

“The Road Less Travelled” by Harry Turtledove.
A spaceship lands on the White House lawn. Our scientists are positive that it’s not from our solar System; it must have a Faster Than Light drive of some sort.
The military is ready to face them, but the generals have little hope, because if they have FTL, the rest of their weapons must be equally advanced.
The aliens come out on horseback, shooting arrows and throwing spears.
Turns out, every other race in the Galaxy has FTL, and we’re the schnooks who never figured it out.
Work isn’t a panacea.
I was a shy introvert and got a job in public medicine. I learned how to interact with a broad variety of people, ranging from senior staff doctors to homeless folks.
I went from being a shy introvert to a glib introvert.