Unidentified

Unidentified

Josh ran up to me. “I saw a UFO!” Then he doubled over, breathless.

I dropped my rake. The leaves could wait.

“What? Where?”

He pointed down the street. “At Wilbur’s house. Just now.” He still panted for breath.

“What did it look like? Flying saucer? Big aliens coming out of the spaceship?” I needed to know if this was true. But had to walk the two blocks to find out.

“Didn’t you see it land? Honestly Maria, it made a huge noise.”

“I had earbuds in, listening to an audiobook. Stephen King. Tell me, so what does it look like?”

His eyes widened. Then a whisper, “Like something from a movie, you know the one. All yellow and bulgy and blowing in the wind as it landed.” Josh turned, tried to find it again.

“What movie? Geesh, Josh. Let’s go find your UFO.” I grabbed his arm, practically dragged him down the sidewalk.

At the house, we found Wilbur puttering in his yard. His gnarled hand on his cane, he poked some weeds.

“Hey, Wilbur. Josh says there was a UFO in your yard a few moments ago.”

Wilbur stopped moving. “UFO? Well, Maria, can’t say I saw one. What did it look like?” He leaned on that cane.

I poked Josh. “Umm. It was like something from a movie, you know the one. All yellow and bulgy and blowing in the wind as it landed.” Josh turned, tried to find it again.

A repeat of what he just told me. Wilbur eyed Josh. “Is this what you saw?” He pointed with his cane to a yellow tarp caught in a tree. Josh stood staring at the tree.

“Let’s go, Josh. I think you’re off your meds.” We walked back to my yard.

Wilbur smiled as the tarp landed.