A Skeptic Tells His Oogie-Boogie Story

Since I have joined ATS, I have found myself falling into the role of the skeptic. Personally, I like to think I have an open mind on matters, but as the old saying goes, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." However, in fairness of disclosure, I feel the need to post my own experience that I cannot explain.

My favorite column in Scientific American is Michael Shermer’s Skeptic. I try to be a pragmatist and think rationally on subjects that on the surface seem to defy a rationale explanation. However, on the other hand, I have had some really really weird things happen to me in my life that I can’t explain in a satisfactory manner.

I am not going to tell you any of the stories that have happened to only me because, while I don’t think it is the case, there is always the possibility that I am simply bat quano crazy. I might be so freaking insane that my memories are complete bunk and my mind has somehow created these vivid memories. Obviously I don't think this is the case, but rationalization is one of humanity's greatest skills.

So no, the story I am going to tell is one where there was another eye witness.

Before we begin, let me give you a little background. The other person present was my friend Jeff. While I don’t remember exactly how old we were, it certainly happened more than 15 years ago. Neither one of us liked to talk about this event. Especially if the other was present. I can’t really explain it, but it seems “wrong” to discuss the event together. Even now, typing this after more than 15 years, I feel a little paranoid. It is almost like I am experiencing the beginnings of a panic attack.

Anyway, here is the story.

One the best things about growing up in my neighborhood were all of the friends that were the same age. There wasn’t a square inch of that neighborhood that we hadn’t explored to the depth of detail that only youth permits. One of our favorite activities was spending the night at each others houses and then slipping out very late. We never really did anything bad. Just boys being boys.

On this particular evening, I was spending the night at Jeff’s house. Jeff and I lived in what we boys called the “new section” of the neighborhood. When my grandmother developed the neighborhood, she created three different phases. The first phase was the “old section”, the second was the “new section” and the third was a section that had not been developed yet.

Right in between the new section and the old section was a lake. This was a man-made lake created when a dam had been built in a deep valley. The quickest route for us boys to travel from one section of the neighborhood to the other was by walking along a path that went down into this valley on one side of the dam. The entire path was maybe ¼ of a mile long, at most. While fairly short, this area could be pretty spooky because fog coming off of the lake would settle into this valley and on one side of the path was the foundation of an old pig slaughtering facility.

This evening though there was nothing really spooky about the area. We had spent most of the night in the old section of the neighborhood with friends. At about 3 or 4 in the morning, we were headed back to Jeff’s house. When you are heading to the new section from the old section, you walk down a nice wide road until it dead ends. When you reach the dead end, you take a sharp right next to this nice elderly couple’s house and start descending down the path into the valley.

We made our turn and were walking about 150 feet from the large triple car garage door of this elderly couple’s house, when suddenly the very bright light over the garage door came on and the garage door started to open.

Doing what boys do best, we ran. Immediately upon realizing the door was opening we turned 180 degrees from the door and started running into the empty field. And this is where things turned weird.

When we were about 300 feet from the garage door, both Jeff and I fell, face first. Somehow, and I have no idea how, we were then lying in the grass facing the garage door. We should have been facing the opposite direction when we fell, but we weren’t.

I can’t speak for Jeff, but from this point on, I will be telling you what I saw.

I am lying in the grass looking at this open garage with the large bright light illuminating the driveway, when what appeared to be about 25 to 30 “little kids” emerged from the garage. We weren’t that far away, but these kids looked blurry. They all were wearing some kind of grey jumper. These kids were running around in the middle of the driveway very fast, jumping up and down and making little squeaking noises. For some reason, I then and still to this day, want to call these kids German. They didn’t speak German and they were not wearing lederhosen but for some reason I want to call them German.

These kids continued to run around, jumping and making their little squeaks for about 2 minutes then suddenly they all ran back into the garage, the door shut and the light went out. I then remember Jeff and me standing up, looking at each other but not saying a single word. Then the next thing I knew, we were both lying in Jeff’s bed. I have no memory of walking back to Jeff’s house. I just remember lying in the bed and going immediately to sleep.

The next morning, I got up, maybe said bye to Jeff and went home. Each of us told friends about the story but for some reason could not talk about it to each other. It was years and years before either of us would even briefly mention it if the other was present.

So, while my skeptical mind immediately wants to dismiss most of the outlandish stories that I read on ATS, there is always that small part of my mind that reminds myself, that there are things in my life, that if I read here, would just dismiss as either fabrication or insanity.

As I stated earlier, I felt that it was only fair that if I am going to continue to play the role of skeptic, that I put my cards on the table.

Plus, maybe the hive mind of ATS can offer an explanation that will finally satisfy the pragmatic part of my brain.

Thanks for reading.

Unbelievable - but all too believable.
Great addition to the ATS!

Thanks for having the courage (basket balls) to share.

I'll follow up with one of my own that includes a 'garage' but it will take a few to write it out.

Question. Have you seen 'them' again? That question is just begging to be asked...

S&F

peace

Very fascinating! Thanks for sharing. I'd certainly love to hear more. Did you know the people who lived in that house?

Suggestion, Stop eating the colourful wild flower next to the lake............

J/K

Cool experience and thanks for the share. Really don't have any rational explanation for you other than maybe you two walked through some radon/natural gas and inhaled enough that you two hallucinated and you saw no more than kids playing but your brain was a washed with the gas...


Or you were abducted by aliens and they replaced you memories...

That's all I got for you.. Hope you find your truth.

Sirric

gnomes? fairies?

did you ever go to the elderly couples house again? to talk with them or see?

reminds me of bloculas thread : www.abovetopsecret.com...

So, you never talked to Jeff about what happened that night?

So, how can you be sure he has the same memories that you have? Maybe he has a completely different memory from the facts of that night...

I think you should talk to him, and ask what he remembers...

reply to post by LordOfArcadia


That was a great story. I totally believe it happened and it just reminds me once again what a great capacity we have to experience something totally weird and just move on.

I also understand what you are saying about being a skeptic but having a skeleton in your closet, as it were. Sometimes I will read something on ATS, it will have a ring of truth but I think to myself "Oh come on!" and then the honest part of myself will pipe up.."who are you to judge...you think your house is haunted among other weird things in your life!".

reply to post by LordOfArcadia


You are not a skeptic but a pragmatic rationalist. Thanks for telling your tale. Skepticism is fine within its place of making sense out of the ordinary world. But since we don't and never can know all of the in's and out's of the world, we shouldn't be too hasty in rejecting what doesn't fit what we think has actually happened to us. In your case, the typical explanation for your joint experience will be that you two had a similar dream. --End of case.

While you never mentioned UFOs, the details of your "encounter" have strong similarities to close-encounter UFO accounts, especially abduction accounts. It is the typical aftermath of such events that they linger at the back of the mind in a troubling fashion. Invariably, the subject is supposed to forget about the incident and not discuss it. In my personal case, it was ten full years before the puzzling aspects of that mysterious night fit perfectly together. Like or not, the UFO folk have mind control down to an art. I have expereinced it as well as countless other abductees. Our stories are universially ignored and denied by about everyone, included family members. The Twilight Zone should never appear too real but must remain out there as merely fantastic stories for entertainment. To know the real truth about alien mind control techniques is enough to forever destroy the human spirit on that issue alone.

Hypnosis is a proven fact and there is evidence for hypnosis at a distance by a suitable, human "sender." The rare human seems to have some capacity for that trait, but evidently the average ET is routinely adept at it among themselves and use it with (against) their human subjects as a matter of course.


On a side note, it would be interesting, if I were you, to go back (maybe even on-line to tax records) and investigate that "elderly couple." Where they came from and what happened to them. Check the newspaper records for details about their obits and lives, family, etc. However, don't be surprise if you find nothing remarkable about them. Consider that the large light and opening garage door and the milling, uniformly clothed "children" are part of a joint memory given to hide what really occurred to you and your friend. After all, if we ignore some of the more major physical details of that night, then what really seems to have transpired is that you two had an abduction experience.

Yeah, for what it's worth, it sounds like a pretty strong cover memory for an "alien" abduction. Somebody like Budd Hopkins would have a field day with you, although regressive hypnosis is certainly no guarantee that you'd discover what actually happened. (Which would be that a UFO flew over, a bunch of grey aliens grabbed you, you were examined, and then placed back in the field with your memories altered.)

Your story has many of the typical elements of a wiped alien abduction. Good luck!

Originally posted by GLontra
So, you never talked to Jeff about what happened that night?

So, how can you be sure he has the same memories that you have? Maybe he has a completely different memory from the facts of that night...

I think you should talk to him, and ask what he remembers...

We have discussed it, just very rarely and not in depth. However, as for comparing the stories, Jeff actually wrote about the experience, but for fear of impropriety, it would be inappropriate for me to post his story here, because I do not have his permission and it would be providing personal information (his name, where he now lives, etc.).

But in an attempt to answer your questions, I dug out his account of the events and after re-reading it, here are the major differences.

1. He recalls the valley path being 2 miles. (He is mistaken)

2. He remembers the time as either 2:30 or 3:00. (He might be right on this)

3. He doesn't mention the fact that after we fell, we were facing the opposite direction we were running. (He doesn't state anything that contradicts my memory, the fact is just absent)

3. He calls them midgets.

4. He recalls 20 (compared to my 25 to 30) "midgets".

5. He recalls that they ran around for 10 to 15 minutes (compared to my 2 minutes).

6. He has no memory of making it back home, just waking up in the morning (compared with my recollection of being in bed then immediately going to sleep).

7. He doesn't mention any feelings of "nationality" attributed to the little kids.

8. He describes their voices as gibberish and laughter, compared to my squeaks.

Those are the major differences between the accounts.

As for those asking if I knew the couple that lived in the house, yes, but not well. I visited their house on a few occasions with my father. They were an elderly couple (70ish) and never had any children. The husband was a retired IBM engineer and I do not know if the wife ever had a profession. I know they never had kids because my father commented on this fact after we visited one time and I commented on how everything in their house was white, super-clean and very expensive.

I apologize for not posting Jeff's account in its entirety, but I do think it would be inappropriate. If people are interested, I will send him an email and ask for permission.

So let's see.

Sudden impossibility of free movement.

Weird 'little children/midgets' running around.

Missing time.

You know what it sounds like do you?

Originally posted by LordOfArcadia
Since I have joined ATS, I have found myself falling into the role of the skeptic. Personally, I like to think I have an open mind on matters, but as the old saying goes, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." However, in fairness of disclosure, I feel the need to post my own experience that I cannot explain.


So no, the story I am going to tell is one where there was another eye witness.

These kids continued to run around, jumping and making their little squeaks for about 2 m...

I was "athiestic/agnotic" from childhood (1963) through 1994 until I had an "experience". At first I wasn't convinced by began a reading quest.

Have you studdied such stories from others - as a quest for possible explainations? Have you read spiritual books too? If not shame on you. How can you contribute to this world by tearing others down when you yourself don't know what happened to you youreself.

Its been 18 years after my "wake up" experiences. 5 years of reading questing povided me with a sense of "getting it". And I for one don't disparage others stories. I do point out that my own experiences don't provide any proof to anyone else - but they sure got my attention. What are you afraid of? Becomming what you despise? Better sooner than later if that's to happen - rather than waking up in hell.

Good luck, and my God bless your research and understanding.

From what I have read about UFO abductions (I'm not a specialist in the subject), this story has many points of similarities to the "textbook" abduction cases...

It' amazing, because I usually don't believe in UFO abductions. But this case is different, since there are two people involved, and both had never claimed to be abducted by aliens...

Very interesting case...

I really can't think of any possibility other than UFO abduction...

I forgot to say: the whole story sounds very much like a dream. It has all the elements of a dream.

That's why I asked if Jeff had the same memories. Since he has similar memories, then it can't be a dream, because two people never have the same dream at the same night.

reply to post by LordOfArcadia


Did you make this story up to see how gullible people are? to justify your skeptical approach?

if not....... i think you did

Originally posted by ImaFungi
reply to post by LordOfArcadia

 

Did you make this story up to see how gullible people are? to justify your skeptical approach?

if not....... i think you did

Well if that's the case it won't make any difference honestly, there are so many cases pretty well documented, people whose lives completely changed after these events, that you can't just ignore it just because some dude will try to fool some people ... in a forum.

reply to post by JackHill


In the OP's story,, to me it seems the little german people in the garage of a home in OP's neighborhood, are made up ( have nothing really to do with,, alien stories you are implying) and the other supernatural part of the story, the 180 degree turn of a fall is very easy to make up,, the OP was curious to see how believable a lie is,, he used a general scene and setting from his childhood, and added minor amateurish twists ,,,,, I also cant remember ever seeing anything of substantial proof of alien abduction,,,, like a trace object left behind,, any image or video,, if this was really occurring,, if it has occurred one time,,,, if earth is humans village,,, and an alien abduction occurred one time,,, your saying it occured many and there are reports,,, why do all these people not gather together and get the whole village interested,,,

That was just a cover report. What they let you remember. Those weren't little kids in grey uniforms and surely you know that a lot more happened that you don't remember. Those distorted memories, false inserted memories are quite common in abductions. And those squeaking sounds are more clicking.

reply to post by ImaFungi


I understand your skepticism. I do. People seek attention and validation sometimes in strange venues. There is nothing that I have posted here that could further substantiate my story and the few things that I could provide, I won't because.... well, to be completely honest, I value my privacy.

The only thing I can offer is my word as a Kentuckian (and seeing as my beloved Wildcats will be playing the biggest game in my memory on Saturday, that means a lot) that everything I wrote is as accurate as I can recall.

As for the idea that Jeff and I were abducted by "aliens", I have a difficult time with the concept. Not that I don't think it is possible that intelligent beings traveled to Earth in interstellar ships in order to investigate humans, I just don't believe it is very likely.

I believe in Occam's Razor and it seems that there is a simpler explanation, even if I am not smart enough to see it.

Originally posted by LordOfArcadia
reply to post by ImaFungi

 

I understand your skepticism. I do. People seek attention and validation sometimes in strange venues. There is nothing that I have posted here that could further substantiate my story and the few things that I could provide, I won't because.... well, to be completely honest, I value my privacy.

The only thing I can offer is my word as a Kentuckian (and seeing as my beloved Wildcats will be playing the biggest game in my memory on Saturday, that means a lot) that everything I wrote is as accurate as I can recall.

As for the idea that Jeff and I were abducted by "aliens", I have a difficult time with the concept. Not that I don't think it is possible that intelligent beings traveled to Earth in interstellar ships in order to investigate humans, I just don't believe it is very likely.

I believe in Occam's Razor and it seems that there is a simpler explanation, even if I am not smart enough to see it.

What other thing could possibly make sense? You was suddenly immobilized, more than 20 'children' like humanois coming from a garage and then a complete loss of time. Oh, and BTW, a friend who suffered the same encounter too describing almost exactly the same details.

What 'invisible force' could put you both at the same time on the ground?

What sense does it make that at the same time 20 children come out from at the middle of the night from a garage where a old couple without any children was living?

What could explain a sudden loss of time on two same individuals at the same time?

Of course, if you take any of these events individually you could come with some explanations like 'well somehow both of us fell to the ground because we were running fast, maybe sufferend allucinations because of that, could explain the 'children' vision, somehow both shared the same allucinations...' etc etc... does that make any sense?

I defy you to try finding alternative explanations. Please try and share with us.