1 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: I've been hiking, hunting, and fishing the New Hampshire Wilderness 2 00:00:15,199 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: my entire life. It's a small state, but eighty three 3 00:00:19,359 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: percent of it is covered in forest. There are no 4 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: big cities here. The population of the ten largest city 5 00:00:26,039 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: combined does not equal even a half a million people. 6 00:00:30,039 --> 00:00:33,079 Speaker 1: Mostly it's miles and miles of woods with no signs 7 00:00:33,119 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: of humans. In late spring of twenty and seventeen, two 8 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: of my friends and I were driving a back road 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: somewhere in Strafford County. We were using a spotlight to 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,359 Speaker 1: look for deer and other wildlife that inhabited the area. 11 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: We were not illegally poaching the deer, We were just 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: looking for them. By the way, if you even shine 13 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: a light down here in Mississippi, you're going to jail. 14 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: Whether you have a life with you or not. You 15 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: can't spotlight down here. I don't know what the laws 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,599 Speaker 1: are of there. Nobody rides around the woods shining lights 17 00:01:07,599 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: in fields and woods around here because you going to jail. Brother. Anyway, 18 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,519 Speaker 1: on with the story. At around eleven thirty PM, we 19 00:01:14,599 --> 00:01:17,239 Speaker 1: came to a valley where we could get out and 20 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,879 Speaker 1: stretch our legs next to a swamp surrounded by young oaks, maples, 21 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: beech trees, and pines. My friend Dan had to relieve 22 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: himself and went over to the edge of the swamp 23 00:01:29,239 --> 00:01:33,239 Speaker 1: out of sight. My other friend, Andrew and I were 24 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: considering pranking Dan by driving off and leaving him in 25 00:01:36,599 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: the dark for five minutes when we heard something rounding 26 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,599 Speaker 1: the other side of the swamp. It was clearly walking 27 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,519 Speaker 1: on two feet, and we thought it was Dan. Why 28 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: the heck did you go out that far? We shouted, 29 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: and the walking stop. I'm only over here, Dan answered, 30 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: as he approached us from the opposite direction. I quickly 31 00:01:59,359 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: grabbed the blot light and scanned the other side of 32 00:02:01,959 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: the swamp at our one o'clock. The light reflected two 33 00:02:05,799 --> 00:02:10,199 Speaker 1: auburn eyes that were almost completely concealed by cattail, reeds 34 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: and saplings. We figured it was some kind of predator, 35 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: but we weren't sure. Well the heck is that, Andrew asked. 36 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,439 Speaker 1: The words had barely left his mouth when the thing 37 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,719 Speaker 1: stood up. Our view of the thing was still mostly 38 00:02:25,759 --> 00:02:28,439 Speaker 1: blocked by the trees and leaves, but now we could 39 00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:32,439 Speaker 1: see a silhouette of a large upright figure. The eyes 40 00:02:32,479 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: were still shining at us through the leaves, though much 41 00:02:35,199 --> 00:02:39,199 Speaker 1: higher up. At this point, the only clearly visible part 42 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: of it were two black tree trunk sized legs, and 43 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,479 Speaker 1: then it took a step back and it melted into 44 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: the trees. For the next ten to fifteen seconds, we 45 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: could hear it crashing and stomping deeper into the forest 46 00:02:54,039 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: at what seemed like an almost supernatural speed, and then 47 00:02:58,759 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: the sound was gone. We all looked at each other 48 00:03:02,479 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: in amazed silence. What did we just see? I ask everyone. 49 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,159 Speaker 1: It definitely wasn't a bear. The sheer size and speed 50 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: at which it moved eliminated the possibility of it being 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,719 Speaker 1: a human. We debated the possibilities during the car ride home, 52 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,039 Speaker 1: but we never came to any logical conclusion as to 53 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: what it might be. Two months later, a coworker who 54 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: lives near that spot told me that her husband had 55 00:03:29,879 --> 00:03:33,199 Speaker 1: seen a bigfoot cross the road on Christmas Eve two 56 00:03:33,319 --> 00:03:36,719 Speaker 1: years before. It was less than a mile from where 57 00:03:36,719 --> 00:03:40,639 Speaker 1: my friends and I had seen this creature. Since then, 58 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: I have accepted that we saw bigfoot that night. Sadly, 59 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,879 Speaker 1: Andrew died in a car accident in twenty eighteen, but 60 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: the subject has now become a hobby for me and 61 00:03:51,479 --> 00:03:54,719 Speaker 1: my friend Dan. We now spend a great deal of 62 00:03:54,759 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: time looking out for the elusive creature. I have one 63 00:03:58,039 --> 00:04:01,199 Speaker 1: other encounter, along with some other occurrences I would love 64 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: to share. Since our state doesn't have any established research 65 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:11,319 Speaker 1: organizations on the subject, it doesn't matter to me if 66 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,919 Speaker 1: you ever used this story on your channel. It's not 67 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,759 Speaker 1: a Bigfoot story. It's just something I was thinking about 68 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: and I felt like talking kind of straightened it out 69 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: in my own mind, I suppose, so I decided to 70 00:04:24,639 --> 00:04:28,759 Speaker 1: write it down. By all accounts, my grandfather was not 71 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: a very nice man. He was a strict disciplinarian, a 72 00:04:32,879 --> 00:04:37,199 Speaker 1: man who beat his wife and kids. By today's standards, 73 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:39,959 Speaker 1: he'd be a criminal. But I think maybe he was 74 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: a victim of his times. Born somewhere around eighteen eighty, 75 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: he was of a time when it was the job 76 00:04:47,079 --> 00:04:49,759 Speaker 1: of the man to keep his house in order. A 77 00:04:49,759 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: man who failed to keep his house in order could 78 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: not be the deacon of a church, and was looked 79 00:04:55,759 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: upon as week. Any failings in his family would have 80 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: been his fail as a man. Now I'm not making 81 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,439 Speaker 1: excuses for him. God knows I have my own reasons 82 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: to question his actions, and I try not to view 83 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,199 Speaker 1: him too harshly. My grandfather died when I was two. 84 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: I was the only grandchild that he lived to see, 85 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: and by all accounts, in my one memory of him, 86 00:05:21,319 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: he loved me very much and he was very proud 87 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,399 Speaker 1: of me, even though at the time my greatest achievement 88 00:05:27,639 --> 00:05:32,079 Speaker 1: was in having been born. Mama told me that he 89 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: died lying on the sofa in the living room of 90 00:05:34,879 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: the house he built and owned. He owned and built 91 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: another home for my uncle and his wife just behind us. 92 00:05:42,319 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: Now that's no small feet for a black man born 93 00:05:45,439 --> 00:05:50,519 Speaker 1: only sixteen years after slavery. On the day he died, 94 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,199 Speaker 1: the corner was playing golf and no one could move 95 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,639 Speaker 1: the body until the corner pronounced him dead. And this 96 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: house was out in the country, and the corner didn't 97 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: see any and to interrupt his golf game, after all, 98 00:06:03,399 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: Granddaddy wasn't going anywhere. And he laid there for hours, 99 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,199 Speaker 1: and finally the corner showed up and verified the obvious, 100 00:06:11,519 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: and the funeral home was called. And while they waited 101 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,199 Speaker 1: for the hers, Grandpa sat up. Everybody in the house 102 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,199 Speaker 1: saw it. He stood up, and he walked over to 103 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,399 Speaker 1: his rocking chair. He sat down in it. And started rocking, 104 00:06:25,959 --> 00:06:28,639 Speaker 1: and after a few minutes of rocking, the chair slowed 105 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: to a stop. A little while later, the funeral home 106 00:06:33,199 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: picked him up from that chair, and when they got there, 107 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: everybody told them what had happened, and the director nodded, 108 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: and he says, these things can happen sometimes. That should 109 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: have marked the end of my time with my grandfather, 110 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: but that was not the case. When I was three 111 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,879 Speaker 1: or four, I was playing in the dirt in the 112 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,959 Speaker 1: front yard when someone blew in my ear. First, I 113 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: was engrossed in my game and I didn't paying much mine. 114 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: As it happened again and again. I tried to absently 115 00:07:04,439 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: to brush it away, and finally I stopped playing entirely, 116 00:07:08,319 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: and I looked around. It now had my full attention. 117 00:07:12,319 --> 00:07:15,639 Speaker 1: I knew this wasn't the wind. For one thing, the 118 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,759 Speaker 1: air was still in For another, the wind doesn't blow 119 00:07:18,879 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: directly into your ear. There was no one there. I 120 00:07:23,079 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: stood up and I ran in the house and I 121 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: told my grandmother that someone was blowing in my ear, 122 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: but nobody was there. Oh, that's just your grandfather, She said, 123 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: don't worry, he won't hurt you. Well. I was shocked, 124 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: and I tried to process that information. I knew my 125 00:07:41,199 --> 00:07:44,439 Speaker 1: granddaddy was dead and he didn't have any business blowing 126 00:07:44,519 --> 00:07:48,759 Speaker 1: in my ear, But mother acted as if it was normal, 127 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: and I was used to taking my cue from her, 128 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: and I decided to let it go. But it troubled me, 129 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,399 Speaker 1: and I didn't go back outside all day. I didn't 130 00:07:59,439 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: know then that my grandmother was both right and wrong. 131 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: It wouldn't hurt me, but he would most definitely try. 132 00:08:06,639 --> 00:08:10,639 Speaker 1: In fact, he would try to kill me. For the 133 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,319 Speaker 1: most part, the things that happened during my years of 134 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,399 Speaker 1: being shadowed by my grandpa's ghost were innocuous. Once, when 135 00:08:18,439 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: I was turning flips on the sofa, I heard a 136 00:08:21,439 --> 00:08:25,839 Speaker 1: voice that sounded just like my uncle, my grandfather's brother, 137 00:08:26,199 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: say stop that right now. I looked over and no 138 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: one was there. There wasn't even a car in the yard. 139 00:08:35,279 --> 00:08:37,399 Speaker 1: I found my grandmother in the back of the house 140 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: hanging out the wash, and I stayed outside with her. 141 00:08:41,879 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: Another time, it got into my head to try to 142 00:08:44,639 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: see my face in the bottom of the well. I 143 00:08:48,159 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: was about six at the time, and I noticed that 144 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:53,159 Speaker 1: I could see a round circle of blue sky in 145 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,399 Speaker 1: the dark depths of the well. I figured if I 146 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:58,799 Speaker 1: could lean over far enough I could see my face 147 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: in the middle of that Sir. Now, I knew I 148 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: might fall, and I knew I couldn't swim. So I 149 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 1: let the bucket down into the water, believing that I 150 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,879 Speaker 1: could grab the rope and scream until my grandmother came 151 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: and found me. But it never occurred to me that 152 00:09:12,919 --> 00:09:15,279 Speaker 1: I could hit my head on the way down, or 153 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,639 Speaker 1: that the rope may come loose when I grabbed it. 154 00:09:18,799 --> 00:09:21,279 Speaker 1: I scrambled my way up the side of the well 155 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: and I leaned over, and I couldn't see my face. 156 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,639 Speaker 1: I needed to get higher, and I pushed and scraped 157 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,519 Speaker 1: and pulled my way up the stone sides, and I 158 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: still wasn't high enough. I took a deep breath and 159 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:38,759 Speaker 1: I tried again. This time I heard a loud, stern 160 00:09:38,919 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: voice shout, get down. I let go of the well 161 00:09:44,039 --> 00:09:46,879 Speaker 1: and I dropped back to the ground, fully expecting to 162 00:09:46,879 --> 00:09:49,759 Speaker 1: get a good chewing out from my uncle, But there 163 00:09:49,799 --> 00:09:53,759 Speaker 1: was nobody. I didn't learn until a few months ago 164 00:09:53,879 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: that my baby brother had also heard the same voice, 165 00:09:57,279 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: and he too thought it was our uncle. The last 166 00:10:02,039 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: thing to happen before my grandfather's force departure happened in 167 00:10:06,879 --> 00:10:10,039 Speaker 1: front of my friends, Brenda and Benny, who lived up 168 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: the hill. My mother was friends with their mother, and 169 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: one day she walked up to the hill to visit, 170 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: and I went with her. We were playing on the 171 00:10:19,519 --> 00:10:23,039 Speaker 1: swing set in their yard while our mothers talked outside. 172 00:10:23,759 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: They were both older than me, and they could swing 173 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,759 Speaker 1: higher than me, and I was desperate to get as 174 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: high as they did. But no matter how hard I tried, 175 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: I just couldn't do it. And then suddenly my swing 176 00:10:35,399 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: froze in mid air. The chain attached to the seat 177 00:10:39,159 --> 00:10:43,399 Speaker 1: was outstretched and taut. Brenda and Bennie jumped off their 178 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,279 Speaker 1: swings and stared up at me, and I looked down 179 00:10:46,279 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: at them, and I needed a lighter or something, and 180 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,279 Speaker 1: my swing went four feet higher, and I started to 181 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: kick and scream, and my swing came loose from whatever 182 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: force held it, and I swooped backwards through the air. 183 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:02,399 Speaker 1: More than anything in the world, I did not want 184 00:11:02,399 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: that swing to go up again, and I dug my 185 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: feet in the dirt to stop it, while my friends watched, 186 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,279 Speaker 1: wide eyed and frozen. And when I managed to get off, 187 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 1: we all stood there, looking at the swing, in each 188 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: other and in the way of children who have just 189 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: experienced something they know adults will not believe. We went 190 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: and played somewhere else. We never got back on that swing, 191 00:11:26,879 --> 00:11:31,559 Speaker 1: not that day, not ever, And that brings me to 192 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: the culmination of these events. My grandfather's house was in 193 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,519 Speaker 1: a small country town where there wasn't much by the 194 00:11:38,519 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: way of employment. A granddaddy had been a farmer, an 195 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:47,159 Speaker 1: occupation my father had no interest in continuing, so Daddy 196 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: and Mama both worked in the larger town about an 197 00:11:49,759 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: hour away, and sometimes they stayed there, and sometimes they 198 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: came home, and on this night they were home. But 199 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: I was used to my grandmother taking care of me, 200 00:11:59,519 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: so when I woke up in pain that night, I 201 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: tried to wake her. There were sharp pains in my stomach, 202 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,039 Speaker 1: as if my intestines were being pulled out of my body. 203 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,799 Speaker 1: I shook my grandmother and I called her, but I 204 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,519 Speaker 1: couldn't wake her, and this was unusual because Grandmother was 205 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,799 Speaker 1: a very light sleeper. And finally I gave up and 206 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: got out of bed and went to the door of 207 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: the room where my parents were sleeping. And I was 208 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: crying when I opened the door, and Mama heard me 209 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: immediately what's wrong, she asked, Sleepy, I told her my 210 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:33,879 Speaker 1: stomach hurts, and I was crying from the ache and 211 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,159 Speaker 1: tears were streaming down my face. Mama threw back the 212 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,639 Speaker 1: covers and got out of bed. They went to the 213 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: bathroom and pulled a peptipismo from the medicine cabinet, and 214 00:12:44,519 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: we went to the kitchen for a spoon and sat 215 00:12:46,759 --> 00:12:49,399 Speaker 1: down on the sofa in the living room, and she 216 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,919 Speaker 1: gave me a dose from the bottle, and I fell 217 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: asleep with my head in her lap. I don't know 218 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: how long I slept, but she woke me up and 219 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: sent me off to bed, saying, you'll feel better, now, 220 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: go get some rest. I did feel better, but not 221 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: for long. As soon as I climbed into bed, the 222 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:12,159 Speaker 1: horrible jerking and pulling pain started again. I felt as 223 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: if I was dying, and I sat up in bed crying, 224 00:13:15,639 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: and I saw Mother struggle to open her eyes, but 225 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,519 Speaker 1: she fell back to sleep. It was the only time 226 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: in my life that I felt she didn't really care 227 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: about me, but I knew that wasn't true, so I 228 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,279 Speaker 1: thought she must really be tired. I didn't want to 229 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,879 Speaker 1: go back to Mama's room, but I didn't have a choice. 230 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,759 Speaker 1: This happened a time when television played the Star Spangled 231 00:13:36,799 --> 00:13:39,639 Speaker 1: Banner when it went off at night, and I never 232 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: thought of sitting up in the dark alone. Now opened 233 00:13:42,879 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: the bedroom door, hoping that Mama wouldn't get impatient with me. 234 00:13:46,879 --> 00:13:50,919 Speaker 1: It still hurts, I said again. Mama threw back the covers, 235 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,879 Speaker 1: and I heard Daddy Mama, what's wrong with her? She says, 236 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: she's sick. Mama answered. This time Daddy got up and 237 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: came with us. We were all in the living room 238 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: and I was sniffling on the sofa with Mama rubbing 239 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: my stomach. Daddy was sitting in a chair, skimming through 240 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 1: a magazine and talking to Mama, And after a while 241 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: I went to sleep, listening to the soft sound of 242 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:17,799 Speaker 1: their voices as they whispered back and forth. I was 243 00:14:17,879 --> 00:14:20,639 Speaker 1: later shaken awake by Mama, who was telling me to 244 00:14:20,639 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: go back to bed, and I looked around and I 245 00:14:23,159 --> 00:14:25,559 Speaker 1: saw that Daddy was gone. I didn't want to go 246 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: back to bed. Something was happening in that bed, and 247 00:14:28,879 --> 00:14:32,039 Speaker 1: every time I got into bed, those horrible pains would start. 248 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: I walked slowly down the hallway to my grandmother's room 249 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: as soon as I was back in the bed, the 250 00:14:38,279 --> 00:14:43,279 Speaker 1: torture and my stomach began again. I held it, curling 251 00:14:43,279 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: into a ball and willing it to stop, willing myself 252 00:14:46,759 --> 00:14:49,759 Speaker 1: to be stronger so that I could endure it. That 253 00:14:49,919 --> 00:14:54,039 Speaker 1: is the first time I heard the voice. It was 254 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,559 Speaker 1: a man's voice, and it seemed to be speaking to 255 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: me telepathically. I had no idea at the time what 256 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:05,879 Speaker 1: telepathy was, but someone was talking to me inside my head. Again, 257 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: I was six or seven years old. I didn't question that. 258 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: It's the same way we didn't question it when that 259 00:15:12,919 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: swing stopped in mid air and the voice told me 260 00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:19,679 Speaker 1: that my grandfather wanted to take me with him. You 261 00:15:19,759 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: have to stay awake, it said. I spoke back to 262 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,399 Speaker 1: it the same way it spoke to me, with a thought. 263 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: But I have to sleep, I said. I can't stay 264 00:15:29,399 --> 00:15:33,919 Speaker 1: awake forever, and he'll get me. He only has tonight, 265 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: the voice answered, If you'll live till the morning, you'll 266 00:15:37,399 --> 00:15:40,559 Speaker 1: live well. I wanted to ask why he had any 267 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,639 Speaker 1: time at all, but Mama had taught us about messing 268 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: in grown folks business, and this seemed to be grown 269 00:15:47,039 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: folks business. If ever, there was any besides the voice, 270 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: could read my mind too. It knew the question I 271 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: wanted to ask, and it had not answered, and I 272 00:15:58,039 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: decided to leave well enough alone. Crying loudly now from 273 00:16:03,159 --> 00:16:05,919 Speaker 1: the pain in my stomach, I struggled out of bed. 274 00:16:06,519 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: This time. Mama met me at the door to her room, 275 00:16:09,679 --> 00:16:12,679 Speaker 1: Margaret in She said, why is it that you only 276 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,799 Speaker 1: seem to be sick when you go back to bed, 277 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,639 Speaker 1: As long as you're in the living room, you seem fine. 278 00:16:18,399 --> 00:16:20,799 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask her, well, if you know that, 279 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: why do you keep sending me back to bed? But 280 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: I knew better than to say that. She might consider 281 00:16:26,879 --> 00:16:29,519 Speaker 1: it back talking and send me to bed, saying and 282 00:16:29,639 --> 00:16:32,679 Speaker 1: you better not get up again, which would probably be 283 00:16:32,759 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: the end of me. So I stood there silently, staring 284 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: up at her while she looked down into my tears 285 00:16:38,759 --> 00:16:42,799 Speaker 1: stained face, and finally she sighed and took me back 286 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: into the living room again. I went to sleep. I 287 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,159 Speaker 1: don't know how long we were there, but she woke 288 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,879 Speaker 1: me up, saying, it's almost day. Go back to bed now. 289 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: I got up, and as we walked through the still 290 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: dark house, I looked toward the kitchen window, which faced east. 291 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: I could just make out a pencil edge of daylight 292 00:17:04,839 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: on the horizon. The sun was coming up. Wouldn't be 293 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,039 Speaker 1: much longer. The voice had told me that he had 294 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,319 Speaker 1: till morning. So I climbed back in bed next to 295 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,559 Speaker 1: my grandmother, and immediately the pain in my stomach began 296 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: even harder than before, and I buried my face in 297 00:17:22,279 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 1: my pillow and I cried while I held my stomach, 298 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,599 Speaker 1: and I tried not to go back to my parents' room. 299 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:31,519 Speaker 1: The sun was coming up fast now, and soon the 300 00:17:31,559 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: pain began to go away, And as it drifted away, 301 00:17:35,759 --> 00:17:39,759 Speaker 1: I drifted off to sleep. I never saw or heard 302 00:17:39,839 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 1: from my grandfather after that. In later years, I read 303 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,759 Speaker 1: something in the Bible that said, when the silver cord 304 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: is loosed, the connection between life and after life. I 305 00:17:51,519 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: also heard someone speaking on an astral projection talk about 306 00:17:55,799 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: silver chords connecting the spirit body to the physical body, 307 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: and when it comes loose, that's the end of life 308 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,759 Speaker 1: in this world. He said that it seemed to be 309 00:18:05,839 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: around the navel or in the stomach area. I wonder 310 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: about that and that horrible pulling. But more than that, 311 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,799 Speaker 1: I wondered why my grandfather would try to kill me. 312 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: He could have just let me fall into the well 313 00:18:18,599 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: years before. I've come to the conclusion that he wanted 314 00:18:22,759 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 1: to take me because he loved me and he wanted 315 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,039 Speaker 1: me to be with him. I don't think he really 316 00:18:28,079 --> 00:18:31,279 Speaker 1: believed Mom and Daddy would take care of me. He 317 00:18:31,319 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 1: did know my grandmother would, which is why I think 318 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: she wasn't allowed to wake up that night. Granddaddy was 319 00:18:38,519 --> 00:18:41,759 Speaker 1: certain the family would fall apart without him, and that's 320 00:18:41,839 --> 00:18:44,759 Speaker 1: why he fought so hard to live, and that's why 321 00:18:44,799 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: his spirit reanimated his dead body. But he couldn't make 322 00:18:48,759 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: it live. He could only make it move in a way. 323 00:18:52,839 --> 00:18:56,799 Speaker 1: He was right. My uncle and his wife divorced shortly 324 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: after his death, and my parents divorced five years later. 325 00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: If he had lived, could he have stopped all that? 326 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,039 Speaker 1: I don't think so. He may have delayed it, but 327 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,519 Speaker 1: it would have happened anyway. That was the whole point. 328 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 1: That was what the owner of that voice I heard 329 00:19:13,799 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: was trying to teach him. People are in charge of 330 00:19:17,039 --> 00:19:20,599 Speaker 1: their own destinies. He could even control a seven year 331 00:19:20,599 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: old girl. And as for that voice, I still hear 332 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:29,079 Speaker 1: it sometimes. When I do, I always listen