I was, as usual, reluctant to go upstairs to bed, even though my mom and dad had told me I definitely could not stay up and watch “the Whistler”…a 1950’s detective series that began with a dark scene and a man off screen whistling…just whistling.
And being 6 or 7 was too young they said.
I was more curious than fearful and I tried every night to get a glimpse of the show. I sloooowly climbed the stairs peeking through the railing to try to see it.
Middle of the night came and I had a feeling of being approached. I felt something, some presence on the stairway though I could not see it from my bed. I listened and heard nothing. I asked me if I was awake and as far as I could determine I was.
But I could not bring myself to go look or to call out to my parents. So I lay there and waited.
Minutes later a shadow crept towards my open door. I could see it on the wall across the hall from me. I can still see the figure – a man I, wearing a trench coat and a hat that was the style back then. He had both hands stuffed into his pockets [amazing huh? that I could tell that from the shadow, but I swear that is what I saw]. As he came closer my fear froze me in place.
And being 6 or 7 was too young they said.
I was more curious than fearful and I tried every night to get a glimpse of the show. I sloooowly climbed the stairs peeking through the railing to try to see it.
Middle of the night came and I had a feeling of being approached. I felt something, some presence on the stairway though I could not see it from my bed. I listened and heard nothing. I asked me if I was awake and as far as I could determine I was.
But I could not bring myself to go look or to call out to my parents. So I lay there and waited.
Minutes later a shadow crept towards my open door. I could see it on the wall across the hall from me. I can still see the figure – a man I, wearing a trench coat and a hat that was the style back then. He had both hands stuffed into his pockets [amazing huh? that I could tell that from the shadow, but I swear that is what I saw]. As he came closer my fear froze me in place.
His shadow stepped toward my door and seeing it, I pulled the covers up over my head and prayed HARD.
I felt him come to the foot of my bed [how? I dunno]. I felt him look down on me. And then I slept.
Rather anti-climactic I guess. Next day I asked my little brother whether he heard or saw anything and he had no idea what I was talking about. I never mentioned it to my folks as I instinctively knew they would never let me watch the Whistler if they thought I was seeing things [which they already thought anyway].
So I dropped it and I do not recall ever seeing an episode of that show.
All a matter of childhood imaginings, right? Just a story remembered from long ago.
Fast forward to about 1 month later … summertime in the projects and lookin' for something to do. My brother and I ask if we can help our 15 year old neighbor baby sit and we get the ok. So we are ‘helping’ when one of the boys, about my age tells Charlotte, the sitter, that he is afraid and to please come upstairs.
We all go up and charlotte sits on a chair, I stand with my brother. The boy, Johnny, faces us [and the window] telling us how he felt. Then he glances up towards the window, screams and runs downstairs.
I felt him come to the foot of my bed [how? I dunno]. I felt him look down on me. And then I slept.
Rather anti-climactic I guess. Next day I asked my little brother whether he heard or saw anything and he had no idea what I was talking about. I never mentioned it to my folks as I instinctively knew they would never let me watch the Whistler if they thought I was seeing things [which they already thought anyway].
So I dropped it and I do not recall ever seeing an episode of that show.
All a matter of childhood imaginings, right? Just a story remembered from long ago.
Fast forward to about 1 month later … summertime in the projects and lookin' for something to do. My brother and I ask if we can help our 15 year old neighbor baby sit and we get the ok. So we are ‘helping’ when one of the boys, about my age tells Charlotte, the sitter, that he is afraid and to please come upstairs.
We all go up and charlotte sits on a chair, I stand with my brother. The boy, Johnny, faces us [and the window] telling us how he felt. Then he glances up towards the window, screams and runs downstairs.
We all take off right behind him with no one looking back. When he calms down, he says he saw a man looking in at us. He can not give a description, but he is so sure that Charlotte calls his parents home and they call the police who say they've had other, similar reports in that area.
the police come and check it out - footprints on the roof of the porch cover below the window of Johnny's room. Also in the attic and connecting crawlspace in the apartments.
I have no idea what came of the search - we did not see the man again nor did i see the shadow of the trench coated man again.
I have no idea what came of the search - we did not see the man again nor did i see the shadow of the trench coated man again.
Now for the most "hmmm?!" part of this whole little tale.
Fast waaay forward to 1978 when i am working at the FWSS. my co-worker & i became friends and had one of those 'finish-the-other's-sentence relationships. we had many of the same or similar feelings and thoughts on life in general.
so we were talking one day about our childhoods.
When SHE was 7, the very same shadow that i saw, visited her, too. We were the same age so that means she saw him during the same period of time i saw him - i lived in dallas at the time & she in a town in the northern U.S.
HHMMMM?!?
Just little bits of what makes life so very interesting. I feel somedays as though, when i awaken each morning, it is with a bit of trepidation mixed with a huge heap of 'oh boy - what's the joke today?'; and it is so great that i have people with whom to share these strange and funny experiences.
Just little bits of what makes life so very interesting. I feel somedays as though, when i awaken each morning, it is with a bit of trepidation mixed with a huge heap of 'oh boy - what's the joke today?'; and it is so great that i have people with whom to share these strange and funny experiences.
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