The Asses of Balaam

In Garrett's story an alien race the Jinxians arrives on Earth and offers humanity advanced technology in exchange for an obscure mineral found only on Earth called Balaamite. However the Jinxians seem to be rather peculiar and have some unusual requests. They are particularly interested in asses which they consider to be highly intelligent creatures. The protagonist an Earthling named Anderson is tasked with negotiating with the Jinxians. However he quickly realizes that the Jinxians are not referring to donkeys when they mention asses. Instead they are referring to humans themselves. The story explores themes of miscommunication cultural differences and the absurdity of human behavior.