I Hear Crazy People...

I do.

Not all the time. Actually, it only happens occasionally. But it's been quite jarring on three occasions.

Today I drove by two old guys sitting on boxes on the side of the road & it reminded me. So I thought I'd write about it. Believe or don't believe. My hubby doesn't believe me. But he doesn't think I'm lying either. It's the same thing he thinks about ghosts. He doesn't believe in them but he knows that I do. That I've had experiences that I am 100% certain about. He doesn't not believe me. He just doesn't believe. He's rooted in science. I am not.

Anyway, I'll do posts about the ghosts another time.

The first time was when I was working at the City of Sacramento & was driving out of the parking garage through the underground monthly parking exit. Automatic gates with access cards. There was this homeless lady that dressed like Bat Man. She was very thin & we often saw her walking around Cesar Chavez Plaza. She wore a spandex black body suit, like a biking suit. And a black eye mask. It was always very odd to see her. Lots of homeless crazies everyday, but she was unique.

It was like 7pm on a Friday night in winter when I was leaving the garage. It was dark & it was cold & she had curled up like a cat on the ledge right above & beyond the parking gates. When she saw me she sort of changed her posture from a lounging cat to a cat that was ready to strike. And her lips did not move but I heard, & felt, a low guttural growl & hiss just like a cat. It came from her. 100%. It was so weird. It kind of struck me like a blow. And all night long I heard & felt it.

The next year, still at the City, I walked across the street to J's Market. There was a crazy lady, a typical looking Anderson or Redding looking lady. Long, straggly reddish hair. Kind of hippie looking sunglasses low on her nose so you could see her eyes. I didn't pay too much attention to her on the way in but I did hear her remarking about each person that walked by or was stopped at the stop light of 10th & J.

"White guy driving his car. Old man carrying a briefcase. Young girl walking a dog." It was strange but not the strangest thing I'd probably even seen that day for that area & that time of year.

I went inside, bought my drink & came back out. I was looking right at her when I walked by, I always make eye contact with everyone, & I heard her say, without a word coming from her mouth, "Fat chick getting a coke."

I was pissed. I was not even fat for me at the time. So not the point but I have to get that in there.

My mouth just dropped open & I looked right at her. She was two feet from me & she just smiled. Then she went on thinking about other people. It was less clear, however, because the shock & ringing in my ears was so loud.

I stumbled back to the office & fumed for hours. I couldn't tell anyone about it because of the fat thing. Oh, & that she hadn't actually said it.

Then finally, last year, I was in San Francisco on Union Square with my hubby & the kid to look at Christmas lights & the Ice Skating Rink.

It was beautiful but there was so much pan-handling it was unbelievable. The hubby & I always had to keep such a sharp eye & at least one hand on our four year old to keep him from wandering into the streets or bumping into a homeless pan-handler.

I had a hand on my son's shoulder & was steering him past a thin man with a long black beard & long black hair, a stocking cap & camo fatigues on. He was kneeling & as my son went past him to catch up with my hubby a few feet in front of him, I looked at the man & shook my head.

We were seriously hit up for money every 10 feet that night. Regardless of my stance on pan-handling usually, my hands were full with my son & the incredible enormity of all the people asking us, asking everyone there, for money.

I looked him right in the eyes when I shook my head & he started screaming at me. So much so that I stopped in my tracks & looked down at him with shocked, wide eyes & my mouth hanging open. He was still kneeling with his hands together like he was praying but his eyes narrowed & his mind was screaming "You stupid fucking bitch! Did you know that I fought for this country? Did you know what I did for you? I could have died for you you stupid fucking bitch!"

Again, I felt like I'd been dealt a physical blow & stepped back & stumbled the few feet to catch up with my family. I could still hear him yelling until I was many yards away. It just faded. When I looked back he was still quietly kneeling in the same position.

I asked my hubby later if he heard that man yelling at me & he said absolutely not. And he was right there & he didn't care what kind of situation it was he would have had an incident with him because no one was going to speak to his wife like that.

He didn't hear because the guy didn't yell out loud. He would have heard if he had. Absolutely.

Anyway, I'm just haunted by these memories this evening so I had to get them out.

I feel better now. Still haunted but better.

Have a great night. Thank you.