regretting her passing. It isn't necessarily sentimental in a bad way, but it might have explored the old man's personality more--or something. Still, the story has lots of heart.