Humans Are Encountered

Left-Handedness

"Switch spots with me," Lyle said to Reese as they sat next to each other.

Reese looked up from where she was working on her tablet. "What?"

"You keep bumping me. Switch spots."

"That makes no sense."

"I'm left handed."

Reese paused, then nodded. Zork'ak, however, interrupted.

"I do not understand."

"Oh," Lyle looked up, "I'm left handed and she's right handed so we were bumping each other's arms when we were writing. So if we switch spots, our arms are on the opposite sides."

"What is this 'handed?'"

"It's like which one you use to write. And do most stuff with. It's called your dominant hand."

"It is whether you use one or both of your hands to do the majority of or all activities." Adam had walked up next to Zork'ak.

"Good. Adam's here with his fancy words." Lyle turned back to her tablet.

"I haven't seen you in a little while." Adam grinned.

Zork'ak nodded. "I have been slightly preoccupied." Adam's eyes cut towards Wren across the room. "So which hand do you use?"

Adam looked back at xem. "My right. Most humans are right handed. Only about 10% of the human population on Earth is left handed."

"Does your hand determine anything?"

"Not really." Adam shrugged, shifting an item between his two hands.

"Uh, it does." Lyle set her tablet down again, turning to look at the two of them. "Everything, at least in my country, is geared towards right handed people. Notebooks, pins, scissors, all sorts of kitchen appliances. It's so frustrating. I can barely use any of it because it isn't designed to be able to fit my hand."

"Are your hands not the same shape?"

Lyle held her hands up. "They're mirror images." She turned to let Zork'ak look over her shoulder as she picked up her tablet. "You see how the curve is the opposite? So if it's made for a right handed person, the way an object is curved is backwards for me."

"I see."

"It doesn't have an impact on our lives naturally, just socially." Lyle appeared to stop listening once Adam cut back in.

"Maybe I'll have you try things I have to deal with and see if you think it doesn't impact your daily life," Lyle said quietly.

Zork'ak did not like the tension that xe felt coming from Lyle. "What determines this? Why is there a variation?"

"Genetics determines it. There's a difference in brain chemistry, which area you use, and that can have an effect on your intellectual and personality traits."

"Nerd." Reese muttered.

"Informed." Zork'ak thought Adam appeared to be a step..lighter? It was a difference that xe could not pinpoint.

"Is it not respected that you are well educated?"

"Uh, no. Not in social circumstances. People think that facts are boring generally. But in places like here, in an intellectual world, it is respectable." Adam tilted his head to look at Lyle, who's eyes darted towards him and back to her report without turning her head. "At least it should be." A small grin slid onto Lyle's face.

"Klyls use talons equally, whichever is closer or available."

"For humans, it's called ambidextrous."

"You humans have preferences for everything. I am surprised you have a word for equally preferred."

Adam shook his head. "Always with the insults." Zork'ak couldn't help xer grin. "Can I talk to you real quick?" Adam inclined his head towards the door.

Zork'ak followed him out into the corridor. Adam moves a small distance away from the entrance to the lab before asking, "what's going on with you and Wren?"

Xe didn't know why, but xe were unsure of how xe should answer. Adam was xer closest friend; xe shouldn't mind telling him. Adam raised his eyebrows when Zork'ak didn't answer. "What do you mean?"

"Did I read too much into that?"

"We have been spending time together. That is all."

Adam nodded, patting xer upper extremity. "Just thought I'd ask."

Zork'ak did not follow as Adam left. Xe should have told him, had no reason not to tell him, but still. Xe didn't want to ruin it. Xe didn't even know what it was.