YES, I AM STILL HERE peeking out my window on Main Street, and while doing a bit of research for another article this past weekend, I came across a Mine Creek Revelations column in which I wrote about going to Foreman, Ark., for the memorial service of one of my college roommates.
His name was Joseph Taaffe Rice and he was in law school when we met.
He was an Air Force veteran. After a year or so, Joe gave up on law school and moved back to Foreman where he taught school and raised blueberries. We stayed in touch for a few years.
He was responsible for flipping my doubting mind about UFOs.
Sometime back in the 1980s Joe, along with another Little River County guy named Jim Williamson, and hundreds of their neighbors saw something in the night sky. Jim was owner and editor of the ‘Little River News,’ so we were friends personally and professionally.
Joe and Jim knew OF each other, but weren’t close friends. Plus, their own sightings were miles apart — Joe’s near Foreman and Jim’s near Ashdown.
They saw the UFO on two consecutive nights. Jim, being a good newspaperman, jumped in his car and drove ahead of the UFO’s path in an effort to get pictures. But it was at night so the pics weren’t so good. Still, because he was so believable he got invited to speak at a UFO convention of believers several times in ensuing years.
After the sightings were in the news I called both of my friends to tease them about seeing a UFO. Neither of them took teasing very well on this subject and I took note.
While in the Air Force, Joe had supervised loading of cargo aboard large aircraft. So, he wasn’t an amateur at estimating size, altitude and characteristics of an aircraft.
He very seriously described what he saw. It glided low; it was about the size of a football field; was flat black in color; triangular in shape.
Jim described it the same way.
I asked about the sound. Each said that there was little or no sound. Maybe a low moaning.
For the life of me I cannot remember if either of my buddies said anything about lights.
Is the hair on the back of your neck standing up, yet?
These were very believable citizens, so I am no longer a doubter. Both friends are gone now, so they really know the truth.
There are some things we Earthlings just don’t yet know. I try to keep an open mind.
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CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING FIRST, and then Christmas is just around the corner.
Downtown Nashville looks great with the trees attached to light poles. And the big tree is NOT in the middle of the street.
Thanks to Diamond Bank for permitting the Pumpkin Patch earlier and, now, the Christmas tree on that property.
That tree is not honest-to-goodness REAL like back in the days when the tree was transplanted from the woods to the middle of Main Street in the heart of downtown Nashville.
That tree always got whacked by some inattentive driver. Seemslike it was even ripped down one year.
A couple of years ago the chamber of commerce asked folks to bring leftover and old artificial trees, the pieces of which were assembled into one large tree. But I think this is no longer a tree of leftovers.
Anyway.
We’re anticipating the Cross Point Cowboy Church Living Nativity, and First National Bank is getting ready to host the first Christmas Community Coffee of the season. There’s the parade, and the Open House at the museums.
And there are still more wonderful community coffees to come.
Sorry, I almost forgot Christmas and Candlelight in Historic Old Washington.
So, no matter how much Thanksgiving turkey and dressing you consumed we’re rolling in the direction of Christmas.
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THINGS I LEARNED from opening (and believing) email: “MOSQUITO — An insect that makes you hate houseflies less.
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WORD GAMES. I really love oxymorons. Like: The Razorback football game against the Texas Longhorns got Pretty Ugly in the second half.
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HE SAID: “I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.” Jon Stewart, political commentator and comedian
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SHE SAID: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey, entertainer
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
