Backroads, 1978
Carrie Houghton
My father’s deep voice carries into the kitchen where I’m stirring the potatoes. “Clara! The news is acting funny.”
I release a quick sigh, and hurry into the living room. I lay a bowl of peanuts on the TV stand adjacent to his wheelchair and perch on the arm of the sofa to assess the problem.
The channel is flickering so I move forward to adjust the rabbit ears. As the sound clarifies, I hear, “And yet another UFO sighting, this one closer to home. Carl Johnston has the story.”
“The family members of missing amateur pilot Thomas Cooper were hoping that the tapes just released from the FAA would aid in their search. But the tapes left them with more questions than answers.”
THOMAS COOPER: “What is that above me?”
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL: “I’m looking at t
