Last weeks UFO sightings in and near Stevenville, TX made me think of a story I wrote last year about visitors from other worlds.

The people of Stevenville are just the next bunch of people all over the world who have been seeing things in the sky for thousands of years. It happened her in Roswell in 1947. The July 4th anniversary of the ‘47 crash is celebrated with a festival here each year. I wrote this short essay just before last years 60th anniversary party. Those “in the know” say an increase of sightings happen every 60 or so years so maybe the new Texas sightings are part of this phenomenon.

Every 60 years the sightings of strange craft in the sky are reported in an increased number. In 1947 a strange craft crashed near Roswell and much controversy surrounds it. The crash was one of thousands of sightings in the sky seen that year world wide. More than any other year in the 20th century. They say the sightings have increased this year and some say the visitors from far away will come to our town but I don’t believe them. The visitors don’t like crowds and the UFO Festival is expected to get crowded this year.
Don’t ask how I know their distaste of crowds. I promised I wouldn’t tell.
I can tell some of what I learned last night but I must be vague. I don’t want to mess anything up.
Early autumn of 1887 was cool at Peter Hewitt’s farm. With 1800 acres of healthy hemp growing in the fields he knew the next year would be good. The money the crop would bring would pay off the farm as well as give plenty for living for at least a year.
Peter sat in front of the fire turning one of Edison’s light bulb over and over in his hands. He wanted to figure out how a bulb could burn cooler so it wouldn’t go out so quickly. The incadescent bulbs had a filament for fuel and they quickly burned it up. There had to be a better way.
His wife was in the kitchen cooking dinner. The smells of carrots and potatoes blending with the squirrel and spices made his mouth water. Anna made the best squirrel stew. His friend Rudolf was napping in the chair across from him.His arrival from Germany this afternoon was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. The journey had left him exhausted so Peter let him sleep. Jake, Pete’s golden retriever, slept on the floor between the 2 men. His nose twitched and his paws moved as he chased a dream rabbit through the fields.
Peter was warm, the mood was calm and he soon dozed off. The sounds of the pots clanging in the kitchen was like a lullaby. Peace was in the house but it wouldn’t last long.
Suddenly Jake sat up growling. Hewitt woke from his nap A rumbling motor sound filled the air and a bright light burst through the windows. The roaring sound died suddenly and all that was left was a humming sound and the light. Jake ran to the door barking furiously. Pete got up and raced to the door curious of who would make such a racket at this hour.
Throwing the door open he felt Jake rush past him only to turn around in fear. He ran crying past Peter, up the stairs to hide behind the bed in the master bedroom. Keening and shuddering he acted as if he had seen his own ghost.
With Rudy following him Peter went out onto the porch. A huge sphere made of a shiny metal with lighted tubes crisscrossing the exterior was sitting in the pasture. It stood at least 50 foot tall and seemed to glow from the reflection of the lights on the shiny surface.
A door opened in the lower part of the ball and 6 men stepped out. Dressed in suits made of a weird shiny material with the collars pulled high. Low brimmed hats helped the collars hide the mens faces. The formed a wedge like formation . 1 in front, 2 behind him with the other three.following the leaders.
Sensing no danger Peter greeted them warmly. Inviting them to dinner was natural for this humble hemp farmer. The men politely refused and told them there really wasn’t time. They had noticed the hemp fields and since hemp fueled their craft would like to aquire some to make it home. Peter wondered aloud what his return would be.
The leader replied “Knowledge that will make you prosper.”
Without waiting for the OK the 5 men in the rear went to the hemp fields and began pulling plants. In no time they had harvested at least 2 acres, probably more. Stuffing the plants inside a hopper built into the bottom of the sphere they waved the two men towards the lighted craft.
Rudy looked into the hopper. Watching the oil being extracted from the stalks and seeds he noticed the pulp was being dissolved in a smelly liquid. Watching the simple process he somehow absorbed some kind of knowledge. His face was filled with wonder.
Meanwhile Peter was examining the lighted tubes. Some kind of glass surrounded gasses that were burning from an unseen spark. The tubes were connected by metal boxes that were producing the humming sound.The amazement on his face rivaled the look on Rudolf’s.
The man from the craft admonished the men not to ever tell of the visit. If spoken of to anyone the knowledge would disappear and the promised success would never come.
The craft suddenly roared and disappeared into the night sky. The men returned to the house where Anna was laying the good china on the table. With rumbling tummies the men sat to a wonderful meal. Neither uttered a word until after the apple pie with fresh whipped cream was finished. Rudolf praised Anna’s fine meal and excused himself to go to bed.
Thats all I will tell you of what was revealed to me. I hope my vagueness was sufficient.
In 1891 Rudolf Diesel patented the Diesel engine in Germany. The prototype ran on hemp fuel.
Shortly after that Peter Cooper Hewitt patented the flourescent light.
In 1947, some 60 years later there were many visitors in our atmosphere. Some obviously landed and interacted with humans.
The first computers were being patented in the very early 1950’s.

Stumble it!