Chapter 1: Mr. D'Arpino's Dilemma Summary and Analysis

In 1966, Check D'Arpino was alone when woke from his sleep to hear a voice that was neither feminine or masculine and was not connected to any apparent source. Chick D'Arpino asked Michael Shermer to write an essay on whether there was a "source out there that knows we are here." (p. 11). D'Arpino was open to whether this source was "God" or "ET." It was September 8, 2001, three days before the terror attack on the US. Shermer wondered why a former bricklayer was interested in such a deep question even to the extent that he sponsored essay contests and seminars. Shermer figured that Chick had come to him because he'd read about his work with auditory hallucinations and lucid dreams.

After being pressed by Shermer, D'Arpino admitted that his interest in the subject stemmed from the voice...