I'm trying to remember the author and title of this SF story, I read it about 28? years ago. Here are my probably faded and inaccurate recollections of it. I thought it was a cute story at the time and I want to read it again.
The protagonist is an alien professor, who has been invited to Earth to teach at a university or college. He's a bit of a homebody, doesn't like parties or socialising. He doesn't particularly want to go, aware that the humans will regard him as a horrible alien monster, but someone has to go and it looks like him.
On his way there he picks up a stray comment, with his delicate eyebrow antennae, from the stewardess on his flight, after she flees his presence after serving him coffee (or whatever). (Sorry, that sentence should be taken out and shot) She says to her companion "I could hardly tell him that he looks like a teddy bear!"
"I don't know what one of those is" Thinks our Professor grimly. "But I can guess"
The professor continues on to Earth, starts his classes and is inundated with goodwill, affection and students and staff alike adore him. When he returns to his own planet he's become quite the socialite, explaining to his fellow professor that his appearance excited warm childhood happy memories in the humans, and that he will go to the party he's invited to after all, and exclaiming "Introvert!" when the other expresses uncertainty about all of this.
I somehow don't think he's a Hoka, although that's what mostly comes up when you do a search for teddy bear aliens.
It might even be in Laughing Space, but I can't find my copy. This has been bugging me for a while, so any help would be appreciated.
I read it in the 70's and laughed and laughed. I've just re read it for the first time since then, and I laughed and laughed. It has aged exceedingly well.
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Do you remember this SF story?
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