It was a real spacecraft, too
I must have been about 6 or 7 when my folks took me to the walk in theater in Norfolk to see "The Day the Earth Stood Still". I remember that night not only for the impact the movie made on me...but also for the impact my dad had with the sign in front of the hospital that said "Quiet, Hospital Zone". That impact became a legend in our family's history. He challenged me to a foot race up the sidewalk to our apartment house. I immediately took off in my best post toddler run, but I was no match for dad. In two strides he was at full speed and next to me taunting me on. In four strides he ran into the sign creating a resounding ring that I am sure was beyond what the hospital considered "QUIET".
The years have bleached out the memory some, but at some time shortly after seeing the movie, I saw a flying saucer out of the apartment window. It hovered outside the window then zoomed away. My parents assured me it was a vivid dream brought on by seeing the movie. I never accepted that in my little kid brain (the movie was in black and white and my UFO was in color!). But over the years my grown up brain realized they were probably right.
But from that point on, I have always wanted to see a UFO. Other people get to see them. Astronauts saw them. A former president of the USA saw one. People from all stations of life have seen them. Why not me? I studied the Blue Book, I read about all the sightings, crop circles, abductions, radar, pilots, and men in black. I have spent more than average number of nights awake and out of doors, a side benefit of my wandering days, but nary a one.
Then...a couple weeks ago on my way to work in the dark and cold...there it was...real life honest to gosh there it is no doubt about it glow in the dark huge and racing across the skies over the swirling epicenter...A UFO. Had to been over a hundred yards long. More than fifty yards wide. multicolored flashing lights trailing in a tail like NBC's "the more you know" thing. I was stoked. I stopped the car and watched in awe. I called my lady and told her to look out the window (she was too slow). After a few minutes of dumbstruckedness, the grown up mind started kicking in, convincing me that what I saw could be explained in purely logical ways. But it couldn't overcome the little kid mind that was jumping up and down with joy.
Later in the day the news station reported that the light show had been caused by the passing of a Russian spacecraft that came to earth in the four corners area. Well. Up to that point it had been a UFO. And it WAS a spacecraft. That night they had film from a Denver TV station that had captured the whole thing on a pretty high quality piece of tape. I watched and sighed and said, "Yeah, that's what I saw."
But for a few hours I was in possession of the fulfillment of a life time ambition...I saw a UFO...really...I did.