kce

‘If you want,’ I said vaguely, but it wasn’t that cold. I was trying to
anticipate what our next ‘session’ would be about, and deciding where I
should begin my story.
I listened to the sounds coming from the lounge room, and Wendy’s
banging around reminded me of the noises that my husband used to make
when he was lighting a fire. He was always cold. He needed a fire going all
the time. When I made this seemingly innocent connection, I realised
where I needed to begin.
I set the coffee down, rearranged the ashtrays, and looked at the
kitchen clock. We had roughly an hour before the kids had to go to bed.
‘Are you all set?’ I asked.
‘Yes. I’ve got a fresh tape.’
We sat down.
‘I gave you some background about myself, a bit about my religious
beliefs and how they were woven into my lifestyle, and I told you a little
about my husband. Now I want to tell you about something that happened
to me in July 1993, about a month before the main encounter.
‘This was the first thing that occurred in this house and which, at the
time, I clearly regarded as being supernatural. Later, as the whole picture
started to fall into place, I linked it to UFOs. But even when it happened,
without thinking about UFOs at all, it was unquestionably strange. This is
as good a place as any to start.’
‘I’m all ears,’ she said cheerily.
‘Before I tell you this, however, I feel the need to explain something.
It’s simply this — when these things happened to me, I was a Christian, a
“true believer”. Christianity has nothing to do with UFOs, I know, but I
either tell you the story in its proper context, as I perceived it at the time, or
I remove all reference to religion and give you the potted version. Which
would you prefer?’
‘Give it to me straight, as you lived it.’
‘Thank you. Because if I filter it, much of the story will make no
sense. You simply won’t be able to understand my reactions to things. If it
sounds crazy to you at times, or it offends you, then remember that you
have chosen the more intimate and honest version.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ she said.
I relaxed somewhat, and began the story.