1 00:00:04,679 --> 00:00:06,879 Speaker 1: Some time ago, I left a comment saying that I 2 00:00:06,879 --> 00:00:10,519 would write you about an experience I had sometime around 3 00:00:10,599 --> 00:00:14,960 nineteen ninety seven in Memphis, Tennessee. You really must forgive 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,559 me for not writing as soon as I said I would. 5 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,399 But I started thinking about how unexciting and uncertain my 6 00:00:21,519 --> 00:00:26,960 experience was, and I became hesitant to share it. Nevertheless, 7 00:00:27,079 --> 00:00:29,800 what I'm about to write really happened. I warn you 8 00:00:29,879 --> 00:00:32,840 it's not much of an experience, if it is one 9 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,679 at all. As a matter of fact, I didn't know 10 00:00:35,799 --> 00:00:38,560 I was having an experience at the time, and I 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,640 wouldn't know today were it not for circumstances that later 12 00:00:42,799 --> 00:00:46,840 came to my understanding. I was born and raised in 13 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,000 eastern Arkansas. My little town at the last hilly area 14 00:00:51,119 --> 00:00:54,359 of Crowley's Ridge, where it ended in the Delta Plain 15 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:58,320 on the western banks of the Mississippi River. The closest 16 00:00:58,359 --> 00:01:01,840 town to ours in Mississippi was a place called Loudlah. 17 00:01:02,479 --> 00:01:04,560 I only mentioned this to you so that you know 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,840 that I'm also a son of the South, and I 19 00:01:06,879 --> 00:01:11,719 grew up like you, I think, in the Mississippi River Delta. Yes, sir, 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,760 that's where I grew up. We're river rats ma'am. Later 21 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,159 in life, after I was married, I lived in Memphis, Tennessee. 22 00:01:20,239 --> 00:01:24,280 My subdivision was called Oak Haven, which boasts many mature 23 00:01:24,359 --> 00:01:28,959 stands of isolated forests all over, hence the name Oak Haven. 24 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,079 Sometime after my experience, I realized that these stands of 25 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,000 forest and underbrush extended due south of my home to 26 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:42,239 northwestern Mississippi without a break. Except for a few well 27 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,560 traveled roads that could easily be crossed at night without 28 00:01:45,599 --> 00:01:51,040 anyone noticing. It's possible to travel as far as South Haven, Mississippi, 29 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,079 within the treeline of the woods that I mentioned. My 30 00:01:55,239 --> 00:01:58,439 home was about five miles north of State Line Road, 31 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,799 the border between Tennis Sea in Mississippi. I had a 32 00:02:02,799 --> 00:02:05,920 beautiful home that backed up to a large green park. 33 00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:09,360 One hundred yards due east of my home was a 34 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,360 little creek that drained into a ten acre lake. One 35 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,960 of the aforementioned mature stands of forests ran alongside the creek, 36 00:02:18,319 --> 00:02:23,199 intersected only by one lonely residential road. It bordered the 37 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,000 part of the park that people did not frequent, maybe 38 00:02:26,039 --> 00:02:29,360 because of a regular tall grass that was ever present. 39 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,759 In the fear of snakes, the city kept this area 40 00:02:33,879 --> 00:02:37,400 cut but only every couple of weeks, so the grass 41 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:41,080 would often be too tall for such pleasantrees as picnics 42 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,919 and things like that. Over the years, I spent many 43 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,199 an evening cooking out and having friends over. But one 44 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,000 particular night, I believe it was nineteen ninety seven, I 45 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,039 was home alone and standing out on my recently built 46 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,840 free standing deck. I was congratulating myself on the craftsman 47 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:04,479 ship and choice of location. Placed on a partial slope, 48 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,000 it was tucked into the pines and flanked by a 49 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,240 couple of big maples, but still afforded a spectacular view 50 00:03:11,439 --> 00:03:15,000 of the river. It was just after dark in the 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,319 late summer, with a huge full moon looming over the 52 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,360 line of woods that grew along the creek. I was 53 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,319 standing completely still, watching the moon and thinking how glorious 54 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,479 this site was, when out of the corner of my 55 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,680 eye I caught movement. It looked like someone walking out 56 00:03:32,719 --> 00:03:35,639 in the field. I took note of the fact that 57 00:03:35,719 --> 00:03:38,840 he looked like a really tall basketball player with an 58 00:03:38,879 --> 00:03:43,199 exceptionally wide shoulders, and that he was just casually walking 59 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,080 along my neighbour's chain link fence. He seemed to have 60 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,840 a spring in his step that made him bounce along 61 00:03:50,039 --> 00:03:53,159 in a side to side motion. The fact that he 62 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,800 appeared to be wearing all black gave the impression of 63 00:03:56,879 --> 00:03:59,919 him being no more than a silhouette in the moonlight. 64 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,879 He had a tall, thin, powerful looking physique, marred only 65 00:04:04,919 --> 00:04:08,319 slightly by a bit of a beer belly. His path 66 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,759 took him right along my backyard fence, where I stood watching, 67 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,840 hidden from view through the low hanging maple leaves. He 68 00:04:15,919 --> 00:04:19,360 must have sent someone watching him, because he suddenly stopped 69 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:23,720 and stood completely motionless for five seconds or so before 70 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:28,079 dropping straight down into the tall grass. I found this 71 00:04:28,199 --> 00:04:31,839 behavior alarming, so much so that I turned and quickly 72 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,240 retreated across my yard to my back door. Once inside, 73 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,600 I locked the doors before cautiously peering through the windows. 74 00:04:40,759 --> 00:04:43,240 I couldn't see anything out there now, but I was 75 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,639 troubled by what I had seen for the rest of 76 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,839 the night. A few days later, with that incident pushed 77 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,720 completely out of my mind, I had another in one 78 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,560 of my little get togethers. My wife worked second shifts, 79 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,920 so these were usually just guys hanging out and cooking stay. 80 00:05:01,079 --> 00:05:04,160 That night was no exception. We had our meal and 81 00:05:04,199 --> 00:05:06,720 we were just hanging out when we decided that the 82 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,319 citronella candles weren't doing their jobs and decided to go 83 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:15,279 inside with our beers. As we sat around talking, something 84 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,680 suddenly shook the whole house with a thunderous smack. I 85 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,879 had vaulted ceilings and judged the impact to be at 86 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:27,079 least twelve feet up. Furious that someone or something had 87 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,519 hit my home, I went outside to check it out. 88 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:32,680 Some of the others followed me out, but we could 89 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:35,879 find no evidence of anything that could have hit the house. 90 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,040 I thought maybe a goose had flown into it, but 91 00:05:39,079 --> 00:05:42,120 that didn't really make sense. We spent the rest of 92 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,160 the evening passing theories around as to what it might 93 00:05:45,199 --> 00:05:49,480 have been. None of them seemed to hold water. It 94 00:05:49,519 --> 00:05:52,360 would be many years before I would learn that house 95 00:05:52,399 --> 00:05:56,720 slapping is a common behavior of a bigfoot. I believe 96 00:05:56,759 --> 00:05:59,519 I saw a bigfoot that night, and it upset him 97 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,879 that I wanted while he was unaware, I think he 98 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,600 slapped my house in retaliation. I also believe he was 99 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:10,279 drawn there by the many cookouts. I know it doesn't 100 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:13,360 sound like much, but it happened. I would prefer not 101 00:06:13,439 --> 00:06:15,759 to have my name used, but the people who live 102 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,480 around there will know who I am through the description 103 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:23,120 of my house. Not long after this happened, I relocated 104 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,959 to Arizona for other reasons, still ignorant of what I 105 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,480 had seen and experienced. It wasn't until I began reading 106 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,959 and listening to shows like yours that I finally realized 107 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:42,000 I had had an encounter. Something happened to me that 108 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,959 has always haunted me. I've never told anyone except my 109 00:06:46,079 --> 00:06:49,959 father and my best friend. Neither one of them believed me. 110 00:06:51,439 --> 00:06:54,160 During the nineteen seventies and eighties, my dad was a 111 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,560 land developer in East Texas around Toledo ben and sam 112 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Rayburn Reservoir. He would buy lakeside lots of land and 113 00:07:03,439 --> 00:07:06,360 get a surveyor to break it down, and then he'd 114 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,120 put in roads in each cell the watts. He developed 115 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,720 several campgrounds and neighborhoods that way, and I grew up 116 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,160 in a small town in deep East Texas around the 117 00:07:17,199 --> 00:07:23,040 Sabine and Anglina National Forests above the Big Thicket. Every 118 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,279 now and then Dad would go see the surveyor to 119 00:07:25,399 --> 00:07:28,600 discuss the business, and sometimes he would take me with him. 120 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,680 I thought I would enjoy the ride, and the surveyor 121 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,600 had a son that I could play with. His name 122 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,920 was Tommy James and we called him TJ for short. 123 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,160 He was nine and I was eleven. He didn't go 124 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,360 to my school, but he was fun to play with 125 00:07:45,519 --> 00:07:48,639 because he was a simple kind of country kid, and 126 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,720 we would shoot bb guns and we'd whittle sticks and 127 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,120 get dirty playing in the dirt pile with his talka trucks. 128 00:07:56,639 --> 00:07:58,759 It was while we were playing in a dirt pile 129 00:07:58,839 --> 00:08:01,399 one day when TJ slowly looked up at me and 130 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,800 he said, there's a Chewbacca man that lives down that 131 00:08:04,959 --> 00:08:08,759 trail right there. He pointed to a thin trail in 132 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,319 the back left corner of his backyard. You want to 133 00:08:12,319 --> 00:08:18,480 go see it, he asked. Chewbacca lives back there? I asked, yep, 134 00:08:18,519 --> 00:08:23,480 he's a Chewbacca man. TJ assured me. I remember laughing 135 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:28,519 and saying, okay, let's go see Chewbacca man. We started 136 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,199 down the little path with me convinced that we were 137 00:08:31,199 --> 00:08:34,919 playing make believe, and I was surprised how far TJ 138 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,559 was taking me. It seemed like we walked for a 139 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,279 long time before we came to a huge dead fall 140 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,120 across the trail, and it looked like a tree had 141 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:46,919 fallen down and taken a lot of trees with it. 142 00:08:47,879 --> 00:08:51,919 There were empty crackerjack boxes with Little Debbie snackcake wrappers 143 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,559 strown on the ground in front of it. Now, I 144 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,519 guess this is where TJ came to eat a snacks. 145 00:08:58,879 --> 00:09:01,799 TJ looked around and he said, well, this is it. 146 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,759 I'll call him. He let out along howl. I was 147 00:09:06,799 --> 00:09:09,200 still convinced that this was just a game that we 148 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,399 were playing, so I didn't expect to see anything. I 149 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,279 figured this was his imagination in overdrive. But when he 150 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,759 let out another long howl, I began to hear the 151 00:09:19,799 --> 00:09:24,919 sound of walking and cracking that was coming in our direction. TJ, 152 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,120 what is that, I asked, as the fog of make 153 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,000 believe was beginning to clear. Well, it's a Chewbacca, man, 154 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,759 he told me. I took a step back as TJ 155 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,320 faced the dead fall and and began to speak in 156 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,320 a coaxing tone. Come on, come on. He was beckoning 157 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,879 it like a little puppy. The walking sound stopped on 158 00:09:47,919 --> 00:09:49,840 the other side of the tree, and I could hear 159 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,440 loud breathing like a horse. A horse, Yes, I thought 160 00:09:54,799 --> 00:09:58,840 he's calling a horse. I took a huge breath and 161 00:09:58,879 --> 00:10:03,840 I released it a deep sigh of relief. TJ began 162 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:08,480 to almost sing the word Chewbacca in a gentle voice. 163 00:10:09,279 --> 00:10:13,000 He was calling it again. A few limbs shifted and 164 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,120 moved in the dead fall, and then I heard it 165 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:22,440 utter a single, deep but faint word. Oh. All of 166 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,919 my former relief slipped away. In this place was a 167 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,919 hard nott of fear and anxiety. That the thought of 168 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,759 whatever was on the other side of those trees that 169 00:10:32,919 --> 00:10:36,240 was big enough to have a voice that deep. I 170 00:10:36,279 --> 00:10:39,639 could almost feel its mass as it stood there, breathing 171 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,159 the air into its lungs. That must have been massive. 172 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:50,200 Come on, TJ sweetly beckoned again, Tommy, I whispered, let's 173 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,399 get out of here. At that second, the thing released 174 00:10:54,399 --> 00:10:57,720 a loud sound, and it shook the world around me, 175 00:10:57,759 --> 00:11:00,360 and it shot through me, and it rattled in my chest, 176 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:04,440 and it left me stunned in my tracks. My eyes 177 00:11:04,519 --> 00:11:07,320 widened in fear, and my own lungs ceased to function. 178 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,240 TJ was still calling the thing. I felt hot and sick, 179 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,039 and beads of sweat broke out all over my body, 180 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,320 while my heart was jumping up into my throat. If 181 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,360 I could have made my legs work. I would have 182 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:25,080 run away. In my mind, this wasn't happening, This couldn't 183 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:30,279 be happening. But TJ wasn't afraid. Limbs and the dead 184 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,480 fall began to move and snap again, and I thought 185 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,679 the thing was coming over it or through it, and 186 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,840 big grunts of breath mingled with the sounds of limbs 187 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,759 slamming and cracking. I was still frozen and could only 188 00:11:43,799 --> 00:11:47,000 stand there and listen to the thing raising hell a 189 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,320 few feet away. TJ turned to me and he said, 190 00:11:51,799 --> 00:11:56,480 he doesn't like you. As he spoke, I saw arms 191 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,440 coming up over the dead fall. I didn't want to 192 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:04,799 see more. Tommy run, I screamed. Now, wait, it's okay, 193 00:12:05,039 --> 00:12:08,840 he was calling to me. I had already taken off, 194 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,120 and I left TJ standing in the path with that 195 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,960 thing with the long arms and the deep growling voice 196 00:12:15,039 --> 00:12:18,840 and the loud scream was chasing me. I could hear 197 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:22,519 it coming up the path behind me. It was exhaling 198 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,720 great puffs of air with intense force. I barely felt 199 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,200 the limbs slapping my face as I raced up the 200 00:12:29,279 --> 00:12:33,919 narrow path. I had to get to my dad. Behind me. 201 00:12:34,039 --> 00:12:37,559 That thing seemed to have left the trail altogether. All 202 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,759 around me, branches were snapping and trees were cracking. And 203 00:12:41,799 --> 00:12:44,240 then it was in the woods next to me, and 204 00:12:44,279 --> 00:12:46,279 from the sound of the brush, I could tell it 205 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,080 was running a wide circle, and I guess it was 206 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:54,080 about twenty five feet out. Glimpses of its enormous black 207 00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:58,279 body with long arms swinging flashed through the leaves. It 208 00:12:58,399 --> 00:13:02,919 was so big and unbelievable fast. It was pulling ahead 209 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,639 of me, but the trail was endless, and panic stricken 210 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:10,240 tears began to blur my vision when I realized it 211 00:13:10,279 --> 00:13:13,600 was gonna cut me off, and ahead of me, I 212 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:19,840 could see into TJ's backyard. Daddy, I screamed, Daddy. And 213 00:13:19,919 --> 00:13:22,559 then as I broke through the underbrush into the yard, 214 00:13:23,039 --> 00:13:26,960 that thing came to a sudden violence stop, and everything 215 00:13:27,039 --> 00:13:30,879 went silent. The thrashing of the limbs stopped, and the 216 00:13:30,919 --> 00:13:34,480 sounds of its breathing stopped, and the sounds of those 217 00:13:34,519 --> 00:13:39,720 impossibly fast footfalls stopped too. It had chased me all 218 00:13:39,759 --> 00:13:42,120 the way back up the trail, and it almost caught me. 219 00:13:43,879 --> 00:13:46,559 I ran into the office building where my dad and 220 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:51,679 the surveyor were talking, and TJ came running up behind me. Well, 221 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,360 I was out of breath and I was crying and whimpering. 222 00:13:54,399 --> 00:13:56,440 As I began to tell my dad about the big 223 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,279 thing that was chasing me. TJ stood behind me, and 224 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,559 he never said anything. Well, our neighbor has goats to 225 00:14:04,639 --> 00:14:08,399 get out all the time, the surveyor offered, I'll bet 226 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,879 one of those nannies got out and got after you. Well, 227 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,799 Dad could see that I was really scared, and he 228 00:14:14,919 --> 00:14:16,840 laughed and he patted me on the head, and he 229 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,279 told me to go wait in the truck. Well, I 230 00:14:19,399 --> 00:14:21,360 ran to the truck and I got in and I 231 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:26,320 locked all the doors. I watched TJ walk slowly over 232 00:14:26,399 --> 00:14:28,799 to the truck, and I waited until he was standing 233 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,240 beside it before I had the nerve to roll down 234 00:14:31,279 --> 00:14:34,919 the window. I told you there was a Chewbacca man, 235 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,919 he said, I saw it. I said, what was that thing? 236 00:14:41,039 --> 00:14:45,679 He's the Boogeyman. He's a Chewbacca man, was TJ's only answer. 237 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,320 Dad came out to the truck and I rolled up 238 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,679 my window as he got in and we were pulling away, 239 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,159 and I looked back to see TJ walking toward the 240 00:14:55,159 --> 00:14:58,159 back of the house. He turned around and gave me 241 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,120 one last look before disappear around the corner. Are you okay? 242 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,240 Dad asked, you got chased by a goat? Huh, No, Dad, 243 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,720 it was not a goat, I answered, and I told 244 00:15:11,759 --> 00:15:14,279 him the whole story on the way home, but I 245 00:15:14,279 --> 00:15:17,200 could tell that he didn't believe me. He thought maybe 246 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,480 a cow or a bullet chased me out of the woods. 247 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,320 Well months later, Dad asked me if I wanted to 248 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,279 go to the surveyor's house with him again, and I 249 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,960 gave him a solid no. Okay, I just thought i'd ask, 250 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,519 he said, holding up his hands and surrender. He knew 251 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,960 how I felt about that place. I never went back 252 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:44,320 there again. Many nights, I've laid in my bed and 253 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,320 I've thought about what happened to me that day. I 254 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,759 thought about TJ and all those wrappers around the trees. 255 00:15:51,399 --> 00:15:53,559 I figured he must have been going down there and 256 00:15:53,639 --> 00:15:56,879 feeding that thing. I guess he had kind of made 257 00:15:56,879 --> 00:16:00,279 a friend of it. I've also thought about what have 258 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:05,639 happened if I hadn't run. Sometime after that incident, I 259 00:16:05,679 --> 00:16:08,799 overheard my dad telling my mom that the surveyor had 260 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,399 taken his family and moved out of the state. A 261 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:14,679 neighbor down the road, said that they had moved back 262 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,440 to where his wife was from. Was Alabama or Mississippi. 263 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:22,559 He couldn't remember which. It's funny. Dad said that he 264 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,840 didn't tell me he was leaving. He just up and left. 265 00:16:26,399 --> 00:16:28,279 Now I got him a lot of business. He didn't 266 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:33,639 even call to say goodbye. My father was disappointed. My 267 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:37,120 father died several years ago without us ever talking about 268 00:16:37,159 --> 00:16:40,519 the incident again. But I think I know what made 269 00:16:40,519 --> 00:16:45,720 them move without warning. TJ called it the Chewbacca Man. 270 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,480 The story happened somewhere in Mexico in the nineteen seventies. 271 00:16:52,919 --> 00:16:55,279 It was told to me by my brother in law. 272 00:16:56,039 --> 00:16:58,960 I've never spoken with his friend about it, but as 273 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,559 crazy as it is, I believe it's true. Since he 274 00:17:02,559 --> 00:17:05,480 wouldn't like it if I revealed his name, I would 275 00:17:05,519 --> 00:17:10,319 prefer that we all remain anonymous. My brother in law 276 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,359 and his best friend were down in Mexico deer hunting. 277 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,160 His friend hired some guides because they didn't know the area. 278 00:17:18,039 --> 00:17:21,039 In the nineteen seventies, the drug cartel was all over 279 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:23,799 the place, so they were warned if they had to hide, 280 00:17:23,839 --> 00:17:28,440 to do exactly as they were told. Understandably, they were 281 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:32,240 more than just a little nervous. They arrived where they 282 00:17:32,279 --> 00:17:35,200 planned to camp near the opening of the cave. They 283 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,599 had their pack, animals, and supplies, and they were heavily armed, 284 00:17:39,039 --> 00:17:43,519 both for hunting and for protection. The next morning, when 285 00:17:43,519 --> 00:17:45,640 they went out to hunt, my brother in law was 286 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,400 struggling to deal with this fear of being arrested in Mexico, 287 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,279 so when the guides found them places to set up, 288 00:17:52,319 --> 00:17:56,160 he insisted that he be close to his friend. That 289 00:17:56,279 --> 00:17:58,720 first day, they hunted the whole day and saw a 290 00:17:58,759 --> 00:18:01,839 couple of deer. His friend told him to calm down, 291 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,400 that it was only the first day. Calming down was 292 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,359 not easy for them because the guides did not come 293 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,920 back to get them. They had some beef, jerky and 294 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,119 some water with them and they set up the best 295 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,880 camp that they could, but it was a long night. 296 00:18:18,039 --> 00:18:21,039 The next morning, before daylight, one of the guides found 297 00:18:21,039 --> 00:18:23,599 them and told them that the other guides had left 298 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,160 with the animals. He didn't know if they'd be coming back. 299 00:18:28,079 --> 00:18:30,559 At daybreak, the three headed out to try to find 300 00:18:30,559 --> 00:18:33,920 their way to the vehicles. At some point, my brother 301 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,000 in law's friend was overcome by his fear and he panicked. 302 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,759 He ran off My brother in law tried, but there 303 00:18:40,799 --> 00:18:43,759 was no stopping him. Now it was just my brother 304 00:18:43,799 --> 00:18:47,599 in law and one guide. They managed to find where 305 00:18:47,599 --> 00:18:50,319 they'd left the vehicles, but my brother in law couldn't 306 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,160 leave without his friend. The guide went back to look 307 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,599 for him, leaving my brother in law in the vehicle 308 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,200 to wait. They were parked close to the border, so 309 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,400 that was the only small comfort. My brother in law 310 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,359 waited for the rest of the day. The sun set 311 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,119 and he fell asleep while he was waiting. When he 312 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:13,519 woke up, he found himself surrounded by Mexican nationals, none 313 00:19:13,559 --> 00:19:17,880 of whom spoke English. My brother in law didn't speak Spanish, 314 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,359 but somehow they managed to convey to him that he 315 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:24,799 needed to leave or he would die, so he left 316 00:19:25,519 --> 00:19:28,039 with no other choice. My brother in law crossed the 317 00:19:28,039 --> 00:19:32,119 border and confessed everything to the border patrol. They were 318 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,759 not happy with him, but at least now there would 319 00:19:34,799 --> 00:19:38,920 be others looking for his friend. My brother in law 320 00:19:39,039 --> 00:19:41,079 was sent to a town to wait for the news 321 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,119 of his friend. After three days, the border patrol still 322 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,240 hadn't found him, so they sent my brother in law 323 00:19:48,279 --> 00:19:52,160 home and said they'd send news if they found him there. However, 324 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,440 they warned him that they didn't expect to find his 325 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,680 friend alive. At this point, my brother in law returned 326 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,279 to his Texas town to face his friend's way life 327 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,240 with the news. For two weeks he did his best 328 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,319 to keep her calm and try to prevent her from panicking. 329 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,440 And then the news came. His friend was found by 330 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,200 the highway patrol lying on a highway in Texas and 331 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,559 he was alive. My brother in law went to see 332 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,640 him in the hospital, but his friend wouldn't speak. He 333 00:20:21,759 --> 00:20:26,000 was dazed and confused. Even after they got him home, 334 00:20:26,079 --> 00:20:29,640 he wasn't talking. Physically, he was fine, he was just 335 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:34,079 in a deep state of shop. Weeks went by with 336 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,400 my brother in law making regular visits, and still he 337 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,960 wouldn't speak. Eventually he began to come around, and finally 338 00:20:42,079 --> 00:20:46,359 he was able to tell this story. In his Panic, 339 00:20:46,519 --> 00:20:49,359 he had gotten lost. He went down to the river 340 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,799 bottom to hide among the boulders at the base of 341 00:20:51,839 --> 00:20:55,359 the cliffs. He was sure he was being hunted by 342 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:59,680 the cartel and that death was imminent. He happened on 343 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,039 a ca and he went inside to hide, and there 344 00:21:03,319 --> 00:21:07,920 a big hairy man found him. This creature for the 345 00:21:08,039 --> 00:21:10,799 lack of a better word, brought him raw meat and 346 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,359 berries to eat. He still had some jerky, so he 347 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,319 passed on the meat. There was a female who brought 348 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,359 him water as well, and it was days before he 349 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,480 felt strong enough to leave them. When the time came, 350 00:21:24,799 --> 00:21:26,480 they were at the mouth of the cave, and he 351 00:21:26,559 --> 00:21:30,480 did his best to communicate goodbye to them. Once he 352 00:21:30,559 --> 00:21:33,000 was able to make them understand that he had to go, 353 00:21:33,519 --> 00:21:35,960 the female took him to the river, where he filled 354 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,119 his water pouch. Again, he said goodbye. She didn't try 355 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,880 to stop him. He stuck to the river banks, knowing 356 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,000 he'd have to hide every now and then to keep 357 00:21:46,039 --> 00:21:49,799 from being caught by the cartel. My brother in law 358 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,039 said it was weeks before he could get the whole 359 00:21:52,079 --> 00:21:55,480 story out of him. No one talks about the time 360 00:21:55,559 --> 00:21:58,079 his friend got lost trying to hunt deer in Mexico, 361 00:21:58,759 --> 00:22:01,440 and when my brother in laws my friend first started 362 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,480 telling his story, he left out the part of the Bigfoot. 363 00:22:06,319 --> 00:22:08,599 It was only when he had gone to a dear 364 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,240 lease in South Texas that his friend finally confessed the 365 00:22:12,279 --> 00:22:16,680 whole story. Even then, my brother in law accused him 366 00:22:16,839 --> 00:22:21,119 of lying. This guy has made a full recovery now, 367 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,279 but it was years before he could even go hunting again. 368 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:28,319 I've never spoken with him directly to confirm or deny 369 00:22:28,519 --> 00:22:32,119 any of these details. This is only how my brother 370 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:37,039 in law told the story.