The U.F.O.

This bizarre vessel is situated along North Carolina Highway 12 - on the barrier island of Hatteras; which is really just a large sandbar. Supposedly, this saucer like structure had found residence in the Outer Banks, ever since a Finnish architect breathed life into it, around 1968-69. It is actually called a Futuro. It was intended as a minimalist home. This particular unit had initially been used as a vacation home by the original owners.



A few years ago I'd passed by it on a previous foray into the Outer Banks. It wasn't open and I planned on stopping back before heading north. Somehow it was forgotten.

This time after zooming past it, I wheeled back around, making sure not to overlook the unidentified flying object once again. The door was open this time. Along with the presence of the owner - Leroy.



This cat Leroy ... now he is a character. He hangs out at the ship in the afternoons selling shirts and talking to visitors. Sometimes he even dons the space suit and mask sitting in front of the space ship and messes with people.

Somehow we arrived at a conversation of our wild days in the military. We were in similar eras. He went on about how crazy things always happened in the service, especially those of us who abused substances. He was incredibly humorous, how he went on about situations while half laughing and talking simultaneously with a hippyish demeanor.

The best story he told me was about his days in the South American jungles blowing up cocaine factories. He emphatically described to me how they screwed up the first time; they were down-wind of the factory when it blew up! Leroy exclaimed, " Dude, we were freebasing! When we finally, once again, became coherent - no one remembered anything from the previous four hours."