Let me preface this by saying that we live at the end of a dead-end (or cul-de-sac, if you prefer) street. We know the cars that go up and down on a regular basis. Our personal vehicles, the UPS driver (who likes to park down the street from my house and take his lunch hour pulled off by the woods), and a few people who can’t read the “No Outlet” sign that is posted at the beginning of our little rural street. Those people who can’t read usually end up driving to the end and making the circle only to head back down. People or things that don’t belong get noticed.

A few weeks ago I noticed a strange vehicle parked out in front of my house. I watched it for awhile and not much was happening. A man who was wearing a vest like a highway worker (florescent so as not to get run over) got out once in a while and stood by the side of the car. I got out the binoculars for a closer look and he seemed to be looking through paperwork. Curious. Soon another vehicle of the same type (SUV, burgundy, unmarked) joined him. As I watched, the second man took a huge piece of stiff cardboard and various other things out of the back of his SUV. They kept looking through a stack of papers they were holding, and pointing and gesturing and looking at my house. Then finally decided to put the big cardboard thing down. Out came the paint roller and out the door I went, no longer able to contain my curiosity as to what exactly they were doing.

When I got to the end of my driveway I could see they were painting a huge white arrow on the road. Okay, I said. I can’t stand the suspense any longer. Just what are you doing here? Why are you painting a huge white arrow on the road that just happens to be pointing at my house?

All kinds of reasons were going through my head. The arrow meant: burglarize this house; aliens land here; the woman who lives here likes bears, etc. You get my drift.

They replied that they were from a gas company and were marking lines for aerial photos. Hmm. Sounded a bit fishy to me especially when I know there are no existing gas lines in our street, a much bemoaned fact for all of us who would like to have gas appliances.

But there are no gas lines in our street I told them.

Well, we’re mapping out gas lines that exist around here they said. And by the way, they said, this is our 95th arrow that we’ve painted and we’ve only had five people ask what we are doing.

How disturbing it that? People in unmarked vehicles get out and start messing around in front of your house, painting arrows on the street that point to your house and no one says anything?

After talking with them for a few more minutes and telling them to tell whoever they worked for to put gas lines in our street, I deemed them honest and went back inside, still feeling a bit like I had a target on my back.

I knew I would hear from Neighbor Kim. I just knew I would. Not much gets past her and how could you not notice this huge white thing in the road? Sure enough, she called to find out what I knew about the suspicious arrow. I told her what I knew but I could tell she was not buying any of it. And I don’t blame her. After 9-11, people here in New York / New Jersey are very suspicious of things like this. Can you blame them?

Here is her portion of the story in her own words. Go Kim!

“After getting a few details from Lynne, I was driven to solve the mystery of the Big White Arrow pointing to her house.

The fact that they told her that they were “marking gas lines so that there would be a clear aerial view” was a curious statement from the suspicious men, since we do not have any gas lines on our street!  It’s not an offered utility to us.

I began with a call to the local gas company, PSE&G.  No, the 2 men skulking around in civilian clothes and unmarked vehicles were not theirs.  They suggested to me to try our local municipalities, although, if the project had to do with Gas, it should be theirs.  My dilemma was that it was already past their closing time and I would have to wait until the next morning to call.  There was no way I could wait!  I called the police department, and the dispatcher wrote the details as I told her.  She said that she would research this and get back to me ASAP.  Ten minutes later she called back to inform me that they mystery men were not marking Lynne’s house for the next robbery, nor marking hers as the perfect yard for the space ship landing.  They were from the Tennessee Pipe Line, who’s pipeline ran through the east coast, and yes, through Hewitt, NJ, and they would be working in our area for the next few weeks.

Boring!  I was already planning what I would take on the space ship when it landed.”

About three days later, just before dark one of the unmarked burgundy SUVs showed up and set up some equipment. He sat in front of our house and waited. It felt a lot like a stakeout.  When I looked ten or fifteen minutes later both he and his equipment had disappeared. I hadn’t been watching. Maybe they beamed him up? My house was still here though, and that was a good thing. I had expected to hear low flying aircraft at least, but didn’t.

Kim reported in that she had talked to him on her way home and that he had assured her this was the last that we would see of them. She also told him to put in her reservation on the alien ship. (At least that’s what she told me.)

So what happens the very next day? Back they come, only a different person this time than the day before and at an earlier time. This time instead of lurking in front of my house, he set up the equipment and left. I snuck out and took pics.

Within a half hour all the equipment was gone once again and they haven’t been back. No aliens did a happy dance in my yard either. Now we are left with this eyesore of an arrow still pointing at my house accusingly. What to do? Ignore it? Paint over it? Write “Welcome Brother Aliens” on it? Suggestions?