My UFO story began at about 10:00 pm on the hot Saturday night of August 24, 2019. I was driving along a quiet rural road with farms and fields on either side, coming home from a yard party at the home of a friend in Peotone, Illinois (about 45 miles southwest of Chicago). I had a nice time at the party—and I was proud that I did it without drinking. I had just gotten my driving license back after dealing with two-and-a-half years of state-imposed BS resulting from a DUI. Illinois has the most extreme, over-the-top penalties for driving with a little alcohol in your blood. Although I thought the penalties were excessive—costing me many thousands of dollars and much disruption to my life—I knew that I would never drink and drive anymore. It was definitely not worth it. In fact, I was trying to stop drinking completely. But I had to frequently fight the temptations. So I planned on going home and watching a movie, if I could find one that was any good, before going to bed. A rather boring but safe Saturday night.

 

That’s what I was planning. But space aliens had other plans for me that night. I want you to know that what I’m about to tell you is true. I vividly recall the details, and my senses were not clouded by alcohol. I know for certain that I really experienced all these things just as I describe them.

 

A huge black cylindrical spaceship

 

As I was driving down the dark rural road, my eyes detected something ahead that was so odd and unexpected that my brain could not comprehend or process it. I had to stop the car, stare at the thing, and try to make out what the hell it was.

 

 

Approximately 200 feet in front of me was a huge black cylinder seemingly hovering about 20 feet above the street. It looked something like a gigantic black coffee can, or maybe a cut log, and it was emitting a low humming sound. The bottom of the “can” spanned across both sides of the street for a long way, so that the street, by comparison, was like the width of a narrow ribbon. Blue and green lights spread all around the edge of the bottom, and a bluish-yellowish glow illuminated the ground beneath the cylinder. The dark sides of the cylinder stretched up into the starry sky, and I could barely make out the top as I looked upward out my windshield. There appeared to be a couple rows of windows encircling the cylinder near the top, but it was hard to see clearly. The only illumination of the sides was provided by the moonlight and my headlights. The whole thing had a heavy, profound, dark, ominous look to it.

 

But I was more fascinated than frightened, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I vaguely recalled seeing something like this on one of those UFO shows on cable a couple years before. Was this really a UFO—an alien spaceship? I had never been sure what to make of those shows. As a scientifically minded person and someone who has always been enthusiastic about space travel, I always wanted to believe in UFOs. However, I had never seen one before. This had to be one! What else could it be?

 

I looked around to see if there was anyone else who was seeing this, but I was the only car on the road. There were no houses on this stretch of the road either. Just farmland and weedy fields. I apparently was the only person seeing this thing at that moment.

 

I decided to move closer. As I slowly approached the cylinder, I could make out strange symbols on the sides, almost like hieroglyphics, and the sides appeared to have a rough texture. The glow at the bottom seemed to grow brighter, and the hum grew louder. I pulled over to the shoulder of the road and stopped the car about 50 feet from the cylinder. Then I stepped out of the car to get a better look and to try to take some photos with my phone. I had a cheap cell phone that didn’t take very good pictures in dim light, but I needed to try to record this.

 

An overwhelming feeling of awe came over me as I stood on the street in front of this massive object, which I knew was probably a spaceship from some distant star. There had to be aliens in there watching me! I suddenly became intensely frightened. Would they hurt me in some way? I decided to take a couple quick pictures, get back in my car, and drive out of there as quickly as possible. Because I didn’t want to continue on my way home by driving under the ship, I was going to go back to my friend’s house and tell her about it.

 

I held up my phone to take the photos. I snapped three shots. Then I adjusted the zoom setting to try to get in the whole ship. That’s when I felt a weird tingling sensation throughout my whole body, and everything went black.

 

Reptile aliens

 

When I regained consciousness and opened my eyes, I found myself inside the ship, staring straight into the face of a green-and-purple reptilian humanoid. I didn’t know how I got there. I will call the reptile creature a “he,” though I don’t know if that gender designation is accurate. He was standing over me as I sat in a hard silver chair, looking down at me with what seemed like great interest and intelligence in his large golden eyes with slit-like pupils—eyes that reminded me of my cat. He resembled a big bipedal lizard, standing about seven feet tall, but with a wide bulbous head and no tail. And he wore a gold-colored uniform that was cut like a tunic or short dress. Long bell-shaped sleeves covered both arms, and the skirt reached about half-way down the two legs. He wore no footwear. His hands and feet each had four long clawed digits. His teeth all looked like short sharp fangs. He looked dangerous—but he seemed friendly.

 

 

As he stared at me, he emitted a continual low purring sound, which occasionally rose sharply in frequency and intensity. Then I noticed two other tunic-clad lizards off to the side, and I realized that the one in front of me was communicating with them, apparently sharing his observations of me. I wondered what they were saying and thinking. It occurred to me that I did not feel particularly worried or nervous—and I thought that was strange, considering that I was alone with these bizarre alien creatures. For some reason, I felt quite calm with them, as well as very curious about them and their ship. Where were they from? What were they doing here? What did they want from me? I had questions, but I did not sense danger.

 

I noticed that the large round room I was in was rather dimly lit, though bright enough for my eyes to see that it was equipped with complex-looking machinery and instruments. They looked like the types of devices that science-fiction movies usually show inside spaceships. On the walls were large screens displaying images that I could not identify and text that I could not read.

 

Unexpectedly, the reptile man reached out and touched my left arm with his long, cold fingers. I was initially startled and confused by the touch, before realizing that he was gently directing me to stand. I did, and then I saw that he was directing me to follow him as he walked over to one of the screens on the wall. It was clear that he wanted to show me something, something that might answer my questions. We stopped in front of the screen, which was about six feet wide, and I watch as the video presentation began.

 

I saw unfamiliar images and I heard weird sounds, similar to the sounds made by the aliens. This was apparently a narrated video. I should not have been able to understand it, because the pictures and the language were alien. Yet, as I watched the images of creatures, machines, ships, buildings, landscapes, planets, and stars, the story became perfectly clear and made perfect sense to me.

 

Their story

 

The reptile spacemen came from a hot rainforest-dominated planet orbiting a sunlike star that is about 40 light years away in the constellation Bootes. They call their planet a name that sounds something like “Gilmustea.” Their civilization is highly advanced and enlightened. They have faster-than-light propulsion systems (don’t ask me how they work), with which they have explored the Milky Way galaxy for centuries. The main purposes of their explorations are related to scientific and sociological research. Upon making first contact, they initially approach the newly encountered species with great caution, typically “beaming” (as in Star Trek) a few individuals on board their ships—all from different parts of the planet—and casually observing and studying them for a short while. They then release the individuals and continue their studies of the planet remotely via electronic means, before they return later for more detailed examinations and evaluations of the planet’s inhabitants. During each visit, the aliens seek to minimize the number of people on the planet who notice their presence. Eventually, after several decades, if they believe that the planet is “ready,” they formally introduce themselves to the planet’s people (including government leaders) with the objective of welcoming the planet into their interplanetary “federation”—again, just like Star Trek!

 

 

For Earth, the Gilmustean aliens were at the first step of the process, beginning casual observations of a few randomly selected individuals beamed aboard the ship. I was one of these individuals. Based on the information I absorbed from the video, they apparently had a few other Earthlings in other rooms on the ship at the same time—people that they had picked up from other locations. But I never saw these people, so I was not sure they were on board. The aliens sought to gather some basic behavioral and biological data on us—though I, fortunately, did not get subjected to any scary probing, surgery, or tissue sampling. With me, they seemed primarily interested in my behavioral and psychological reactions to what was happening to me. They planned to keep me and the others aboard for a few hours, then beam us back to the exact sites from which we had been “abducted.” Following that, they planned to leave and remotely monitor us and the rest of the planet. It was not clear to me at the time how they intended to do that, other than through some electronic system of receiving video and audio transmissions. I believe that one of the goals of their remote monitoring is to gauge how we react to our alien encounters over time, as well as to study how our fellow humans react to our stories of alien encounters.

 

Further experiences on ship

 

After my brain somehow absorbed this information from the video presentation, I followed my Gilmustean guide into a small elevator-type room, which shot upward to another floor. The door opened, revealing a breathtaking sight as I stepped out onto the floor. The walls were clear glass, and I was surprised to see that we were in space, surrounded by stars. I had not even noticed that the ship had flown away from the position where I first saw it, just above the street. We were now out in space, far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. I recognized Earth out the window, as a small blue and white orb that was about half in shade. Then I saw the surface of the moon out the window at the other side of the ship. We appeared to be in lunar orbit. We must have rocketed from Earth to the moon in a matter of minutes! This was such an awesome revelation to me that I could barely believe it. Was I dreaming? No, I wasn’t. This was really happening!

 

My guide seemed to enjoy my obvious astonishment. I detected feelings of happiness and peace emanating from his mind into my mind, and I felt euphoric. I didn’t care if I ever returned to Earth again. I wanted to stay here in space, travel through the galaxy with these Gilmusteans, and learn all about the mysteries of the universe! But I could sense my guide letting me know that my wish would be impossible to grant. I was merely a temporary visitor, extremely fortunate to be randomly selected for this honor, and I would soon be sent back home.

 

Before I was returned, I was allowed to visit several other floors on the massive ship and observe numerous other crew members, guided by my ever-present escort, whose name was revealed to me as “Cinatus.” This was Cinatus’s job—a guide, or escort, for individuals visiting the ship from other planets. Other crew members that I saw seemed to be engaged in all manner of work, interacting with various machines and instruments and with each other. I saw what I guessed were technicians, engineers, scientists, doctors, cooks (I had no idea what they eating, but I don’t think it was people), and other ship personnel. If the ship had a “captain,” I was not introduced to him or her. Maybe the ship functioned like a collective, with no obvious leader.

 

The Gilmusteans physically all appeared to be identical to me, though their uniform colors varied. I was unable to distinguish “male” from “female,” and I wondered if perhaps they were all genderless or hermaphroditic. I never found out if that possibility was true.

 

Back on Earth

 

After my tour of the ship was complete, I was informed—in the same mysterious unspoken way that other information was conveyed to me—that it was time for me to go back to Earth. I did not try to ask how that would be accomplished, assuming that the same Star Trek-like beaming process that brought me on board the alien ship would also send me back to Earth’s surface.

 

Before I left, Cinatus looked at me and transferred thoughts suggesting that I should tell other people about my experiences and insights, including the fact that the Gilmusteans would return. He also indicated to me that Earthlings could have a wonderful future of peace, joy, and discovery if they more carefully balanced their intellect with their emotions. But, he further indicated, that good future was not guaranteed. He then shook my hand, just as a human would do as a friendly goodbye gesture.

 

He directed me to sit back in the silver chair and close my eyes. I followed his instructions, I felt the whole-body tingling sensation again, and I temporarily lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was sitting inside my car on the shoulder of the road, and the ship was gone. I immediately remembered everything that had happened, and I knew it had really happened. But I was disoriented regarding time. It was still dark out, and I looked for my phone to get the time. I found it in my pants’ pocket. Hey, how did it get there? The last I had thought of the phone was when I was taking pictures of the ship before I was beamed aboard. While I was on the ship, I didn’t even think of the phone, I was so overwhelmed by everything.

 

The phone showed the time to be about 3:00 am, early Sunday morning, August 25, 2019. That meant that about five hours had passed since I first saw the ship hovering above the road. I anxiously looked at my phone’s gallery for the photos I had taken. But they were all black! Three totally black images. No ship could be seen. The light must have been too dim. Damn cheap phone!

 

Despite my disappointment in having no pictures, I drove home in a state of wonder and euphoria. I couldn’t sleep the rest of that night, obviously. Instead, I spent the night sending out text messages to just about everyone on my contact list about what happened. I was especially eager to tell the people from the Peotone party about it. The next morning, I received only a couple responses, from my two closest friends, both of whom, I could sense, were doubtful of my sobriety, sanity, and honesty. They seemed to think I was making some kind of weird joke. The other people I had texted did not bother to reply, perhaps because they were confused by my messages.

 

I phoned my two close friends to give them more details and try to convince them of the reality of my story. They both did their best to humor me and assure me that they believed me, but I could tell that they were puzzled regarding why I was making up this strange story. They asked to see photos. I told them I had none. They said, “Ohhh… That’s too bad.”

 

Over the next couple days, I searched the Web for recent news reports about UFOs in my area—and in other regions of the world. I found a couple local reports about strange lights in the sky, but nothing about a giant cylindrical spaceship beaming people aboard. Wow, I had hoped that other people would have noticed the huge ship hovering over the rural fields, and that they would have told reporters about it. But apparently not. I found that amazing. Perhaps in their cautious initial contact, the aliens have some way of “blinding” people other than their intended abductees to their presence. Worldwide, I could find no news reports that mirrored my experience either. What about those other people who were beamed aboard? Perhaps there were no other people beamed aboard that night except me. Or perhaps they were too embarrassed or frightened to tell their stories. Maybe they were from countries where such “subversive” stories could land them in prison.

 

I called the local Joliet newspaper and the two major Chicago papers to talk to reporters about my experience. All three papers treated me like a crank caller. I even called the Will County police. One officer actually came out to my house and jotted down some notes, as she forced herself not to laugh. She then left, and I never heard from the cops again. What were they to do, after all? It’s not like there was some crime to investigate.

 

Finally, in what I saw as my only option, I contacted a prominent UFO organization—Mutual UFO Network (MUFON)—and I emailed them my story. They responded with what seemed to be sincere interest, but the only action they took was to file away my report with the hundreds of other reports they get every year about UFO sightings and abductions.

 

 

I found this lack of action and the general lack of interest and belief in my story to be extremely discouraging, depressing, and frustrating. I wondered if the Gilmusteans were aware of this negative reaction. They must know about it, because they had informed me that they were going to monitor me, though I did not understand how.

 

Then one day, about two months after my alien experience, I was looking in the mirror as I was applying isopropyl alcohol to a scratch on my forehead (left there by my playful and overly energetic kitten). I happened to feel a tiny bump near the scratch. Using my fingers to feel it more carefully, I could determine that there was a thin, flat, round metallic device just under the skin, measuring about one-eighth of an inch in diameter. And it suddenly occurred to me that this was the alien monitoring device! I had no idea how they put it in there. It must contain a microphone, video camera, and transmitter. I bet it can even monitor my body physiology—things like heart rate and levels of various chemicals in the blood. It records these data and transmits the information through space to the aliens—probably though some technologically advanced wave system that moves faster than light.

 

How it has affected me

 

My UFO experience has deeply affected me, psychologically and philosophically.

 

I now know we are not alone. It is wonderful to know with certainty that there are other intelligent creatures out there in space. Earth is not the only planet with life. I am greatly privileged to have this knowledge. Yes, I have the answer to a question that people have been wondering about for thousands of years.

 

I feel profoundly connected to the universe, and I feel like I have friends out there. I never feel lonely or alone anymore—and I used to have those feelings a lot. I even feel protected in some way—like I have my own personal body guard. I have a tiny tracking device inside my head, but I’m not concerned about any invasion of my privacy. I met these space aliens, and I know that they are not evil or malicious—like, for example, the U.S. government or Amazon’s Alexa spying device. I know that I have nothing to fear from them, and I long to see them again. They seem to possess so much intelligence, wisdom, empathy, and love! And my close encounter with the Gilmusteans allowed me to achieve a certain comfort and peace of mind that had always been elusive for me. This has finally and permanently erased all my temptations to drink alcohol.

 

So now I go about my daily activities, but I am always wondering. Will the Gilmusteans come back for me for further study? Will I see them again if they come back for others? Will they reveal any more information to me? Will I live to see them announce their existence to Earth as a whole?

 

I will wait and see what happens. That’s all I can do.

 

What an amazing universe!