'Tis The Season

It was a dark and stormy night in the fall about 14 years ago. Okay, it wasn't really stormy, but it was dark. It is however dark and stormy as I am writing this. I was driving home on Interstate 71 just outside of Cleveland, after spending some time with a friend. Traffic was light as I traveled home alone. I must have been cruising somewhere around 65 mph in the left hand lane when suddenly my headlights shone on a man in a hat and trench coat who walked out onto the road right in front me.

I couldn't swerve without slamming into another car. I slammed my brakes, but it was futile. He was way to close. I ran right over him, or rather I should say I ran right through him. No thump, no thud, no anything. He simply vanished.

I looked in my rear view mirror and saw nothing. Cars that had been following behind me continued moving as if nothing happened. There was no place to safely pullover at night and although I knew I saw him step onto the road right in front of me, I also knew there was no accident or incident. No signs of distress, no change in traffic patterns, nothing out of the ordinary with the exception of my heart trying to beat itself right out of my chest and a cold clammy sweat covering me from head to toe.

I continued home on high alert and was quite shaken. When I entered our apartment I starting crying and trying to explain what happened to Mr. Weasel. I was so afraid that I had hit someone, but I knew that I didn't. I wanted to turn on the 11:00 news just to make sure there weren't any hit and runs on the highway.

As I flipped through the channels, Mr. Weasel scanned the bookshelf. A few minutes later, with nothing on the news about any such accidents, Mr. Weasel brought me the book he was looking for, Haunted Ohio by Chris Woodward (the 1st volume I believe). He had it opened to the story of a man who had been struck and killed on that section of highway many years ago. The story was accompanied with numerous reports of a man stepping from the median and into oncoming traffic at night and vanishing on that same stretch of road.

Many a driver has called the police to report hitting someone that then vanished. So much so, that the officers just send the drivers on their way.

Vodka Mom wanted to read some real life ghost stories, so there you have it. Maybe before the season is over I will regale you with some other stories of the past, but I think this is a good start.