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e at a very high speed。 The receiver records it at the same high speed and then slows the tape down again to play it back。 Our entities are like those radio receivers； playing back the message at slow speeds until they hit upon a speed we can interpret。
The entities also foul up in other ways。 They arrive in clothes that are out of style； or not yet in style。 Their vehicles are out of date。 If they use slang； they might e up with archaic terms like 〃twenty…three Skidoo〃 or 〃hubba hubba。〃 The poor bastards not only fail to understand who or what they are； but also where they are or what time period they're in。 Some of these mistakes seem intentional and have some allegorical purpose。 But others seem to be just。。。 mistakes。
This brings us to one of the most puzzling contact stories in my files。
At 1：15 A。M。 on the morning of Sunday； December 10； 1967； a young college student from Adelphi； Maryland； was driving home alone outside of Washington； D。C。 As he was crossing the then…partially pleted cutoff on Interstate 70； leading from Route 40 to Route 29； he saw a large object on the road directly ahead。 At first he thought it was a tractor…trailer jackknifed across the road。 Then he realized it was a bone…white reflective object shaped like an egg and standing on four legs。 As he pulled to a stop a few feet from the object he could make out two figures standing next to the thing。 Their appearance terrified him。
One of the men walked to his car with a broad grin on his face。 He was about five feet ten； wore light blue coveralls； thick…soled boots or shoes； and he had a ruddy or suntanned plexion with large eyes 〃like thyroid eyes。〃 The grin remained fixed on his face throughout the episode。
〃Do not be afraid of me；〃 he said several times in an audible voice。 His name； he said； was Vadig。 He spoke with Tom； the witness； for several minutes； asking ordinary questions about where he was from； where he was going； what he did； etc。
Finally he said pointedly； 〃I'll see you in time；〃 and walked back to the object。 A small door opened and a metal ladder folded down。 A hand reached out and helped Vadig aboard； then the thing rose silently into the air and disappeared。 Tom told his three roommates about the encounter； but they didn't take him seriously so he didn't mention it to anyone else。
Tom was working his way through school by serving as a waiter part…time in a chain of restaurants in the D。C。 area He had not mentioned this to Vadig。 But one Sunday night in early February 1968； Vadig entered the restaurant where he was working and sat at one of his tables。 Vadig was now wearing a conventional suit with a black outer coat。
〃Do you remember me？〃 Vadig asked。
〃I sure do。〃 Tom answered； very surprised。 They exchanged a few words and Tom brought him a cup of coffee。
〃My presence here would be detrimental to the family trade；〃 Vadig said at one point with a chuckle。
He asked Tom if he would be willing to meet with him the following Sunday。 Tom agreed and Vadig left the restaurant。
〃I'll see you in time；〃 he promised。
After work the next Sunday； a waitress drove Tom home and dropped him off。 As she pulled away； a big black car with its lights out glided from the shadows and halted at the curb。 Mr。 Vadig called out to Tom。 Another man was in the car。 Tom later recalled only that he wore a gray coat； had black hair； and never spoke。 Tom got into the car。
〃It was a very old Buick；〃 he reported。 〃But it was very well kept。 It looked brand…new。 It even smelled brand…new。〃
They drove for about thirty minutes to a remote spot on a back road in Maryland。 When Tom got out of the car he was astonished to see the egg…shaped object waiting for them。 He was put into a circular room containing nothing but a couple of bucket seats and a gray TV screen。 Vadig and his panion disappeared into another part of the ship。
After a few minutes the TV screen came alive； the object shuddered； and Tom watched the image of the earth receding to a tiny speck on the screen。 Three or four hours passed。 He was still dressed in his waiter's uniform and did not have a watch。 But it seemed like hours before another planet appeared on the screen； grew larger； and then the craft landed with a thump。
The young waiter found himself in a place not too unlike the earth。 He and Vadig got into a wheelless vehicle that traveled along a kind of trough。
〃This is Lanulos；〃 Vadig announced with pride in his voice。
He repeated the name several times so it would stick in Tom's memory。
Their vehicle traveled through a large city with low； flat buildings and signs written in some kind of Oriental…looking characters。 The people； male and female； were all nude。
〃There were some real lookers there； too；〃 Tom mented。
After the tour； they returned to the egg…shaped craft and took off again。 Tom sat alone in the same circular room watching the television screen for hours。 Finally they arrived back on earth at the same place from which they had left。 Tom； Vadig； and the silent man returned to the old Buick and drove for about thirty minutes until they reached his apartment house。
〃I'll see you in time；〃 Vadig declared； then the car drove off。
Tom ran into his apartment； determined to wake up his roommates and tell them of his adventure。 He found they were sitting up； waiting for him。 But what amazed him most was the clock on the wall。 The waitress had dropped him off around midnight。 Now it was only 1：30 A。M。 The whole trip； including the thirty…minute rides to and from the UFO； had taken less than two hours！
His excitement and bewilderment were real and his roommates took him seriously this time。
A month later； Woodrow Derenberger visited Washington and appeared on a number of talk shows。 Tom was sleeping when one of his roommates burst into his bedroom exclaiming； 〃Tom； there's a guy on the radio talking about Lanulos！〃
All four were flabbergasted to hear Woody describe experiences very similar to Tom's。 They called the radio station and spoke to him after the program。
By sheer coincidence； I was in Washington at the time and agreed to go with Woody when he interviewed the young man。 But I sternly warned Derenberger and his wife not to ask any leading questions。 Naturally； I suspected the whole thing was some kind of put…on。 Either Tom and Woody were in cahoots； or Tom； who was a psychology major； was working on a paper about the gullible UFO buffs； I thought。
It quickly became apparent that Tom and his roommates were quite sincere。 They were too involved in their studies to read UFO literature and； in any case； some of the details in Tom's story could not be found in any of the superficial UFO lore。 I finally had to conclude Tom was on the level。 He was not looking for publicity and I decided I would not write up his story。
However； Woody told others about him （I think even Woody was surprised by such direct confirmation of his own experiences） and some Washington UFO enthusiast