Editorial September 14, 1987 Issue

Humanity rising to the heights —how can we help?

Allison W. Phinney, Jr.

In the one-woman show called The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, written by Jane Wagner, there is a wonderful final scene. The main character is an eccentric bag lady named Trudy, played by Lily Tomlin. Supposedly she is in communication with "space chums" from outer space.

During their visit to planet earth, in search of signs of "intelligent" life, Trudy has been their unlikely host. Toward the close of their visit she takes the space chums to a play.

"We were at the back of the theater," she says, "standing there in the dark, all of a sudden I feel one of 'em tug my sleeve, whispers, 'Trudy, look.' I said, 'Yeah, goose bumps. You definitely got goose bumps. You really like the play that much?' They said it wasn't the play gave 'em goose bumps, it was the audience. I forgot to tell 'em to watch the play; they'd been watching the audience!

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