Tuning the Cosmic Wave

If space meteors won't drop out of flowerpots, I figured my best bet was listening for their transmissions directly. I zipped across the bookshelf molding and dropped onto the matte metal top of the vintage FM radio. Crouching down, I wrapped both hands around the ridged plastic tuning knob, planted my boots against the brushed aluminum casing, and gave it a mighty twist. The dial needle jerked past numbers with a loud burst of electric static, followed by a sudden, booming burst of jazz horn that rattled straight through my plastic soles! I quickly nudged the knob back a hair until the hum settled into a cozy, crackling buzz. No alien messages yet, but the frequency patrol is officially up and running.