When I was a kid, I absolutely devoured any book about UFOs, monsters, unexplained phenomena, and general weird happenings. I didn’t necessarily believe all (or even most) of it, but that didn’t make it fascinate me any less. I was even a subscriber to the Time Life Books Mysteries of the Unexplained series. From that young age I’ve desired to experience or see something strange and our of the ordinary. Most of all, I want to see a UFO (and please bear in mind that the “U” denotes Unidentified, not alien. Just saying). Since I actually want to, I of course have not (and probably never will). That doesn’t mean people around me haven’t seen one though.
When Chrisie and I started dating back in 1996, she lived at home which was 25 miles from my apartment across from campus.We spoke on the phone often, but one night she called, I sensed things were not quite right.
“Leighton?” Her voice wavered and she sounded on the verge of tears.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know what’s happening.”
“Just tell me.”
“Okay,” she took a deep breath,” Me and Melissa were coming home from Kim’s house and we thought we saw another car coming toward us on the one lane road, so I pulled over to let them pass. The lights didn’t move much, so I went on, then the lights went over us.”
“So it was a helicopter or something.”
“No, no, it was this thing. It was big and barely humming and it followed us home.” She sounded genuinely terrified, “And it’s still here!” He voice broke and I heard her tears even through the phone.
“Honey, I think you’re okay.”
“No, it’s in the air over the field across the road.”
“Aw that is so cool!”
“It’s not cool! I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”
“So it’s still there.”
“Yes.”
“And you can clearly see it?”
“Yes.” I’m pretty sure she was shaking at this point.
“Okay, I’ll hop in my truck and be there as soon as I can.”
“No!” She sounded quite startled, “Don’t get off the phone. Mom’s not home and I need to talk to you.”
“But I want to see it.
“Please don;t get off the phone, Leighton.”
“Fine,” I said depressingly, “How many pictures have you taken?”
“I haven’t taken any.”
“You what? Get a camera, quick, before it goes away.”
“I want it to go away.”
“Well, it probably will if you take pictures of it. Please take pictures.”
“What’s wrong with you? I don’t want to take a picture of it.”
“Well, you should.”
“The camera’s broken.”
“Then get the video camera. What’s it doing now?”
“It’s just floating there and I can see people inside of it.”
“You can see inside it?”
“There’s like windows on the side.”
“Are you sure it’s not a blimp?”
“It’s not a blimp. Do you think I’m stupid?”
“Well, you’re not taking pictures of the UFO across from you house so . . . uh . . .” I decided it was best to probably not finish that.
“Make it go away, Leighton.”
“I’m pretty sure I can’t do that.”
“Mom’s pulling in the driveway finally. I’ll call you back.”
“Tell her to take pictures, or video!” It was too late, the line already clicked off. Neither of them tried to record the incident at all.
Later when Chrisie and I spoke again (and after I calmed down from my anger about them not even trying to get a picture or video of it), I reminded her that we are near a large military base. It could have been anything.
The community in her area buzzed about the sighting the next day. Many saw the same thing and their recollections were similar as to the shape and colors of the craft. Dozens of people appear to have seen it. But not me.
I guess it’s just one of the great ironies of life. If you really, really want something, it probably won’t happen for you, but it will happen for just about everybody around you.
The greater irony is that someday I may get to see something strange and unidentified, but I’ll probably be the only one. People believe my wife when she tells her story as I would like to think my friends would believe any sincere story we shared with one another. And they would believe each other. But probably not me.
Stories Now Told 
It’s alright. If you had been there, it probably would’ve been some random thing that you actually knew what it was, and ruined it for everyone. And you probably would’ve walked away even more disappointed.