Greetings

My Name Is SHawn C. Imlay ... I must warn you I can be very "tounge in Cheek " about my beliefs and usually if something I say offends anyone I was more than likely being flippant and humorus ... I try not to ever take myself too seriously ...
I'm Kinda New to the Board and so I am taking time to introduce myself here ...
I am a Man of Imense faith but not nessecarily religion, I respect all peoples beliefs and feelings on the matter and try to take them as gosphel from folks ...having face trials and tribulations of my own , and finding my own way to speak with God. Lost and alone It is within our own souls and beliefs we find our way home ...and I would not ever wish to deny anyone the right to do so ... . I am also a bit on the Creepy Side. I love the spooky stuff ...I am a Huge Halloween Fan and each year the our house becomes a Circus of the Macabre. We also are the creaters and proprioters of an Online store http://thehauntedmission.com fun spot ...were runnin a little dry for now but I remain persistant ,intrepid to the Last. I have over the years collected books on everything involving the Metaphysical from bigfoot to Aliens ... I love the subject but have never been "abducted" by eiither ...but I remain hopeful ...


My reason for my long winded explenation is some time ago with my buisness not of course making me instantly rich ... I decided I needed to go back to work ... I am 40 and it may be a midlife crisis or just some natural progression I am unsure ...but having a long history of love and admiration for the men and women who keep our nation moving the AMERICAN TRUCKER. I decided to become a member of this elite group and view my efforts as a goal of pride and destinction

My goal here ...and it was the MOST appropriate forum I could find for it is to begin a collection of Tales , Myths , and legends associated with the Long Highway
... a place of romance and myth and on many occasions the macabre ....

From older songs like Red Sovines "phantom 309 " to tales of Boggermen from the "Holler" from my Youthful summers in the Virginia mountains ... a little place called mountain falls Park near Winchester ... There is a Richness to stories told ...a memory deep within us all ... the campfire stories and Oral traditions of the Folks we come from.

I Started a Page on MY space ...although somewhat delayed My plan was in the downtimes and diners and truckstops to take a minute to get to know folks and gather some of these stories and tales ... from Guardian angels to ghosts. The Highways of our nations hold stories of tradgedy and triumphs and I would like to be one of many generations of story tellers to pass them on ...


I would like for any of you with something to share ...either personally or just the stories you have heard ...share them here with me ...I will pass them on ... I will do so giving full credit to the teller if he or she wishes or I will post them annonomus if you prefer ...but I ask most humbly for your input here either way ...

I thank you in advance for your time and look foreward to comming to know all of you

Shawn(Ogre)Imlay

Great Idea Ogre...hope people respond.



Reb

orgre999 ... now your talking my lanuage :wink: .... I have several stories to tell you but not sure which one to start with. So give me a bit of time to share with you ~ but I'm not so much sure I'll post them here, because the feed back I've come across in my life time of those who don't beleive in ghost or spirits can be curel to down right rude .... People put their foot in their mouth before speaking alot ..... especially those who have 'tunnel vision' and aren't willing to accept other peoples life experiences. These things I've experinced I didn't go looking for - they came to Me .... it all started when I was 5yr old ......... and has continued todate !

To heck with it ... I'll go ahead and tell you my First experience with Ghost.

When I was 5yr old, I would wake up in the middle of the night and see someone standing at my bedroom door. This went on for a long time and so finally I told my mother one day about what I was seeing at night ..... as a child I described him as a gingerbread man.... because the shape I was seeing you couldn't see the fingers but you could see the shape of a body --- from the head - shoulders- arms-legs, but I couldn't see fingers or eyes. But I knew it was a man. Because back in those days women didn't wear jeans, only dresses - so I knew it had to be a man standing there. And even as a child I knew I WASN'T dreaming ! ... this went on for ever it seemed like.

Then one night my younger brother was sick at bed time so Mother had me sleep with him - since I'm a light sleeper - so if brother got sicker I would wake up and go tell mother and dad that brother was throwing up or what ever. ... that night I was woken up by a man standing at the foot of brothers bed . I just laid there and looked at him, afraid to move - shortly he turned and waked into my sisters bedroom and I never saw him again that night. The next day I was telling mom about this man standing at the foot of the bed and my sister started crying, then she told mom that she too had seen a man standing in her bedroom and he turned and walked into brothers bedroom but he never returned to her bed side. ........... Acourse mom said that me must of been dreaming, but how could we .... we BOTH saw the same man ! ...........

We lived in that house for several years and this man continued to show up from time to time. After we moved from there and being several years older, Mom told us that she did some research on the history of that house and the bedroom that my sister and I shared nightly ... an older man had died in our bedroom. ......... Clearly it was the ghost of that Man .... he didn't realize that he was dead and hadn't crossed over to the light yet.

A couple of years ago I went back to the town I grew up in and drove where that home sat. With the intentions of visiting with who ever lived there and explain to them I grew up there and gently ask them if they had ever seen my ghost. But the house had been torn down. I felt bad for the ghost of that man, because with my knowledge now and the gifts my Creator gave me from birth I do beleive I could of helped that old man to cross over to the light.

Now before some of you decide to be judgemental and tell me I'm crazy or not religious .... You couldn't be FARTHER from the truth ... I have a deep and solid connection with God our Creator. I talk to him daily and he let's me know he's with me always. .... But my Life's path is different from those who think they must attend a church on weekly bases to be faithful. I grew up in the United Pentecostal church, I know and understand what the Bible says. So please do not come to me preaching. That's not what this thread is about. Life is just that ~ Life. It's different for everyone, that's why we're all special in our own rights.

If I felt safer sharing my lifes experiences on this thread I would do so freely, but time will tell. :roll: .... This is a thread I'll watch closesly, because as I said at the being ..... ogre999 your talking my lauguage now.

I told someone the other day .... if the truth be know (and if people weren't so judgemental) we're ALL alot alike. We've experienced the same things, just at different times in life and at different degrees. But life IS interesting and it should be able to share without being burned at the stake. :wink: .... ( ops: this is a subject I'm passionate about)

As I stated in the opening I have a profound respect for all faiths ...from Native American ...to Christianity ...to Buhdisim ....to Paganisim ( which Technically is any religion NOT devoted to Christ ...including Judeisim )

I have noted a deep Christian belief in the boards and I assume that is to what you refer ... I would ask that folks state who they are ...and what they believe and allow others to do the same ...rather than spend wasted time dicing up one another here ... Judge not Lest ye be Judged so to speak ... Final Judgement we can all agree Im sure comes when our Lives and Journey here are done ... SO I would suggest that Unless Anyone holds yourself more capable than the Almighty himself of Judging ...I might remind them of certain verses in revelations.

Surely there are such souls here that can allow folks to speak their piece and go unmolested ...

I have heard tell of figures appearing at the scene of a roadside accident ...one in North FLa along I-10 ... a victom had broken his/her neck and a figure appeared out of no where Holding their head in just such a posittion as to allow them to breathe in relative comfort untill the arrival of paramedics ....when the Paramedic took control ...he then looked around for the man he had just relieved ...he was gone ...just vanished ...an Angel? .... mayhaps ? a deceased loved one ? I Know I am not fit to judge ...

I have studdied much and frankly with each new theory or volume read I become less certain ...but In the end I am not sure that "WHAT" you believe in is as important as the fact that you do believe in something.

SO it is My hope that we can all exibit and recieve some basic human respect ...

Bright Blessings

Shawn

in any event if you should choose to share under the strictest confidence than my E-mail is :


[email protected]

We used to be active in Civil War reenacting.I've seen and experienced alot of strange things.
We even had a ghost here at home. :shock: :shock:

Jay Of this I have No doubt ...and I would encourage you to share the tale

This is actually quite a common experiance among reinactors of all eras ...

I am curious though about your home Ghost ...I wonder is anything you use in your reinacting and actual " artifact" or all replicas ?
Often folks do not consider the Idea that an "object" can be just as easily "haunted" as a home or particular place ...

Very Cool JAy ...I hope to hear more !

Shawn

I encourage everyone if possible to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum ... http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

Where the bombing happened ... I remember that day quite well. I stood in front of the TV for the longest time and thought - this must be a joke .. how could this happen here ? .......... Anyway, once the Memorial was built ( which I've been to a couple of times now ) .. there is a wall - that's standing behind where the 'chair' for the victims are, this is the original wall ... it's called the 'weeping wall' ..... before I went there the first time I hadn't heard anyone say why the wall was named - the 'weeping wall' ... a girlfriend of mine went there together. When we came upon this point of the memorial ... we just froze in our tracks ... we were both facing different directions but just standing there in awwww .... I could actually feel the terror, and hear the screaming of people, the hair on my arms stood up and I began to weep. As I turned to my friend she was experiencing the exact same thing. She could feel the fear, pain and terror those people where expereincing as they ran down the stair wells, and running for their life. She had tears rolling down her face also. We slowly started to walk away and I told her of the intense feelings I was picking up in that area, and she agreed that she too was able to feel the same things............... Something that horrible does leave a mark on the spot for life. All those peoples energy are still there. It's a wonderful, peaceful play to go and respect the lives that were lost that day and days to come. ..... But to know their pain will always be felt next to that orginal wall still standing .... is a bit overwhelming to say the least.

If your ever rolling through Okla City and can schedule a few hours off .. it's work the taxi ride over there.

Thank you for sharing for4roses ... I am in a bit of an imposition at the moment ...but I will add it to my to do list certainly


I have had the great fortune to travel abroad several times in my life. I have personally felt the kind of experiance you describe in other places as well. Great Tradgedy does indeed leave an indellable impression on the world around us. I think in many ways it is healthy to feel this ...the more that do witness the horrors of the things we as Man visit upon one another the more we may grow spiritually and the more we may be prompted to find other solutions to our diffrences. I was a soldier ...I love my Brothers and sisters serving , I realize it is sometimes unavoidable ...but I am no fan of war ...nor really an advocate of violence in general ... just have a survival instinct that will not allow me to rule it out. Still for all that One has to wonder what exactly was supposed to be accomplished by this sensless act upon innocents ...women and children ...where was the honor ? where was the courage ? What was the Point ? ...

I just hope and pray those souls have found peace ...and leave nothing but an echo to remind us ....

Bright Blessings
Shawn

I have had over the years ...a few personal experiances and I think it only fair that I share ...

In 1985/86 I was a third of the way through my basic training at FT Knox KY ...when we were granted leave for Christmas Break. I decided to vist my sister in the City of Philadelphia 3419 Heartville St. in the "kensington" section for the Holiday season. It was in fact New Years Day at about 3:00am.

We had been having a small celebration but everyone had turned in around 1:00am. I was sleping on the livingroom couch but could not get to sleep. In addition to my insomnia , the presence of a most excelent "shrimp salad " from one of the local Deli's ( I dont care much for cities in general ...but admit a love for phillys delis ) ...so I fianlly surrenderd to my deli addiction and got up to go and aquire some ...

Now before I continue ...some history ...This section of the city is as old as any ...It was at one time the "old Irish Slum" as a decendant son of Erin ...my family on my mothers side has been in the city since the late 1700's ... I am given to understand it is now Just a Slum ... The narrow streets are boardered along their way by row houses ...if you are unfamilliar , the front door ...adjacent to the common or "partywall" of the neighboring house ...has a small entryway or vestibule ...this opens so that you immediately face the stairs to the second story and the wide entry to the living or common rooms . The Basement entry way is located towards the back of the house and the flight of stairs is immediately below those going up ... it is also the location of the "kintchen entry". It is laid out in such a way that when you enter your kitchen your back is facing squarely ...the Basement door.

Now I am in fact a spooky lil freak ...loving the Macabre and all things associated with it ...from pretty much any culture Modern or Aincent , any religion , I love them all ..but I must confess here Unpopular though it may be these days
I have in fact most of my life been the recipiant of "feelings" ...just impressions ...at the oddest times and places ...now you the reader ...may attribute them to "guardian Angels" or the "devil" as you like but the one thing I know for certain is over the years ...I have learned to trust them ...more often than NOT ...they turn out to be well placed warnings. Unlike many of the Modern Mediums or soothsayers however ...I really do not "see " things ...just "feelings" that I then on ocassion can convert to pictures or images in my own head ...but I am sure that particular bit ...is all me ...and if I am to misinterpret these things ...that is usually where it will happen ...okay having said this ...this is the only incident I have ever had , where something erie or unexplainable has actually occured before my actual "eyes"...

Okay ...so I get up ...and head the 8-10 feet to the Kitchen archway ...as I am entering ...i get this ..."tingly kind of cold " and as always the Hair rises upon my neck and arms ( I'm not very hairy thankfully or the sensation may have caused me to pass out ) ...and there is a vauge feeling of "cold " ...I would describe it like when you jump in a creek ...midsummer ...and then immediately get out ....you can "feel the warmth of the air ...and the sun on your skin ...but you still feel the chill from the water still on you .... almost in you ...sometimes you can even see the steam mist off your skin ...it was that kind of cold.

I could tell immediately it was comming from behind me and of course I "locked up " pausing for a moment ..the space of a breath maybe ...I imediately executed an "about face "( the Army had managed to instill that much drill knowledge at least at this point ) and was facing the closed door to the basement. Now I will tell you this ...I did in fact hear my "inner" voice yelling at me to NOT open that door ...that thats how they all go down in the movies ...but of course I did not listen ...why would I ...I will always be Obstinate I suppose ...its in my blood ...however as you may have gathered ...I flung open the door towards me ....

Standing there ... three steps below me was a rather attractive young woman ... coifed hair ....long pearl like earrings ...and a high necked collared dress ... very "victorian" like ...and I looked directly into her eyes and was kind of suprised ...that the same suprise seemed to show on her face ...I imagine that my face mirriored the startled look on hers ....

Now this all took place in miliseconds mind you ...like for those of you old enough to remember the old "flash CUbes" ... and how their going off left you with the fading impression of whatever it was you were looking at at the time ...I would say maybe the length of two whole normal breaths ...and she was gone ....

I think I stood there dumbfounded for another three or four moments ...

I DO NOT fear these things .... I actually get quite excited ... more akin to making love in a thunderstorm ...than actual fear ( what? ...I told you I was a freak! )..

I will confess that when I snapped back to reality ...and decided to continue my pursuit of the elusive shrimp sallad ...I kept a well trained eye on that damned door however ....

Prolouge : It was not till some months later that I was able to get around to the inevitable research of deeds ...it was somewhat sketchy due to a fire apperantly destroying a good many records ...however we were able to determine through what remained and through "older " residents in the area that at one point , around the turn of the century ...there was a young lady in residence with her invalid father at that address ...a very curious event ...indeed


Shawn