Scene from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book 4: "So Long and Thanks for all the Fish"

Ford Prefect, alien reporter, has hitchhiked to many worlds and seen all manner of unusual creatures and conditions of different cities. During a trip, he has a strange dream about a polluted river in New York:
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"In his dreams he was walking late at night along the East Side, beside the river which had become so extravagantly polluted that new life forms were now emerging from it spontaneously, demanding welfare and voting rights. One of these floated past, waving. Ford waved back. The thing thrashed to the shore and struggled up the bank. "Hi," it said, "I've just been created. I'm completely new to the Universe in all respects. Is there anything you can tell me?"

"Phew," said Ford, a little nonplussed, "I can tell you where some bars are, I guess.
(skipped a little for the sake of a not so long description)
"I instinctively feel," said the creature, urgently, "that I need to be beautiful. Am I?"
"You're pretty direct aren't you".
"No point in mucking about. Am I?"
The thing was oozing all over the place now, squelching and blubbering. A nearby wino was getting interested.
"To me?" said Ford. "No But listen," he added after a moment, "Most people make out, you know.

"As I said, I'm new here. Life is entirely strange to me. What's it like?"
"Life," Ford said, "is like a grapefruit. It's sort of orangey yellow and dimpled on the outside, wet and squidgy in the middle. It's got pips inside, too. Oh, and some people have half a one for breakfast"

(Quotes from Douglas Adams's "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish")
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