4TH OF JULY

This morning on the CBS Early Show, they did a segment on the UFO Festival in Roswell, NM. This reminded me of a story TERRY COTHRAN told me shortly after the 2000 All-School Reunion. I emailed him and asked if he would write about it for the blog. This was his reply:

“Okay, you asked about the UFO story. I have never talked about this incident very much, except to a select group of people. I don't want people to think that I am crazier than they already think I am. To get the complete story, I have to go back to the winter of 1990.

After I retired, I moved to the mountain community of Big Bear, California. It was an especially cold winter that year and in March it snowed so much that I actually got snowed in. All of the roads were closed coming in and going out of town. After about 4 days of being cooped up in my house, I heard on the radio that Highway 118 going south out of Big Bear was open all the way to Barstow. I packed some clothes and jumped into my 4-wheel drive truck and headed to Lake Havasu City, where I had friends and family, and the weather is always warm and sunny.

I was glad to see that my old friend Richard, who also lived in Big Bear, was home at his Lake Havasu house where he hung out during the winter. I was invited to spend the night and stay as long as I wanted to get away from Big Bear for a while.

It was the first weekend in March, on a Friday night. I was standing in the front yard at Richard's house the first evening that I was in town. The sky is always clear with all of the stars glistening as there are no street lights in that part of town. No one was outside with me at the time. As I stood there, I noticed something very large moving in the sky above the roofline and just beyond the house. At first I thought it was an airplane. Then I realized that the object was too low to be an airplane and too big. There were no running lights of any kind and no wings. The craft made no sound whatsoever as a plane would if it were gliding through the air. It was close enough to me that I could see that it had windows and it was lit up inside. Bear in mind that this object was only in my sight for a very few seconds but I could plainly see through the windows (it was that close) and there was what I would describe as human appearing forms to be seen plainly through the windows. I would have to describe the shape of the craft as either cigar shaped or possibly saucer like, depending on the angle that I was viewing it. There was NO noise from this craft and as quickly as it had quietly appeared, it went out of sight in a second.

I ran into the house where Richard and other guests were seated in quiet conversation. I excitedly told them all what I had just seen, and Richard told me I could not have another beer for an hour. I tried to explain that I was on my first beer and I was not hallucinating. They all had a good laugh and went back to their original conversations.

It was then that I decided not to talk about this incident in mixed company. 

Okay, here comes the weird part. I had some other friends (Don and Anita Herman) who also had a house in California and a retirement home in Lake Havasu City that they were building where they came on weekends before they retired. I knew Don from California, as we were both motorcycle cops out there. About 2 years after my sighting of the UFO, I happened to be at Don and Anita's house just sitting around talking about things in general. Somehow the conversation got around to UFOs. Anita said that she had seen one. It seems that the first weekend in March on a Friday night, Don and Anita were on their way to Lake Havasu for the weekend. They were traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 somewhere west of Needles, California, about 50 miles from Lake Havasu City. Anita said she saw something strange in the sky hovering above the interstate. The object she saw was described by her as a cigar shaped object without wings or lights except windows with a lighted interior. She also said it disappeared in a second. I had never mentioned to her or Don about my experience with the same object on the same night until then.

That was my only encounter with anything I would consider "not of this world". After my experience I cannot dismiss the idea of UFOs or possible beings from another "place ".  Believe it or not.

I am staying here in Prescott for the 4th. I will probably go to the rodeo tomorrow and to the parade. Prescott boasts of the oldest continuing rodeo in the United States (1883) even though Pecos, Texas claims the same thing.?” TER

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I think seeing pictures of BiILL KING and GLENN SMITH on their motorcycles in the class handbook must have made TER nostalgic. He went out and bought this Harley Super Glide Custom 002.

I also asked TER about the fires burning in northern Arizona. This is what he said about that:

"The present fire that is anywhere close (to me) is south of Prescott, in the Crown King Mountain area in the Prescott National Forest. Not really a threat to me unless the winds come up in a northerly direction and it would have to come north through the Prescott proper area to get to me. Robin would be in more danger from this fire than I am. But with fire and wind you can never be sure. They are predicting thunderstorms tonight and tomorrow night in the area which would really help the entire region."

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Those of you who have viewed the photos of the old homeplaces might be interested in this little tidbit. On the blog post of June 18th "Snips and Snaps", House # 1 has been identified! I got the following tale from JIMMY COWLISHAW this week:

"The house you show, white roof, porch columns, with the left side addition was the one I grew up in. Located at 515 12th Street. The little addition was put on in about 1946 and was a bath approximately 5 ft wide and11 ft long. Served us well, as we didn't have to take baths in (tin) tubs and use the outhouse. We now have larger closets than that room was, and with 2 adults, 5 kids.. (can you believe the wait?) Last time I was in Ballinger I went by and it was still there. In the back was a little house that Mother used as a wash room, because there were only two bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. 4 girls and a grandmother, my brother, and I slept there. CHARLES FIKES and family lived next door at 513 12th Street.

We had to have a large garden to feed all the clan, but managed to give produce to neighbors in season. Had a milk cow - lots of fresh milk, churned butter, and milk clabber with cornbread. The war caused rationing on items like sugar, gas, rubber tires, and leather goods. Several other items were on the list. I'm sure that other classmates had the same hard times.

By the way, Mother would not let Dad take down the outhouse ('we might need it again'). When I returned on leave from the service in about 1960, Dad and I removed it when she went to town one afternoon.

And yes, GOOD THINGS DO HAPPEN. We are blessed to live in these times of plenty, and I'm also convinced that I take them for granted.

Well, thanks for the times to reflect. Have a good life." JIM

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I was blessed with more feedback from classmates this week than ever before. I'll post them in a day or two. MIKE FOY and JERRY EOFF have both sent me information. (Thanks, guys!) By the way, MIKE, you need to look at the house pictures from the last blog post! No one has identified either of them. Therefore, I'm only going to post one picture this time. Remember, these probably don't look quite the same as they did 50 years or so ago! Did YOU live here?

JERRY DAVIS is moving right along with the radiation treatments. I'll bet that is getting old, and he probably could use some diversion -- like maybe some funny cards, visits, or phone calls. Of course, we know we need to keep the prayers going.

The same goes for IRENE PIEL BATTS. She's gone through a lot of painful procedures lately, and hasn't even had the major surgeries. There will be two big ones on the same day -- July 23rd, in San Antonio. 

I also would like everyone to be sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers for JUNE HASH CURRY. As you know, she missed the 50th Class Reunion to have back surgery. Now she is having some symptoms that may indicate more surgery. She has been a wonderful, positive support for many in our class with health issues in recent weeks. Now it's her turn to get some of that loving energy sent back to her!

Wow! This is so long! Most of you probably will need a nap in the middle of reading it! I'll shorten the next one. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July. We truly are blessed to be living in this great United States of America.

GOOD STUFF still happens here.

Marilyn