WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:09.919 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