1 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,919 Speaker 1: Hey, good morning everybody. It's early in the morning of 2 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:13,599 July the eighth. I don't have a lot of time. 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:15,439 I've got a busy day, so I may just put 4 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,480 one story in this podcast and throw an archive behind 5 00:00:19,519 --> 00:00:21,679 it to give it a little bit of length and 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,399 give you another story that you can enjoy. But let's 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,160 get started with the first one. It's a bigfoot story. 8 00:00:28,399 --> 00:00:31,879 I have known about Bigfoot since I could remember. It 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,640 was fundamental learning for me, just the same as beware 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,479 of strangers. Native Americans are like that. You once made 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,000 a comment indicating your interest in how interactions with Bigfoot 12 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,600 have a life changing effect on people, and I would 13 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,560 like to shed some light on that for you and 14 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,280 your listeners. When I was a high school senior, I 15 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,280 had an encounter. I lived in the woods. Everyone in 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,320 this area lives along the stretch of road that runs 17 00:01:01,359 --> 00:01:04,000 through it for about three miles on either side of 18 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,959 the road. After that, it has opened wilderness and pine 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,640 tree plantations for miles and miles. The brush is thick 20 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,719 everywhere and it's not kept down. As late as the 21 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,040 nineteen eighties, some of the natives still had living habits 22 00:01:20,079 --> 00:01:23,519 from the past. Grandpa used to burn the brush down 23 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,799 about half an acre around us home, creating a visual perimeter. 24 00:01:28,879 --> 00:01:31,280 The old women used to cover their windows at night, 25 00:01:31,439 --> 00:01:34,560 and there was a leftover saying from earlier times for 26 00:01:34,719 --> 00:01:37,200 children who would not go to sleep and who were 27 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:40,799 loud at night, be quiet, or something is going to 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,079 mock you. Once upon a time, we natives had to 29 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,719 implement practical strategies for living amongst our hairy neighbors, which 30 00:01:49,799 --> 00:01:54,640 mainly was not to instigate any reason for any interaction whatsoever. 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,519 Move along, nothing to see here, that sort of thing. 32 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,079 But even now, well, if a Native sees a bigfoot, 33 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:04,680 they will look away and pretend that they didn't see it. 34 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,680 We know that if we leave them alone, they will 35 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,400 leave us alone. It is as if sometime in the 36 00:02:11,439 --> 00:02:17,360 past we achieve some kind of unspoken cohabitation agreement. Natives 37 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:22,719 very rarely talk openly about bigfoot amongst other people. Personally, 38 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:26,520 I suspect that a little vanity with natives in that 39 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,759 they are knowing something most other people do not. Back 40 00:02:31,759 --> 00:02:34,599 in high school, I was comfortable walking home late at 41 00:02:34,719 --> 00:02:38,199 night in all weather. I knew the sounds that animals 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,960 make at night, and I could tell the difference between 43 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,400 each and every one of them moving through the brush. 44 00:02:44,319 --> 00:02:47,000 I knew the difference between a coyote and a cat. 45 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,479 Cats are hard to hear, more like a breeze when 46 00:02:50,479 --> 00:02:54,800 there is no wind. Animals will pace you as you 47 00:02:54,879 --> 00:02:57,599 walk along the road at night, and I know how 48 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,879 to hear them. One night, I became aware of bipedal 49 00:03:02,039 --> 00:03:05,479 steps pacing me off to the right about fifty feet. 50 00:03:06,039 --> 00:03:09,439 It had happened twice before with no consequences, but it 51 00:03:09,479 --> 00:03:13,199 was unnerving nonetheless, and the sooner it stopped, the better. 52 00:03:14,439 --> 00:03:17,199 I was walking on a paved road approaching a creek 53 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,039 with a bridge crossing a quarter a mile away. The 54 00:03:21,159 --> 00:03:24,520 road was going to turn left and run alongside the creek. 55 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,280 It sloped down, and it turned back to the right 56 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,039 for the bridge crossing. On the first curve, there was 57 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,599 a house that had a dog that always barked at 58 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,240 me every time I walked by. Now this house area 59 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,560 had lights, and I was looking forward to walking by, 60 00:03:40,919 --> 00:03:43,639 as I thought it might shake loose my stalker. As 61 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:48,280 I walked by, I approached their garden and the steps 62 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:53,560 became more pronounced. It was announcing its presence by walking louder. 63 00:03:54,719 --> 00:03:57,039 Up until that point, I had not let on that 64 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,680 I knew it was there. It takes a certain amount 65 00:03:59,719 --> 00:04:03,080 of disasan to keep your walking pace casual and to 66 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,120 appear oblivious to your surroundings while at the same time 67 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,080 all of your senses are perking up and you are 68 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,000 beginning to get an adrenaline trickle. But this was not 69 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:18,360 my first rodeo. I began to scuff my feet a 70 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,800 little on the loose rocks on the road, just to 71 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:24,439 create more noise, a possible reason for me not hearing 72 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,920 the steps. I heard a vehicle coming from the other 73 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,199 side of the creek, about a half mile away. Then 74 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,079 I considered my options. I could just keep walking along 75 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,399 and hope everything would be okay. I could bolt over 76 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,560 to the house and hope I didn't get shot or 77 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,040 torn up by their dog. Or I could try to 78 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,839 use the vehicle as an opportunity to make a break 79 00:04:46,879 --> 00:04:49,279 for it. But I had to be at the curve. 80 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,959 Just as the vehicle came around, I chose to run 81 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,639 for it. I quickened my walk and heard the car 82 00:04:56,759 --> 00:04:59,519 cross the bridge and make its left turn toward me. 83 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,319 I still a quarter mile away. I was walking on 84 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,600 the left side of the road, and we met right 85 00:05:05,639 --> 00:05:08,639 at the curve, and as soon as the headlights went past, 86 00:05:08,959 --> 00:05:12,160 I bolted. I sprinted that quarter of a mile down 87 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,920 to the next curve and onto the bridge. Halfway across, 88 00:05:16,959 --> 00:05:19,759 I slowed to a fast walk to catch my breath. 89 00:05:20,199 --> 00:05:23,040 I wanted my body ready in case I still needed 90 00:05:23,079 --> 00:05:26,439 to run one hundred feet past the bridge. I thought 91 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,040 about looking back to check my rear, but I was 92 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,240 not brave enough to do that. If I saw something 93 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,560 coming across that bridge after me, I don't think I 94 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,600 could handle it. I walked a little ways more with 95 00:05:39,759 --> 00:05:42,120 thick brush on both sides of the road, and I 96 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,920 didn't hear any crashing or tearing through the brush, so 97 00:05:45,959 --> 00:05:49,240 I gathered the courage to look behind me. I saw 98 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:54,920 nothing but empty road. And then it happened. The moment 99 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,120 I thought I might be in the clear, I heard 100 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,160 a tree limb break off to my right. It was 101 00:06:00,199 --> 00:06:03,600 a loud, sharp crack, bigger than anything I could crack 102 00:06:03,759 --> 00:06:07,560 with both legs. It had gotten ahead of me and 103 00:06:07,639 --> 00:06:10,800 waited until I came into its position in the brush 104 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,839 about fifty feet from me, and then it made its statement. 105 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:20,600 We humans are energetic beings. We send out and receive 106 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,199 energy to and from each other. For example, you could 107 00:06:24,199 --> 00:06:26,439 be in another room and if your mother or father 108 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,240 or spouse come home, you could know what kind of 109 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,360 mood they were in through your sense of perception before 110 00:06:32,399 --> 00:06:35,680 you ever spoke to them. Now, this is to say 111 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,800 that you are receiving the energy that they are putting out, 112 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,800 and you can identify what kind of energy they have. Also, 113 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,759 you can look at a stranger and that stranger will 114 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,839 sense that and look right at you, and they will 115 00:06:49,879 --> 00:06:53,920 know in what manner you were looking at them. Bigfoot 116 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,959 does the same thing. When Bigfoot is looking at you, 117 00:06:57,959 --> 00:07:00,279 you can sense it, and you can sense in what 118 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,720 manner the attention is given to you. Perception is a skill, 119 00:07:04,879 --> 00:07:07,959 and the more you consciously use it, the better you 120 00:07:08,079 --> 00:07:12,439 become at it. Now, we humans communicate with each other constantly, 121 00:07:12,519 --> 00:07:17,160 combining thoughts with actions. We can slam things around, letting 122 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,439 everyone know to leave us alone right now. Or we 123 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,040 can smile and radiate friendliness that will cause a stranger 124 00:07:24,079 --> 00:07:28,399 to nod and smile back. And Bigfoot does this too. 125 00:07:29,959 --> 00:07:32,639 When the tree limb was broken, it was a statement 126 00:07:33,199 --> 00:07:36,040 I was being informed that it was only by its 127 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,560 grace that I was allowed to go freely on their turf. 128 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,000 I was being told that within their element, they are 129 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,600 superior to me in every way. I was being told 130 00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:49,160 that it would be the same as a worm fighting 131 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,360 an eagle. Whenever I talk about Bigfoot to people, I 132 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,560 use a gang turf analogy. Imagine that you were in 133 00:07:57,639 --> 00:08:00,279 the inner city gang zone and you have to walk 134 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,399 through it. You may walk through just fine with no 135 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,480 incidents at all, but it was not because they did 136 00:08:06,519 --> 00:08:09,839 not see you. Well, they saw you. They just decided 137 00:08:09,839 --> 00:08:12,759 not to mess with you that day. When you go 138 00:08:12,879 --> 00:08:15,839 into the woods, Bigfoot sees you. When you were on 139 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,120 their turf. You may not see them, and you may 140 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,120 not even know that they are there, but understand that 141 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,680 they are choosing not to mess with you every single 142 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:29,360 time you were within their territory. After the tree lamb break, 143 00:08:29,879 --> 00:08:32,799 I walked home without incident. I had to turn off 144 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,720 the paved road onto the single lane dirt road which 145 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:38,480 ran through the woods to the house with thick brush 146 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,519 and trees on both sides and a dark canopy overhead. 147 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,240 Bigfoot just wanted to make a point, that was all, 148 00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:51,320 and was probably smiling as I walked away. It was 149 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,240 the most intimidating thing to ever happen to me. I 150 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,120 remember an older Indian speaking out at a party about 151 00:08:59,159 --> 00:09:02,360 how in the those moments you would actually prefer to 152 00:09:02,399 --> 00:09:05,279 have an encounter with a bear or a wolf or 153 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:10,200 a cat. That is absolutely the truth. At least that way, 154 00:09:10,279 --> 00:09:14,879 the odds are considerably better. I want to thank the 155 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,279 native person who wrote this and sent it. I've had 156 00:09:18,279 --> 00:09:23,279 it for a long time. I don't shove these to 157 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,480 the side for a long length of time on purpose. 158 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:31,720 I get to them when I come to them. And 159 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,720 a lot of these stories that I read that are old, 160 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,519 I wonder if the people are still even listening and 161 00:09:39,639 --> 00:09:42,399 know that I read their story on the channel. But 162 00:09:42,519 --> 00:09:46,279 it's just the way things have turned out. I told 163 00:09:46,279 --> 00:09:49,399 you all the other day. I have over a thousand, 164 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:54,840 probably closer to twelve fifteen hundred emails that I haven't 165 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,840 even looked at yet. I got so many at one time. 166 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,519 I've got enough material to do this for years, and 167 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,960 so you don't think about that stuff when you announce, Hey, 168 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,120 send me your story. I'll read your story on the podcast. 169 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,120 I'm not really sure what I'm saying, but I think 170 00:10:14,279 --> 00:10:18,360 people think that I've forgotten them or not done their story. 171 00:10:18,399 --> 00:10:21,080 But I'm going to get to it. If it's legible 172 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,879 at all, I'm going to get to your story. It's 173 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,679 just that there's so many, so many hours in the day, 174 00:10:26,759 --> 00:10:29,799 so many stories to do, and I can only do 175 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,600 one at a time, and I put two or three 176 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,279 or four in a podcast, putting one in this podcast. 177 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:39,000 But I just want to let you know that I've 178 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,679 got them all. They're all in my inbox, they're safe, 179 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,320 it's on it's a Gmail account, so those accounts just 180 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:49,320 stay current. And I'm really lucky to have all this 181 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:53,519 material to read to you guys. I'm thanking you, and 182 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:55,679 I'm letting you know that I am getting to your 183 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,279 story if I haven't gotten to it yet. So I 184 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,320 appreciate you and hope you enjoy. Let's jump over to 185 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,399 an older story I released probably four years ago. I 186 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,840 think you guys will enjoy this. Thanks for joining me 187 00:11:07,879 --> 00:11:14,639 on this podcast. Now for an archive story. It was 188 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,240 an early spring Saturday morning in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and I 189 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,639 was living in the Pleasant Valley subdivision east of Highway 190 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,159 sixty one south, roughly a mile from the Mississippi River. 191 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,000 They have since built two schools west of the location 192 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:33,320 of my first incident. This part of the state is 193 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,080 mostly rolling hills hollows, and it's covered with many trees 194 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:41,600 plus greenery as far as the eye can see. I 195 00:11:41,639 --> 00:11:44,320 was looking forward to taking each child out for a 196 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,120 go kart ride that day because it was spring break 197 00:11:47,159 --> 00:11:50,720 for them. My two sons from my first marriage had 198 00:11:50,799 --> 00:11:53,759 come to live with us last summer, and I also 199 00:11:53,879 --> 00:11:57,240 have two step daughters that are also close to them 200 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,720 in their ages, plus a newborn son. My plan was 201 00:12:01,759 --> 00:12:04,200 to start out with my oldest son, since he had 202 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,799 missed out on a few years with me. On this day, 203 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,960 instead of just going down to the end of the 204 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,440 cul de sac like I would normally do, with them 205 00:12:12,639 --> 00:12:14,679 to the edge of the woods, where I would spend 206 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,320 a few donuts in the dirt, and then let them 207 00:12:17,399 --> 00:12:21,279 drive back to the yard for the next driver, I 208 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,200 decided to take my son out of the subdivision a 209 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,559 few hundred yards back down the main road. I had 210 00:12:27,639 --> 00:12:31,519 seen a gated path overgrown with weeds and shrubbery leading 211 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,399 into the thick forest, and I figured this would be 212 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,279 a nice place to check it out with him, allowing 213 00:12:37,399 --> 00:12:40,720 us an extended ride together, and from there we could 214 00:12:40,799 --> 00:12:44,759 drive all the way back. I headed out on to 215 00:12:44,919 --> 00:12:48,320 Dana Road, driving west along the gravel shoulder to go 216 00:12:48,399 --> 00:12:52,200 around this locked gate giving us access to this closed road. 217 00:12:53,279 --> 00:12:55,799 I was swerving back and forth on the narrow path, 218 00:12:55,879 --> 00:12:59,480 all the while enjoying watching the excitement in my son's 219 00:12:59,519 --> 00:13:03,840 eyes as he was scanning the surrounding trees. We were 220 00:13:03,879 --> 00:13:07,679 heading deeper into the dense forest, and after several minutes 221 00:13:07,879 --> 00:13:10,879 I could see a clearing up ahead which looked like 222 00:13:11,159 --> 00:13:13,879 wide enough for me to do a doughnut, and this 223 00:13:14,159 --> 00:13:18,240 was where I could let him drive. As I performed 224 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,120 a three sixty, the go cart stalled out, as it 225 00:13:21,159 --> 00:13:24,240 would do sometimes when I would turn too fast, causing 226 00:13:24,279 --> 00:13:27,639 the motor to flood. Once the sound of the cart 227 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:31,080 engine stopped, I noticed in airy quiet stillness as the 228 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,080 dust was settling in the slight breeze that was blowing 229 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,639 into our faces. I didn't think much about quietness because 230 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,240 we're all about a half mile southwest of my subdivision. 231 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,240 I got off the cart, instructing my son to take 232 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,039 the driver's seat while I prepared to start the engine 233 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,840 back up and head home. The wind shifted and coming 234 00:13:52,879 --> 00:13:56,159 at us from the south. Oh my god, this wind 235 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,720 is carrying an awful odor, funky wet dog smell that 236 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:08,720 is mixed with a hog pen scent. I'm sorry, these smells, 237 00:14:08,799 --> 00:14:12,440 just the description of these smells just gets me. The 238 00:14:12,519 --> 00:14:15,600 wind shifted coming at us from the south. Oh my god, 239 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,080 this wind is carrying an awful sour, funky wet dog 240 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,879 smell that is mixed with a hog pens scent you 241 00:14:22,919 --> 00:14:26,120 will get on a human summer day, which will burn 242 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,080 your nostrils. Do you smell that? I ask? I asked 243 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,200 my son, while turning to see if he was getting 244 00:14:33,279 --> 00:14:36,519 into the driver's seat, But he was not moved, and 245 00:14:36,559 --> 00:14:40,159 his eyes were transfixed on something in the general direction 246 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,919 of where the smell was coming from. He was looking 247 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,120 at the thick tree line where it was hard to 248 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,159 make out anything. Now shouted to him, do you smell that? Mess? 249 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,600 I glanced in the direction of his gaze, but I 250 00:14:53,639 --> 00:14:56,399 saw nothing, And he turned to me, and I can 251 00:14:56,399 --> 00:14:58,360 see his eyes were glossed over and he has a 252 00:14:58,399 --> 00:15:00,679 look of fear, as if if he has seen a 253 00:15:00,679 --> 00:15:05,840 ghost or something. Yeah, I smell it, he said. Instantly, 254 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,639 A chill overtook my body, making every single strand of 255 00:15:09,679 --> 00:15:13,279 hair stand on in I was feeling a real sense 256 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,759 of dread. Now I don't know why. My heart started 257 00:15:16,799 --> 00:15:20,879 pounding uncontrollably fast, as if it was trying to escape 258 00:15:20,919 --> 00:15:25,399 the cavity walls of my chest. There was immediate fear 259 00:15:25,519 --> 00:15:28,840 upon us, both, with my concern being my son's safety. 260 00:15:29,039 --> 00:15:32,799 Yet my mind was racing, with many questions flashing through 261 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,120 my head. Within a millisecond, it was as if I 262 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:40,440 was frozen in a state of temporary shock. Why the 263 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,679 hell did I bring him all the way back here 264 00:15:42,679 --> 00:15:45,600 in these damn woods, is what I was asking myself. 265 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,600 And what in the world is causing this rotten smell? 266 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,639 Are we in some type of danger? Do we need 267 00:15:51,679 --> 00:15:55,120 to get out of here now? My next thought was 268 00:15:55,159 --> 00:15:57,679 the same as my last, and I quickly pulled the 269 00:15:57,759 --> 00:16:00,559 string on the go cart so hard that I was 270 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,240 surprised it didn't snap, but the engine luckily fired back 271 00:16:04,279 --> 00:16:07,840 to life. I jumped in the driver's seat without putting 272 00:16:07,879 --> 00:16:10,480 on my seat belt, and I jerked the steering wheel 273 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,919 in the direction from which we had come. Before I 274 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,799 knew it, I was throwing dirt grass behind the brigs 275 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,279 and Stratton engine was blowing smoke, straining hard to move 276 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:25,480 this cart. I never looked back. I was desperately hoping 277 00:16:25,559 --> 00:16:27,960 to see that yellow locked gate come back into my 278 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,120 view so we could go back around it. I turned 279 00:16:32,159 --> 00:16:35,440 on to Pleasant Valley Drive and I pulled to the shoulder. 280 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,840 I was still shaking, but my adrenaline was starting to subside, 281 00:16:39,919 --> 00:16:42,840 allowing me to feel a little safer by being back 282 00:16:42,879 --> 00:16:46,919 on the street near the houses of my neighborhood. I 283 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,240 took this time to ask my son if he had 284 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:53,080 seen anything, and his reply was, Dad, there were big, dark, 285 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,320 scary looking eyes staring right at us from in the 286 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,639 tree branches, but I couldn't see anything else but the eyes. 287 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,279 I thought something had moved when I first started smelling that, 288 00:17:04,079 --> 00:17:06,119 so I was trying to see what it was, but 289 00:17:06,279 --> 00:17:09,000 only saw those eyes, and they just disappeared while I 290 00:17:09,079 --> 00:17:13,240 was looking at them. That's what scared me. My son 291 00:17:13,319 --> 00:17:16,480 assured me that the eyes just vanished into the shadows 292 00:17:16,519 --> 00:17:19,880 of the branches. I made sure he was calm, and 293 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,200 then had him promised me that he would not tell 294 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,960 my wife, nor his brother or sisters, because I knew 295 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,119 I would not hear the end of it. I can't 296 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,440 honestly say what was in the trees because I didn't 297 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,680 really see anything. I did get a sense of imminent 298 00:17:35,759 --> 00:17:39,119 danger though, But my son, on the other hand, saw 299 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:41,359 a set of eyes, and I had no reason not 300 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,759 to believe him. The fear on his face was enough 301 00:17:44,759 --> 00:17:46,960 for me to know that we needed to get out 302 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,960 of the woods. My second account was with an uncle, 303 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,160 and it would happen late in the summer of the 304 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:57,480 same year. We had decided to go pick berries. My 305 00:17:57,559 --> 00:18:00,960 uncle said they probably still grew wild everywhere out there 306 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,319 near this Soul farm where we lived back in the sixties. 307 00:18:05,559 --> 00:18:07,799 I was all excited to hear this, knowing that it 308 00:18:07,799 --> 00:18:10,440 had been years since I set eyes on this place. 309 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,400 The farm is in Yokina, Mississippi, and it's not far 310 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,079 from the Big Black River, the exact location where Campbell 311 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:21,480 Swamp Road runs into a dead end dirt road named 312 00:18:21,559 --> 00:18:26,400 Chirrard Drive. We made our way out to the property, 313 00:18:26,519 --> 00:18:30,359 arriving at nine am. It was deep in the backwoods 314 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,640 of Warren County where there are neither street lights nor 315 00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:37,920 electricity lines. We arrived and I had to stop at 316 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,680 the locked gate to look down on the property from 317 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,559 the road, which dead ends at the bottom. The house 318 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,400 was long gone, but I could clearly see the old 319 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,480 chimney still standing in the middle of what is now 320 00:18:50,599 --> 00:18:53,960 a small lake formed by years of the Big Black 321 00:18:54,079 --> 00:18:58,599 River flooding. This road has a drainage ditch, and that 322 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,119 led to our search in the area for musky dines. 323 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,160 I could see from the car that this hollow was 324 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,119 no more than fifty yards away, and I was noticing 325 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,119 how the foliage was super thick, with these long vine 326 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:15,200 straped and tangled over the oaks, dogwoods, and magnolia trees. 327 00:19:16,279 --> 00:19:19,640 After the nostalgia of admiring the beauty of my childhood's 328 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:24,240 stomping grounds, we stepped toward the shallow ditch. I heard 329 00:19:24,319 --> 00:19:28,440 rustling of leaves in the forest floor, crickets chirping, plus 330 00:19:28,519 --> 00:19:32,160 this faint sound of a woodpecker knocking off in the distance. 331 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,000 Once in the ditch, we saw a large cave dug 332 00:19:36,039 --> 00:19:38,799 deep into the ground of the embankment, and it caused 333 00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:42,480 me to pause. My uncle was joking with me, telling 334 00:19:42,519 --> 00:19:45,279 me that it was a big black bear's den, and 335 00:19:45,319 --> 00:19:47,359 he said, I hope you brought a pistol with you 336 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,079 just in case we come across one out here, and 337 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:53,319 he laughed at me. Of course, I wasn't finding this 338 00:19:53,319 --> 00:19:55,319 to be funny at all, but I did have a 339 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:59,640 twenty five pistol in my pocket. Now I was scanning 340 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,319 the ground for bear prints more than I was looking 341 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:06,039 for musky dyes. My uncle was tickled pink, seeing me 342 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,519 a little scared. I asked him to quit laughing at me, 343 00:20:09,599 --> 00:20:11,960 because he was laughing so loud it was getting me 344 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,880 out of my comfort zone. But it would only be 345 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,960 a few seconds later when he would become just as 346 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,000 afraid as I was. I took a few more steps 347 00:20:22,039 --> 00:20:24,960 than there. It was some kind of huge animal track 348 00:20:25,039 --> 00:20:29,000 in the semi damp ground. Hey, check this track out. 349 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,079 Look how big it is? And he stepped over to 350 00:20:32,079 --> 00:20:35,079 see with his own eyes, because he obviously was thinking 351 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:39,079 I was pulling his leg. I put my size twelfth 352 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,400 shoe next to the track to do a comparison. What 353 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,480 the hell, he said, This ain't no damn bear boy. 354 00:20:46,039 --> 00:20:48,599 Look how wide across the toe that is. I don't 355 00:20:48,599 --> 00:20:51,920 see any claw marks either. Looks more like a barefoot 356 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,079 man track. But that's impossible for a man's foot to 357 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:58,599 be this big. Something ain't right here. This is no 358 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,680 swamp cat either. This can't be real. Yeah, he was 359 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:07,240 scared now. Not ten seconds after his loud reaction to 360 00:21:07,279 --> 00:21:10,960 seeing this weird track is when we both noticed the silence. 361 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,440 There were no sounds at all, and then suddenly we 362 00:21:14,559 --> 00:21:17,519 heard it. I guess the best way to describe it 363 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:21,960 was to say, a powerful, long roar. The sound resonated 364 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,920 through my whole body, echoing twice throughout the valley. The 365 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,640 feeling I got was similar to standing close to a 366 00:21:29,759 --> 00:21:33,880 train as a horn blows. Whatever made that noise seem 367 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,359 to be coming towards us. The vines in the trees 368 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,160 were now beginning to swing, and we could tell something 369 00:21:40,279 --> 00:21:43,680 was coming at us walking upright because these sounds of 370 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:48,240 heavy footfalls were hitting the ground, one powerful boom after another, 371 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,000 and it was coming fast. I didn't have time to 372 00:21:52,039 --> 00:21:54,880 say let's go. My uncle had already took the first 373 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,359 frantic step back to my car before I could even 374 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,160 think about it. By the time he reached the car, 375 00:22:02,319 --> 00:22:05,079 I was there, unlocking the passenger side so he could 376 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,319 get in. I started the car and put it in 377 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,839 gear and was trying to peel off, but the dirt 378 00:22:10,839 --> 00:22:13,920 had my car sliding side to side in slow motion. 379 00:22:14,799 --> 00:22:16,920 And at the same time I was looking over in 380 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,960 the direction of a holler and there she was. Yes, 381 00:22:21,279 --> 00:22:24,799 I could see one of her breasts. The beast was 382 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:29,200 partially hidden behind a large tree, just standing there watching us, 383 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,680 with her top lip rolled back, and she was making 384 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:38,119 a terrifyingly menacing frown, showing her large, dirty horse teeth, 385 00:22:38,319 --> 00:22:43,039 which were flanked by long canines. I noticed her skin 386 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,359 had a look of smoke gray in color, at least 387 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,400 the part I could see through the long, black, stringy 388 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:54,079 looking hair which was circled around her face. Large fingers 389 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:58,119 were visible as she gripped the tree. My head was 390 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,200 hurting because of seeing this myth, a cool boogeyman that 391 00:23:01,279 --> 00:23:03,759 they had been telling me about years ago when I 392 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,880 was a little boy. I had grown to believe that 393 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:08,920 it was an old tale just to make the kids 394 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:13,759 scared at night. Man, was I ever wrong. My tires 395 00:23:13,799 --> 00:23:17,720 caught traction, although the car was already fishtailing before I realized. 396 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,160 My uncle was telling me to slow down. He didn't 397 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,160 know how I knew it was a female anyway, he said, emphatically, 398 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,960 how did you know that? He then let me a 399 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,119 cigarette and told me to relax so I could tell 400 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,319 him exactly what I saw. I started to settle down 401 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,519 and was far enough from the area, and we began 402 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,720 laughing about the experience. We both chained smoked all the 403 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,079 way back to civilization, vowing to tell everyone what we 404 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,599 went through. This would be a big mistake and a 405 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,799 waste of our breaths. Our family members thought we had 406 00:23:50,839 --> 00:23:54,119 been getting stoned and then made the whole story up. 407 00:23:54,599 --> 00:23:58,119 They laughed in our faces. It was okay, though, because 408 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,599 I don't think I would have believed it even if 409 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,240 I had not seen it for myself. People can think 410 00:24:04,279 --> 00:24:06,960 these creatures aren't real if they want to, but I 411 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:10,079 know what I saw. I will never feel alone in 412 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:14,000 the deep woods ever again. Needless to say, our Musky 413 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,519 dyne hunt lasted no more than five minutes total, and 414 00:24:17,599 --> 00:24:21,519 I have never been back out that way again. To Yokina, Mississippi.