Night Lights

Aunt Essie was not the only one who saw the lights in the sky, she was just the only one who would talk about it.

Like a rainbow in motion! she exclaimed to my grandmother the morning after, Flickering like lightning bugs but all different colors! Nana frowned and poured Essie another cup of tea. And flying so fast, like a rocket ship, then it was just gone - poof! Nana wiped her hands on her apron and cut a generous slice of blueberry cobbler which she set in front of Essie along with a small pitcher of cream. Eat, she said sternly. And Essie ate but kept talking. Aunt Vi cleared her throat delicately and added sugar to her tea while Aunt Pearl stared in disbelief. What were they, Essie? she asked and my grandmother rapped the table sharply in disapproval. What were they? Essie repeated, Why, they were aliens, of course, what else? Aunt Pearl gasped and spilled her tea while Aunt Vi hid a smile and Nana sighed. Goodness, Pearl, Essie added with a matter of fact look, Don't you think I know a spaceship when I see one? This was too much for Aunt Vi and she fled, holding her napkin to her face and trying desperately to conceal her laughter. Aunt Essie seemed not to notice, concentrating on her tea and cobbler all the while explaining to Nana about how she had been awakened by the sounds of wings and the feel of the great light that was flooding her small bedroom. She had grabbed her shotgun and run to the front door in her nightclothes, prepared to shoot to kill if need be, and then she saw the lights and heard the ship hovering yards from her roof. Colored lights flashing like Christmas! she said with her arms spread wide, And bigger than any boat you've ever seen!

My grandmother took off her glasses and massaged her temples, a familiar gesture when she was trying to collect her thoughts. She withdrew a Kent 100 from the pack but didn't light it, just tapped it on the table. Essie, she finally said kindly, You had a dream. Essie pushed her tea away with an angry shove and crossed her arms over her chest. Did not, she fired back defiantly, It was a spaceship.

Now ,Essie, Aunt Pearl had regained her senses and composure, You know there's no such thing. Essie stamped her feet and repeated, I saw a spaceship, she repeated stubbornly, and that's all there is to it.

Aunt Vi returned to the table with fresh tea and a plate of oatmeal cookies. Have a cookie, dear, she said with a smile, You'll feel better.

Essie stood, tears welling in her eyes and her voice trembling. Don't make fun of me, she wailed, I saw it! And snatching a cookie, she ran out, the backdoor swinging shut behind her with a mighty slam that made Nana wince and woke the dogs from their morning nap. Aunt Vi shrugged and Aunt Pearl started clearing the table but my grandmother sat smoking with a thoughtful expression on her face. When I asked her what she was thinking, she
laughed and told me Nothing at all. But I think she was wondering if there might not be magic in the night skies. Essie's spaceship was never mentioned again that I heard but lots of people became sky watchers that summer and my grandmother was one of them.