17 July 2019 | Alien Abduction, UFOs, Your Stories, Your True Encounters
My close encounter with a UFO took place in rural Iowa, back in 1992. I can confidently categorize this object as a UFO, because this object was definitely flying, and I was then – and remain to this day – at at a complete loss as to how to identify it.
The object I observed was not one of those far away lights in the sky engaged in seemingly impossible maneuvers. No, this object passed slowly over my head at a height not much higher than nearby treetops. I stared directly at it for close to a minute.
To some, one short minute may not seem long enough to lend credibility to an eye witness account of a UFO. I totally get it, because I am as skeptical as anyone. But I am also not prone to exaggeration. A single minute is about the amount of time that transpired from the instant this object entered my peripheral vision, arrested my full attention, floated directly overhead and flew steadily and silently out of sight toward the opposite horizon.
I had just moved my family to a rented farmhouse in rural Maxwell, Iowa. It was one of those old houses built in the latter part of the 19th century. The house was still standing thanks to a series of patchwork renovations made over the past century. Also thanks to the fact the land owner decided to keep it as a rental property… We were it’s newest tenants.
The yard at our new rural home was large enough to justify the purchase of a riding lawn mower. I made arrangements with a man in nearby Altoona, Iowa to purchase one he had posted for sale. It was late afternoon, almost evening… a typical early autumn day. My 4-year old son was excited to go with his Daddy to pick up our new lawn mower.
We buckled ourselves into my little, silver-Mazda pickup – having a bed barely large enough to accommodate a riding lawn mower – and we made the 20 mile trip to the seller’s house in Altoona – mostly barren country roads the whole way.
The transaction went quickly, but by now, the sun had dipped below the horizon. Darkness was settling upon us, and a clear starry sky was taking shape overhead. We blocked the mower into the back and returned to the farmhouse – traveling the same country roads as before.
I enjoyed spending time with my young son. I was one of those dads who encouraged imagination and creative thought in his kids. I had a way of turning even the most mundane things into some kind of memorable adventure – like purchasing a lawn mower.
So, on this dark starry night, he and I traveled these country roads singing, and teasing and doing all those silly dad things that silly dads do… when suddenly, the engine in my little Mazda pickup just died.
I coasted slowly to the edge of the road and stopped. Like anyone, would do… I made several attempts to restart the vehicle… but there was nothing. Not even that hopeful cranking noise…. just the dreaded clicks. Even the headlights were going dim.
I instructed my son to stay in cab while I got out to open the hood and pretend to know what I was looking for. That’s when I saw it… or should I say “felt” it. While peering into the dark engine cavity of that mini truck, with the flimsy hood over head… I felt an odd sensation that something was in the starry sky above me.
I pulled my head out from under the hood and looked up and around. I thought I saw movement toward the northern horizon… just movement. No lights… No sound… just a black shadow moving in the black sky… I stared intently at the spot, not believing anything was really there. But something was there, and it was moving slowly and intentionally right toward us.
My son was still pumped up with all the artificial childhood excitement silly dads are know to ignite in their kids just before bedtime. He was chatting at me through the rolled down window, still in “silly mode.” – Meanwhile, dear old dad was not feeling silly and more… I was secretly frightened of what was happening overhead and on the ground.
I did not want to pass fear on to my son, so I said nothing to him about the mysterious object closing in on us. I placated his innocent silliness the best I could, at the same time prayng to Jesus Christ to protect us, and get us out of here!
I stared helplessly at the approaching shadow. Bracing myself for anything weird that might happen, but praying with all faith the and determination I could muster, that nothing was going to harm my son! Iwas standing my ground. Damn that thing, whatever it is!!!
I watched it approach. I took notice of my brain function, attempting to ascribe familiarity to this thing. I remember thinking, “This must be some guy flying a hang glider!” Yeah, that would explain it… But, do hang glide pilots fly over barren Iowa cornfields in total darkness, without lights?” – I don’t know, do they?
As it drew closer, my hope for it being a hang glider evaporated. I could not tell what it was, even though it drifted directly above me, and I stared at the entire time. It had no definite shape. It seemed to shift. I imagined seeing the familiar shape of a flying craft, but I can’t be sure. The only thing I am certain of is “black shadow.”
The same uncertainty applies to the sound it m.h made. If it made any sound at all, the sensation was barely evident. The sound was so discreet, I can’t say with certainty that I actually heard a sound, or just “felt” the soft whisper of a low, steady breeze that seemed to synchronize with its movement.
The object traveled in a straight line, barely above the height of nearby tree tops. I continued to watch it as it continued its slow, silent, straight line flight toward the south horizon – until it exceeded the limits of my vision.
Puzzled, but relieved, I closed the hood of my pickup and rejoined my son inside the cab. We prayed in Jesus Name to help our car start, and it started right up, as if nothing had happened.
We drove home and continued our silly Dad/son banter. Not until he was grown, did I him about that unidentified, dark, silent shadow that floated directly over our heads. Of course he remembers that night, but he just remembers how fun it was. He remembers thinking how cool it was that “Jesus fixed the truck!”
Submitted by Jon to weird Darkness and My Haunted Life Too
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