when TV signals are sent out, they don't stop. they keep going. they keep up speed as they live the solar system. by now, the first TV programs ever made have been travelling for almost 50 years. they are well beyond our solar system now. all those characters from cowboy serials, variety hours and quiz shows are sailing out. they are the first true voyagers into deep space. and they sail farther and farther out, intact, still talking.

and as we listen with our instruments we can hear them. we listen farther and that is all we hear. they are jamming our lines.. we listen and we hear them talking, traveling, going faster and faster... getting fainter and fainter... speeding away... the sound of speeding away... like an alarm continuosly wailing....

there was an old couple who decided to drive cross country in their car. both of them were almost legally deaf. about then miles away from home, the burglar alarm for their car door went off and got stuck in the "on" position. they drove all the way to San Francisco like this. you could hear them coming from three miles away. the alarm didn't seem to bother the old woman at all. she thought it was sort of pleasant. near south bend, indiana she said to her husband, "It sounds like faraway bees on a summer day." her husband said, "What?"

Eventually, they got out at the next gas station and he said:

Hello. Excuse me. Can you tell me where we are?

YOU CAN READ THE SIGNS

YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS ROAD BEFORE

DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME?

DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME NOW?

Hello. Excuse me. Can you tell me where we are?

YOU CAN READ THIS SIGN LANGUAGE

IN OUR COUNTRY

THIS IS THE WAY WE SAY HELLO

Hello. Excuse me. Can you tell me where we are?

IN OUR COUNTRY THIS IS THE WAY WE SAY HELLO. IT IS A DIAGRAM OF MOVEMENT BETWEEN TWO POINTS. IT IS A SWEEP ON THE DIAL. IN OUR COUNTRY THIS IS ALSO THE WAY WE SAY GOODBYE.

Hello. Excuse me. Can you tell me where we are?

IN OUR COUNTRY WE SEND PICTURES OF PEOPLE SPEAKING OUR SIGN LANGUAGE IN OUTER SPACE.

Do you think that They will think his arm is permanently attached in this position? Or, do you think They will read our signs?