My informant is a 23 year old filmmaker who grew up in San Diego.

“So this is the story about how I saw a UFO. uh, this is the summer, uh between eighth grade and freshman year. At the time, I was living in a condo next to my middle school because our house wasn’t done, uh, being built. And so I was in the pool with my brother, and I’m laying on my back and I see this black orb. Like this black dot just like in the middle of this crystal blue sky. And it first moves 500 feet north, 500 feet south, goes back to the middle, 500 feet east, 500 feet west, goes back to the middle. So it’s basically like operating like a joystick. And it’s hanging there for a really long time and I’m really into airplanes. I know a lot about aviation. It’s making no sound and I can see that light is being reflected from it, so like light is clearly hitting this object. It is a real thing. It’s not just a floater in my eye. And then suddenly, it’s hanging there for maybe like a minute and I’m starting to think like “Oh my god, I’m seeing a UFO.” It suddenly shoots straight up and it basically disappears in this crystal blue sky. And so, if people ask me like “Do I believe in aliens?” like, mmm, pretty much, but I definitely believe there’s something out there.”

This story would be recounted when sharing stories about things that are out of the ordinary or strange.

Analysis:

My informant believes, like many Americans, that he saw a UFO. It is not completely impossible that he actually witnessed a UFO, but it is unlikely. He was in San Diego County, near Camp Pendleton, where the military frequently runs tests without notifying the public. It is more likely that my informant was witnessing one of these tests. Perhaps it was a military drone or other small aircraft that was being secretly tested.