1 00:00:05,710 --> 00:00:04,580 [Music] 2 00:00:10,540 --> 00:00:05,720 [Applause] 3 00:00:12,890 --> 00:00:10,550 [Music] 4 00:00:17,830 --> 00:00:12,900 [Applause] 5 00:00:21,990 --> 00:00:19,670 welcome to the best of first person 6 00:00:24,870 --> 00:00:22,000 episodes of phantoms and monsters 7 00:00:25,429 --> 00:00:24,880 please like subscribe and hit the bell 8 00:00:28,830 --> 00:00:25,439 icon 9 00:00:42,970 --> 00:00:28,840 so you'll be notified of all future 10 00:00:42,980 --> 00:00:51,670 [Music] 11 00:00:56,069 --> 00:00:53,750 living in the heart of bigfoot country 12 00:00:58,069 --> 00:00:56,079 it was in the summer of 64 that my life 13 00:00:59,830 --> 00:00:58,079 would make an abrupt change forever 14 00:01:02,069 --> 00:00:59,840 i would forever leave my childhood 15 00:01:03,670 --> 00:01:02,079 behind at six years old and meet strange 16 00:01:04,789 --> 00:01:03,680 new people and creatures that would 17 00:01:06,870 --> 00:01:04,799 touch my life 18 00:01:10,070 --> 00:01:06,880 that summer i was six years old being 19 00:01:11,990 --> 00:01:10,080 born march 5th 1958 in fairview oklahoma 20 00:01:13,910 --> 00:01:12,000 fairview was a small southern town made 21 00:01:15,190 --> 00:01:13,920 up of russian immigrants and ex-german 22 00:01:16,870 --> 00:01:15,200 prisoners of war 23 00:01:19,030 --> 00:01:16,880 it was a safe place where a kid could 24 00:01:20,870 --> 00:01:19,040 play and be friends with the whole town 25 00:01:23,109 --> 00:01:20,880 my dad had another life that he kept 26 00:01:24,870 --> 00:01:23,119 hidden from everyone including my mother 27 00:01:27,109 --> 00:01:24,880 he was the average type of father and 28 00:01:28,950 --> 00:01:27,119 husband until friday's came around 29 00:01:30,710 --> 00:01:28,960 then he would be gone until monday and 30 00:01:31,749 --> 00:01:30,720 pretending to have been on a fishing or 31 00:01:33,670 --> 00:01:31,759 hunting trip 32 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:33,680 from the airline tags attached to his 33 00:01:36,310 --> 00:01:35,600 suitcases we all knew it wasn't the 34 00:01:38,710 --> 00:01:36,320 truth 35 00:01:40,390 --> 00:01:38,720 my dad was malvin leroy chamblin and my 36 00:01:41,270 --> 00:01:40,400 mother's maiden name was wanda mae 37 00:01:42,950 --> 00:01:41,280 simpson 38 00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:42,960 one day while me and my brother merle 39 00:01:46,630 --> 00:01:44,560 were playing with our next-door neighbor 40 00:01:48,789 --> 00:01:46,640 pamela cohen in the backyard two men in 41 00:01:50,550 --> 00:01:48,799 hats and dark sunglasses woke up and 42 00:01:52,069 --> 00:01:50,560 carried me and my brother away 43 00:01:54,389 --> 00:01:52,079 they locked us up in a cellar in the 44 00:01:55,190 --> 00:01:54,399 country when my dad paid the ransom to 45 00:01:56,789 --> 00:01:55,200 the mobsters 46 00:01:58,230 --> 00:01:56,799 they gave directions to where me and 47 00:02:00,149 --> 00:01:58,240 merle were stashed 48 00:02:02,630 --> 00:02:00,159 instead of letting the mobsters go they 49 00:02:04,389 --> 00:02:02,640 received a little vigilante justice 50 00:02:06,550 --> 00:02:04,399 dad and the local businessmen from 51 00:02:07,109 --> 00:02:06,560 around fairview decided the mobster's 52 00:02:08,710 --> 00:02:07,119 fate 53 00:02:10,949 --> 00:02:08,720 they put them in an old electric chair 54 00:02:11,910 --> 00:02:10,959 that was on displayed insurance agency 55 00:02:13,990 --> 00:02:11,920 and fried them 56 00:02:15,270 --> 00:02:14,000 my uncle john warren chamblin had taken 57 00:02:17,750 --> 00:02:15,280 the emeril to the car 58 00:02:19,830 --> 00:02:17,760 so we wouldn't see the execution some of 59 00:02:22,229 --> 00:02:19,840 these men had been nazi war prisoners 60 00:02:24,309 --> 00:02:22,239 and the nazis were tough on crime in a 61 00:02:26,710 --> 00:02:24,319 few weeks dad moved us to a farm five 62 00:02:28,470 --> 00:02:26,720 miles northeast of colony oklahoma 63 00:02:30,390 --> 00:02:28,480 my great-grandpa james chamblin had 64 00:02:31,589 --> 00:02:30,400 built it many years earlier when he was 65 00:02:33,910 --> 00:02:31,599 in the brick business 66 00:02:35,190 --> 00:02:33,920 hiring the local indians at first i 67 00:02:36,949 --> 00:02:35,200 hated it until dad 68 00:02:38,949 --> 00:02:36,959 explained that living here would keep us 69 00:02:40,630 --> 00:02:38,959 safe from his business enemies 70 00:02:43,030 --> 00:02:40,640 the house didn't have running water 71 00:02:45,030 --> 00:02:43,040 telephone service for electricity 72 00:02:46,869 --> 00:02:45,040 mother and my big sisters would cry 73 00:02:49,190 --> 00:02:46,879 almost every day we lived here 74 00:02:50,790 --> 00:02:49,200 it was hard work pumping water for bait 75 00:02:53,030 --> 00:02:50,800 washing and the garden 76 00:02:55,030 --> 00:02:53,040 that summer the wind seldom blowed so we 77 00:02:57,110 --> 00:02:55,040 spent hours pumping water because the 78 00:02:59,110 --> 00:02:57,120 windmill didn't turn very often 79 00:03:01,270 --> 00:02:59,120 in july a small tornado carried me and 80 00:03:02,470 --> 00:03:01,280 the outhouse into the sky and deposited 81 00:03:04,229 --> 00:03:02,480 me into the road 82 00:03:06,070 --> 00:03:04,239 thank heaven the outhouse had a wooden 83 00:03:08,309 --> 00:03:06,080 floor and a strong latch 84 00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:08,319 i was unharmed this is when i first 85 00:03:11,030 --> 00:03:10,080 began roaming the countryside and 86 00:03:13,270 --> 00:03:11,040 exploring 87 00:03:15,430 --> 00:03:13,280 we had many relatives in the colony area 88 00:03:16,710 --> 00:03:15,440 and tarzan was the television show that 89 00:03:18,790 --> 00:03:16,720 i loved the most 90 00:03:20,470 --> 00:03:18,800 at the time we couldn't watch television 91 00:03:21,670 --> 00:03:20,480 of our house because of the lack of 92 00:03:23,509 --> 00:03:21,680 electricity 93 00:03:25,509 --> 00:03:23,519 i started school here and had a great 94 00:03:27,270 --> 00:03:25,519 teacher named mrs russinger 95 00:03:28,710 --> 00:03:27,280 she taught the first and second grades 96 00:03:30,309 --> 00:03:28,720 in the same classroom 97 00:03:32,550 --> 00:03:30,319 later when i was in the fifth grade 98 00:03:34,149 --> 00:03:32,560 colony in corn schools consolidated and 99 00:03:35,830 --> 00:03:34,159 became rashida heights 100 00:03:38,070 --> 00:03:35,840 our school was leased from the indian 101 00:03:38,789 --> 00:03:38,080 tribe it was part of seekers indian 102 00:03:40,630 --> 00:03:38,799 school 103 00:03:42,550 --> 00:03:40,640 here was the ideal educational and 104 00:03:43,830 --> 00:03:42,560 industrial school where children of the 105 00:03:46,229 --> 00:03:43,840 forest and the plains 106 00:03:47,990 --> 00:03:46,239 who were strangers to civilized life his 107 00:03:48,869 --> 00:03:48,000 parents knew nothing but the chase in 108 00:03:50,869 --> 00:03:48,879 the warpath 109 00:03:52,949 --> 00:03:50,879 and who had no conception of farming and 110 00:03:55,350 --> 00:03:52,959 industry were taught to be useful 111 00:03:57,030 --> 00:03:55,360 self-supporting members of society the 112 00:03:59,110 --> 00:03:57,040 work was done by the students who were 113 00:04:01,110 --> 00:03:59,120 given a share in all crops grown 114 00:04:02,949 --> 00:04:01,120 the farming was planned and all work was 115 00:04:03,670 --> 00:04:02,959 done under the supervision of john h 116 00:04:05,429 --> 00:04:03,680 seeger 117 00:04:07,350 --> 00:04:05,439 riding the school bus was terrible 118 00:04:09,030 --> 00:04:07,360 because the high school boys would fist 119 00:04:09,910 --> 00:04:09,040 the little kids in the back and twist 120 00:04:12,229 --> 00:04:09,920 our arms 121 00:04:13,990 --> 00:04:12,239 so each day i dreaded going to school 122 00:04:15,830 --> 00:04:14,000 but just as soon as the school bus 123 00:04:17,670 --> 00:04:15,840 dumped me off i would run across the 124 00:04:18,310 --> 00:04:17,680 peanut field while stripping off my 125 00:04:19,990 --> 00:04:18,320 clothes 126 00:04:22,150 --> 00:04:20,000 so i could become tarzan lord of the 127 00:04:23,749 --> 00:04:22,160 jungle i would pretend the fields and 128 00:04:25,590 --> 00:04:23,759 pastures were africa 129 00:04:28,070 --> 00:04:25,600 gradually our bikes and toys become 130 00:04:29,670 --> 00:04:28,080 missing mother blamed it on the [\h__\h] 131 00:04:31,270 --> 00:04:29,680 yue brother named edmund who lived 132 00:04:33,270 --> 00:04:31,280 between us in ghost mount 133 00:04:35,110 --> 00:04:33,280 his brother alfred was his guardian and 134 00:04:36,870 --> 00:04:35,120 worked for the city of weatherford 135 00:04:38,310 --> 00:04:36,880 neither one ever married yet always 136 00:04:40,070 --> 00:04:38,320 managed to be happy 137 00:04:42,150 --> 00:04:40,080 one day i went walking down the road 138 00:04:43,990 --> 00:04:42,160 looking for my bike and army toys and 139 00:04:44,469 --> 00:04:44,000 something big and harry ran across the 140 00:04:46,469 --> 00:04:44,479 road 141 00:04:47,909 --> 00:04:46,479 i didn't know what it was yet it scared 142 00:04:50,390 --> 00:04:47,919 me lots at the time 143 00:04:52,390 --> 00:04:50,400 so i quit wandering around after dark a 144 00:04:53,909 --> 00:04:52,400 few weeks later something began pulling 145 00:04:55,670 --> 00:04:53,919 parts from our chickens 146 00:04:57,909 --> 00:04:55,680 dad thought it might be an enemy sending 147 00:04:58,710 --> 00:04:57,919 us threats so he moved us a year later 148 00:05:00,469 --> 00:04:58,720 to a house 149 00:05:02,950 --> 00:05:00,479 that was a mile and a half north of 150 00:05:03,830 --> 00:05:02,960 colony that taught us to always be aware 151 00:05:06,150 --> 00:05:03,840 of what was around 152 00:05:07,189 --> 00:05:06,160 us never walk any place looking at the 153 00:05:09,270 --> 00:05:07,199 street road 154 00:05:11,670 --> 00:05:09,280 i was sure happy to live once again in a 155 00:05:13,830 --> 00:05:11,680 house filled with modern conveniences 156 00:05:16,310 --> 00:05:13,840 now that i was seven years old dad began 157 00:05:18,550 --> 00:05:16,320 dumping ever more responsibilities on me 158 00:05:20,469 --> 00:05:18,560 each morning i had to feed the livestock 159 00:05:22,310 --> 00:05:20,479 and work in the fields for eight hours 160 00:05:24,870 --> 00:05:22,320 along with my sisters malva faye and 161 00:05:27,029 --> 00:05:24,880 ladonna gail when i was 8 i was expected 162 00:05:27,670 --> 00:05:27,039 to move irrigation pipe along with my 163 00:05:29,990 --> 00:05:27,680 sisters 164 00:05:31,189 --> 00:05:30,000 and then worked 10 hours in the fields 165 00:05:32,950 --> 00:05:31,199 at the end of a hard day 166 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:32,960 there were always the heavy irrigation 167 00:05:35,430 --> 00:05:34,720 pipes to move across the peanuts and 168 00:05:37,189 --> 00:05:35,440 cotton 169 00:05:38,950 --> 00:05:37,199 me and my brother got to sleep in the 170 00:05:40,790 --> 00:05:38,960 upstairs part of the house 171 00:05:43,029 --> 00:05:40,800 there were some of the famous nazi old 172 00:05:43,830 --> 00:05:43,039 uniforms hanging in the closet two pairs 173 00:05:46,070 --> 00:05:43,840 of his boots 174 00:05:48,390 --> 00:05:46,080 his engraved rifles and swords and a 175 00:05:50,150 --> 00:05:48,400 chest full of his personal effects 176 00:05:52,390 --> 00:05:50,160 mother wasn't sure if they belonged to 177 00:05:53,270 --> 00:05:52,400 dad or pew lastly the house's former 178 00:05:54,870 --> 00:05:53,280 resident 179 00:05:56,710 --> 00:05:54,880 one of the two moms that probably 180 00:05:57,749 --> 00:05:56,720 brought them back from germany as war 181 00:05:59,749 --> 00:05:57,759 souvenirs 182 00:06:01,590 --> 00:05:59,759 my dad's military record showed he got 183 00:06:04,710 --> 00:06:01,600 to watch as the first atom bomb was 184 00:06:06,309 --> 00:06:04,720 exploded in new mexico july 1945 while 185 00:06:08,629 --> 00:06:06,319 he watched in the distance 186 00:06:10,710 --> 00:06:08,639 he was one of the few survivors i took 187 00:06:12,870 --> 00:06:10,720 the papers to school for show and tell 188 00:06:14,710 --> 00:06:12,880 and the principal alerted the army they 189 00:06:15,590 --> 00:06:14,720 came to school and took the classified 190 00:06:17,189 --> 00:06:15,600 papers 191 00:06:19,430 --> 00:06:17,199 said they had sent them to dad by 192 00:06:20,790 --> 00:06:19,440 mistake now all his records have been 193 00:06:22,710 --> 00:06:20,800 sealed permanently 194 00:06:24,790 --> 00:06:22,720 so as a kid i wondered if his famous 195 00:06:25,830 --> 00:06:24,800 german had maybe survived and was living 196 00:06:27,590 --> 00:06:25,840 in america 197 00:06:29,670 --> 00:06:27,600 mom cleared the german stuff from our 198 00:06:32,629 --> 00:06:29,680 room after about two weeks 199 00:06:33,990 --> 00:06:32,639 when i was 11 me and my brother found 47 200 00:06:35,590 --> 00:06:34,000 sheets of gold coins 201 00:06:37,189 --> 00:06:35,600 under each was a description in a 202 00:06:39,510 --> 00:06:37,199 language we could not read 203 00:06:41,510 --> 00:06:39,520 there were about 20 coins on each sheet 204 00:06:43,510 --> 00:06:41,520 whoever brought the nazi stuff probably 205 00:06:45,430 --> 00:06:43,520 stole these coins from a museum or 206 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:45,440 millionaire's collection in europe 207 00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:47,440 when we showed dad the coins he zipped 208 00:06:50,629 --> 00:06:49,039 out the door with them and said he was 209 00:06:51,749 --> 00:06:50,639 returning them to build lastly the 210 00:06:53,510 --> 00:06:51,759 rightful owner 211 00:06:54,950 --> 00:06:53,520 me and my brother kept one sheet for 212 00:06:55,589 --> 00:06:54,960 herselves and buried them in the 213 00:06:57,589 --> 00:06:55,599 backyard 214 00:06:59,350 --> 00:06:57,599 after making a treasure map when we 215 00:07:00,870 --> 00:06:59,360 moved from there in 69 216 00:07:03,110 --> 00:07:00,880 me and my brother couldn't find the 217 00:07:05,830 --> 00:07:03,120 coins of course we didn't have a metal 218 00:07:07,909 --> 00:07:05,840 detector because i was only 11 years old 219 00:07:09,909 --> 00:07:07,919 my great-grandpa was the first white man 220 00:07:10,710 --> 00:07:09,919 to settle in western oklahoma among the 221 00:07:12,710 --> 00:07:10,720 indians 222 00:07:14,550 --> 00:07:12,720 i was seven years old when i joined cub 223 00:07:16,469 --> 00:07:14,560 scouts in colony oklahoma 224 00:07:18,230 --> 00:07:16,479 our dead masters were herschel and glenn 225 00:07:19,830 --> 00:07:18,240 rhodes plus clifford ping 226 00:07:22,230 --> 00:07:19,840 they took turns having the meetings in 227 00:07:24,070 --> 00:07:22,240 their homes jack mcclummer was in charge 228 00:07:25,990 --> 00:07:24,080 of the much older boy scouts 229 00:07:28,070 --> 00:07:26,000 a year later the cobbling boy scouts had 230 00:07:30,309 --> 00:07:28,080 a joint camping trip to penslake 231 00:07:31,350 --> 00:07:30,319 we all had a great time until bedtime 232 00:07:33,029 --> 00:07:31,360 rolled around 233 00:07:35,350 --> 00:07:33,039 since there were twice as many boy 234 00:07:37,350 --> 00:07:35,360 scouts as cub scouts they decided to put 235 00:07:38,230 --> 00:07:37,360 each cup scout in a tent with two boy 236 00:07:39,909 --> 00:07:38,240 scouts 237 00:07:41,909 --> 00:07:39,919 i was having none of this because big 238 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:41,919 boys beat me up on the school bus every 239 00:07:44,309 --> 00:07:42,560 day 240 00:07:46,309 --> 00:07:44,319 so is the rest of the scouts went to 241 00:07:48,150 --> 00:07:46,319 sleep i wandered around the lake 242 00:07:50,710 --> 00:07:48,160 clifford payne stayed up and fed the 243 00:07:51,909 --> 00:07:50,720 campfire he kept a watchful eye on me in 244 00:07:53,670 --> 00:07:51,919 my flashlight 245 00:07:55,830 --> 00:07:53,680 every hour or so he yelled at me to go 246 00:07:57,510 --> 00:07:55,840 to bed before long he jumped in his 247 00:07:59,350 --> 00:07:57,520 pickup and went for my dad 248 00:08:01,909 --> 00:07:59,360 so angry his wheels were spinning in the 249 00:08:03,830 --> 00:08:01,919 deep sand clifford died in his 40s 250 00:08:05,589 --> 00:08:03,840 because acting as a deputy sheriff 251 00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:05,599 he entered a drug dealer's house in the 252 00:08:09,510 --> 00:08:07,680 middle of the night and got shot 253 00:08:11,510 --> 00:08:09,520 he should have identified himself as law 254 00:08:13,749 --> 00:08:11,520 enforcement after he left 255 00:08:15,510 --> 00:08:13,759 i felt it safe to climb twin mound which 256 00:08:17,189 --> 00:08:15,520 is located beside the lake 257 00:08:19,110 --> 00:08:17,199 it was easy because there was a full 258 00:08:20,309 --> 00:08:19,120 moon as i was scanning the lake and 259 00:08:22,150 --> 00:08:20,319 pastures around me 260 00:08:24,390 --> 00:08:22,160 i noticed movement near the lake strain 261 00:08:26,390 --> 00:08:24,400 below the dam it looked as if two tall 262 00:08:27,749 --> 00:08:26,400 bears were noodling catfish from under 263 00:08:29,589 --> 00:08:27,759 the stream's banks 264 00:08:31,110 --> 00:08:29,599 after a while i hurried to the road as 265 00:08:32,949 --> 00:08:31,120 dads pick a pulled up 266 00:08:34,230 --> 00:08:32,959 he scolded me and said i could sleep in 267 00:08:35,990 --> 00:08:34,240 the truck that night 268 00:08:38,230 --> 00:08:36,000 when i got back to camp clifford 269 00:08:39,670 --> 00:08:38,240 insisted that dad use his belt on me for 270 00:08:42,149 --> 00:08:39,680 being a spoiled baby 271 00:08:43,670 --> 00:08:42,159 dad got shamed and beat me so bad i had 272 00:08:45,829 --> 00:08:43,680 welts on me for a week 273 00:08:47,750 --> 00:08:45,839 said no shambling in history ever showed 274 00:08:48,550 --> 00:08:47,760 any fear and i was a miserable little 275 00:08:49,910 --> 00:08:48,560 coward 276 00:08:51,590 --> 00:08:49,920 from that day forward i fought 277 00:08:53,910 --> 00:08:51,600 vigorously anyone who heard me 278 00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:53,920 no matter how big or old they were never 279 00:08:58,150 --> 00:08:56,240 wanting my dad to feel ashamed of them 280 00:08:59,990 --> 00:08:58,160 that's how i got my nickname rooster 281 00:09:00,790 --> 00:09:00,000 ready to swing my fist to the moment's 282 00:09:02,630 --> 00:09:00,800 notice 283 00:09:04,150 --> 00:09:02,640 and to fight long and hard until there 284 00:09:06,070 --> 00:09:04,160 was nothing left in me 285 00:09:08,230 --> 00:09:06,080 riley was so furious because he thought 286 00:09:09,350 --> 00:09:08,240 i made the bear story up to cover up for 287 00:09:11,590 --> 00:09:09,360 not minding him 288 00:09:14,150 --> 00:09:11,600 the next week i went to the encyclopedia 289 00:09:16,070 --> 00:09:14,160 and found our bears only live in forests 290 00:09:18,230 --> 00:09:16,080 trees are in short supply in western 291 00:09:20,230 --> 00:09:18,240 oklahoma wind breaks or shelter bolts 292 00:09:22,389 --> 00:09:20,240 were planted in a variety of settings 293 00:09:23,990 --> 00:09:22,399 such as on cropland pasture and 294 00:09:26,790 --> 00:09:24,000 rangeland along roads 295 00:09:28,470 --> 00:09:26,800 farmsteads feedless and in urban areas 296 00:09:30,470 --> 00:09:28,480 they were established to protect or 297 00:09:31,110 --> 00:09:30,480 shelter nearby areas from troublesome 298 00:09:32,870 --> 00:09:31,120 winds 299 00:09:34,790 --> 00:09:32,880 they were put in after the dust bowl and 300 00:09:35,350 --> 00:09:34,800 trees growing around lakes creeks and 301 00:09:37,590 --> 00:09:35,360 rivers 302 00:09:38,630 --> 00:09:37,600 and that's a barrel this was my first 303 00:09:41,030 --> 00:09:38,640 bigfoot sighting 304 00:09:42,949 --> 00:09:41,040 unknown to me at the time i call them 305 00:09:44,389 --> 00:09:42,959 bears like the ones i had seen at the 306 00:09:46,230 --> 00:09:44,399 oklahoma city zoo 307 00:09:49,030 --> 00:09:46,240 the hairy animal that crossed the road 308 00:09:50,949 --> 00:09:49,040 when i was six most likely was a bigfoot 309 00:09:52,230 --> 00:09:50,959 it also probably stole our toys and 310 00:09:54,150 --> 00:09:52,240 heard our chickens 311 00:09:56,389 --> 00:09:54,160 the next year when i was nine years old 312 00:09:58,389 --> 00:09:56,399 my mother hosted a family reunion 313 00:10:00,949 --> 00:09:58,399 after just about everyone had done gone 314 00:10:02,870 --> 00:10:00,959 home me and my cousin cheryl renee goss 315 00:10:04,870 --> 00:10:02,880 continued to play under the huge native 316 00:10:06,069 --> 00:10:04,880 elm tree which was about a quarter mile 317 00:10:07,990 --> 00:10:06,079 north of the house 318 00:10:09,829 --> 00:10:08,000 i was the first one to notice the bare 319 00:10:10,710 --> 00:10:09,839 looking animals running towards us from 320 00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:10,720 the west 321 00:10:14,710 --> 00:10:12,560 they probably had been dining on prairie 322 00:10:16,470 --> 00:10:14,720 dogs just over the hill i figured 323 00:10:18,310 --> 00:10:16,480 because there was a bunch of them 324 00:10:20,310 --> 00:10:18,320 i didn't scream bears if my cousin would 325 00:10:20,710 --> 00:10:20,320 not have moved just begin arguing with 326 00:10:22,389 --> 00:10:20,720 me 327 00:10:25,030 --> 00:10:22,399 since she knew bears weren't in these 328 00:10:26,389 --> 00:10:25,040 parts so a yell pack of wild dogs at the 329 00:10:28,630 --> 00:10:26,399 top of my lungs 330 00:10:29,590 --> 00:10:28,640 this scenery racing up the tree and me 331 00:10:31,350 --> 00:10:29,600 falling behind 332 00:10:32,790 --> 00:10:31,360 just to make certain she climbed high 333 00:10:34,710 --> 00:10:32,800 enough and out of reach 334 00:10:36,550 --> 00:10:34,720 as the bears came running at high speed 335 00:10:37,750 --> 00:10:36,560 under the tree i covered renee's mouth 336 00:10:39,430 --> 00:10:37,760 and eyes to shutter up 337 00:10:40,949 --> 00:10:39,440 or else they would know our location in 338 00:10:42,550 --> 00:10:40,959 the heavily leafed tree 339 00:10:44,310 --> 00:10:42,560 because of the tree branches i couldn't 340 00:10:46,710 --> 00:10:44,320 get a good look at the bears who ran on 341 00:10:47,269 --> 00:10:46,720 two legs beneath us after they crossed 342 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:47,279 the road 343 00:10:51,190 --> 00:10:49,120 they began eating on richard humberger's 344 00:10:51,910 --> 00:10:51,200 peanut vines and later went into his 345 00:10:54,150 --> 00:10:51,920 creek 346 00:10:55,110 --> 00:10:54,160 renee was crying hysterical as we walked 347 00:10:57,110 --> 00:10:55,120 back to the house 348 00:10:59,110 --> 00:10:57,120 and soon both my big sisters came 349 00:11:01,190 --> 00:10:59,120 running to see what was the matter 350 00:11:02,389 --> 00:11:01,200 when i was nine dads mobster friends 351 00:11:04,790 --> 00:11:02,399 began hanging around 352 00:11:05,990 --> 00:11:04,800 trying to catch a few words with him my 353 00:11:08,069 --> 00:11:06,000 dad was really rude 354 00:11:09,750 --> 00:11:08,079 and seldom said a word to the mobsters 355 00:11:11,590 --> 00:11:09,760 mom ignored them entirely 356 00:11:13,590 --> 00:11:11,600 it was awkward watching television in 357 00:11:14,630 --> 00:11:13,600 silence for people who had come so far 358 00:11:15,750 --> 00:11:14,640 to do business 359 00:11:18,230 --> 00:11:15,760 knowing they were going to be 360 00:11:18,550 --> 00:11:18,240 disappointed so i decided to entertain 361 00:11:22,310 --> 00:11:18,560 them 362 00:11:23,670 --> 00:11:22,320 fishing at worth richmond's lake about a 363 00:11:26,150 --> 00:11:23,680 half mile north of us 364 00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:26,160 and a quarter my lease the men seemed to 365 00:11:29,190 --> 00:11:27,279 enjoy our fishing 366 00:11:31,509 --> 00:11:29,200 and i enjoyed hearing about far away 367 00:11:34,550 --> 00:11:31,519 places like chicago new york city 368 00:11:35,350 --> 00:11:34,560 boston houston moscow london paris and 369 00:11:37,190 --> 00:11:35,360 berlin 370 00:11:39,430 --> 00:11:37,200 they were ever so anxious to take part 371 00:11:41,030 --> 00:11:39,440 in my dad's business enterprises 372 00:11:42,710 --> 00:11:41,040 however dad didn't want any more 373 00:11:44,710 --> 00:11:42,720 business partners he said 374 00:11:46,470 --> 00:11:44,720 dad made contracts with companies to 375 00:11:48,230 --> 00:11:46,480 deliver goods the goods never got 376 00:11:49,829 --> 00:11:48,240 delivered and he would split the money 377 00:11:51,670 --> 00:11:49,839 with top management 378 00:11:54,069 --> 00:11:51,680 i figured this out from reading dad's 379 00:11:55,190 --> 00:11:54,079 mail he also forced people to sell him 380 00:11:57,590 --> 00:11:55,200 their mineral rights 381 00:11:59,350 --> 00:11:57,600 refineries to buy stolen crude oil and 382 00:12:01,350 --> 00:11:59,360 ranchers to sell him their cattle and 383 00:12:04,310 --> 00:12:01,360 tractors for cents on the dollar 384 00:12:06,069 --> 00:12:04,320 at one point dad had over 200 oil wells 385 00:12:08,790 --> 00:12:06,079 some of the locals got to calling him 386 00:12:10,710 --> 00:12:08,800 j.r ewing like the tv show dallas 387 00:12:12,550 --> 00:12:10,720 ever since i was small i raised many 388 00:12:13,190 --> 00:12:12,560 breeds of chickens and sold hatching 389 00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:13,200 eggs 390 00:12:16,710 --> 00:12:15,120 my goal has always been to save the rare 391 00:12:18,389 --> 00:12:16,720 breeds from extinction 392 00:12:19,990 --> 00:12:18,399 that only cared about is fighting 393 00:12:21,110 --> 00:12:20,000 chickens which he fought in countries 394 00:12:22,949 --> 00:12:21,120 throughout the world 395 00:12:24,389 --> 00:12:22,959 i was in charge of the breeding program 396 00:12:26,629 --> 00:12:24,399 for all the chickens 397 00:12:28,870 --> 00:12:26,639 it was a huge responsibility because dad 398 00:12:30,949 --> 00:12:28,880 wagered a huge amount of money on them 399 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:30,959 he sold his brute [\h__\h] for ten thousand 400 00:12:33,509 --> 00:12:32,720 dollar minus twenty five thousand 401 00:12:35,269 --> 00:12:33,519 dollars 402 00:12:36,870 --> 00:12:35,279 and the battle stacks sold for two 403 00:12:38,150 --> 00:12:36,880 thousand five hundred dollar four 404 00:12:40,069 --> 00:12:38,160 thousand 000 405 00:12:42,230 --> 00:12:40,079 over the years i got better at selecting 406 00:12:43,750 --> 00:12:42,240 breeding stock and our roosters almost 407 00:12:45,590 --> 00:12:43,760 never lost in the gaff 408 00:12:47,670 --> 00:12:45,600 in the long night float plays a large 409 00:12:49,990 --> 00:12:47,680 role so the better rooster can lose 410 00:12:51,990 --> 00:12:50,000 because the weapons are so lethal that 411 00:12:53,430 --> 00:12:52,000 for lots of means for between one and 412 00:12:55,430 --> 00:12:53,440 five million dollars 413 00:12:57,509 --> 00:12:55,440 i never attended the fights because dad 414 00:12:59,509 --> 00:12:57,519 didn't want me taking up gambling 415 00:13:01,030 --> 00:12:59,519 we moved to the ghost mound area when i 416 00:13:03,110 --> 00:13:01,040 started the sixth grade 417 00:13:04,790 --> 00:13:03,120 men who became business partners with my 418 00:13:06,230 --> 00:13:04,800 dad soon became broke 419 00:13:08,710 --> 00:13:06,240 so they began mailing threatening 420 00:13:10,870 --> 00:13:08,720 letters to the house mom and dad felt 421 00:13:13,190 --> 00:13:10,880 the move was the safest thing to do 422 00:13:14,870 --> 00:13:13,200 besides my family had plans to take over 423 00:13:16,790 --> 00:13:14,880 horse racing and pro sports 424 00:13:18,710 --> 00:13:16,800 both of which would have a big impact on 425 00:13:19,350 --> 00:13:18,720 gambling if you knew who was going to 426 00:13:21,269 --> 00:13:19,360 win 427 00:13:23,190 --> 00:13:21,279 my mother's parents melvin and alta 428 00:13:24,550 --> 00:13:23,200 simpson were mostly into importing 429 00:13:26,790 --> 00:13:24,560 cocaine from colombia 430 00:13:29,269 --> 00:13:26,800 and heroin from karachi pakistan by the 431 00:13:30,949 --> 00:13:29,279 times ulta sponsored these poor kids 432 00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:30,959 through church organizations 433 00:13:34,389 --> 00:13:32,480 when they became old enough she turned 434 00:13:36,389 --> 00:13:34,399 them into mules around the world 435 00:13:37,910 --> 00:13:36,399 both sides of my family were heavily 436 00:13:39,430 --> 00:13:37,920 into organized crime 437 00:13:41,430 --> 00:13:39,440 i think on the herring side of the 438 00:13:42,790 --> 00:13:41,440 family in corsica they have been crooks 439 00:13:44,550 --> 00:13:42,800 for generations 440 00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:44,560 me and my siblings could all read and 441 00:13:48,550 --> 00:13:46,880 write by the time we were five years old 442 00:13:51,189 --> 00:13:48,560 we all represented our schools and 443 00:13:52,870 --> 00:13:51,199 competitions starting school at hydro in 444 00:13:54,389 --> 00:13:52,880 the sixth grade was okay 445 00:13:56,150 --> 00:13:54,399 none of the high school boys on the 446 00:13:56,870 --> 00:13:56,160 school bus wanted to fight the younger 447 00:13:59,269 --> 00:13:56,880 boys 448 00:14:00,470 --> 00:13:59,279 had a great teacher mrs opal hargrove 449 00:14:02,150 --> 00:14:00,480 besides school work 450 00:14:04,790 --> 00:14:02,160 she had us growing plants and making 451 00:14:06,230 --> 00:14:04,800 ceramics my dad tried his best so that 452 00:14:08,550 --> 00:14:06,240 we kept a low profile 453 00:14:09,990 --> 00:14:08,560 so nobody would report him to the feds 454 00:14:11,750 --> 00:14:10,000 in the seventh grade he quit letting 455 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:11,760 mobster associates visit 456 00:14:14,790 --> 00:14:13,600 we were required to attend church every 457 00:14:16,870 --> 00:14:14,800 sunday and wednesday 458 00:14:18,710 --> 00:14:16,880 so we wouldn't turn out like my dad 459 00:14:20,870 --> 00:14:18,720 however many people in the area still 460 00:14:22,949 --> 00:14:20,880 knew about my dad's wicked ways 461 00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:22,959 many sundays we had to hear the sermons 462 00:14:27,189 --> 00:14:24,880 about my dad's sinful ways 463 00:14:28,470 --> 00:14:27,199 it was in 1970 that i learned about my 464 00:14:30,710 --> 00:14:28,480 dad's other marriages 465 00:14:33,030 --> 00:14:30,720 from a friend at school seems he had 466 00:14:35,030 --> 00:14:33,040 five wives prior to my mother and never 467 00:14:36,870 --> 00:14:35,040 messed with divorcing any of them 468 00:14:39,110 --> 00:14:36,880 he was 30 and mother 19 when they 469 00:14:41,829 --> 00:14:39,120 married i kept the information secret 470 00:14:42,870 --> 00:14:41,839 from mother until dad died in 1999 from 471 00:14:45,030 --> 00:14:42,880 lung cancer 472 00:14:47,509 --> 00:14:45,040 living one half mile east and a half 473 00:14:49,189 --> 00:14:47,519 mile north from ghost mound was a blast 474 00:14:51,590 --> 00:14:49,199 each day nearly me and my brother would 475 00:14:53,590 --> 00:14:51,600 climb it and look over the countryside 476 00:14:55,350 --> 00:14:53,600 sometimes we would see the bears walking 477 00:14:56,150 --> 00:14:55,360 upright across the cotton and peanut 478 00:14:57,990 --> 00:14:56,160 fields 479 00:14:59,430 --> 00:14:58,000 this didn't keep me from playing tarzan 480 00:15:00,870 --> 00:14:59,440 and running nude along the creek's 481 00:15:02,870 --> 00:15:00,880 fields and pastures 482 00:15:04,310 --> 00:15:02,880 animals got to know me from my roaming 483 00:15:06,310 --> 00:15:04,320 and leaving food for them 484 00:15:07,910 --> 00:15:06,320 each day i chopped up five gallons of 485 00:15:10,310 --> 00:15:07,920 fruits vegetables and meat 486 00:15:11,670 --> 00:15:10,320 and scattered them along my paths soon 487 00:15:14,310 --> 00:15:11,680 some of the animals began 488 00:15:16,230 --> 00:15:14,320 following me and i felt just like tartan 489 00:15:18,629 --> 00:15:16,240 i carry a long spears i ran 490 00:15:19,509 --> 00:15:18,639 just in case any mean cowabu wanted to 491 00:15:22,230 --> 00:15:19,519 chase me 492 00:15:24,389 --> 00:15:22,240 near thanksgiving of 1970 when i was 12 493 00:15:26,629 --> 00:15:24,399 years old me and my brother just go off 494 00:15:27,910 --> 00:15:26,639 the hydro school bus and was putting our 495 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:27,920 school books away 496 00:15:31,030 --> 00:15:29,600 when through the front door a man walked 497 00:15:32,790 --> 00:15:31,040 in carrying a pistol 498 00:15:34,949 --> 00:15:32,800 he told me and my brother to get into 499 00:15:37,269 --> 00:15:34,959 the deep freeze it was a new one 500 00:15:39,590 --> 00:15:37,279 mother had just began to use so there 501 00:15:41,670 --> 00:15:39,600 was plenty of room in the chest freezer 502 00:15:43,670 --> 00:15:41,680 the keys were still in the lock guests 503 00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:43,680 who wanted to have my parents discover 504 00:15:46,870 --> 00:15:45,120 two frozen suns 505 00:15:48,470 --> 00:15:46,880 we tried very hard to break the lock 506 00:15:50,310 --> 00:15:48,480 using our legs and back 507 00:15:51,990 --> 00:15:50,320 when we ran out of oxygen we took 508 00:15:54,069 --> 00:15:52,000 breaths through the drainage hole which 509 00:15:55,430 --> 00:15:54,079 i cleared by pushing the pencil i found 510 00:15:58,069 --> 00:15:55,440 in my pocket through 511 00:15:59,910 --> 00:15:58,079 eventually the lock broke and we escaped 512 00:16:01,749 --> 00:15:59,920 that was the second time we had almost 513 00:16:03,829 --> 00:16:01,759 been killed by dad's enemies 514 00:16:05,829 --> 00:16:03,839 i prayed he would quit cheating people 515 00:16:07,829 --> 00:16:05,839 rex bottom told my mother that i had 516 00:16:10,310 --> 00:16:07,839 been running the creeks like a wild boar 517 00:16:11,910 --> 00:16:10,320 not even wearing any clothes i thought i 518 00:16:12,710 --> 00:16:11,920 was careful not to be seen by the 519 00:16:15,509 --> 00:16:12,720 neighbors 520 00:16:17,350 --> 00:16:15,519 so august 1970 my days of pretending to 521 00:16:19,430 --> 00:16:17,360 be tarzan ended with shame 522 00:16:21,509 --> 00:16:19,440 dad made me any my sister's practice 523 00:16:23,509 --> 00:16:21,519 using the guns every tuesday night 524 00:16:27,829 --> 00:16:23,519 he was always afraid somebody would harm 525 00:16:31,269 --> 00:16:30,389 this is lon strickler if you like this 526 00:16:33,030 --> 00:16:31,279 program 527 00:16:34,389 --> 00:16:33,040 it would help us if you would give it a 528 00:16:37,269 --> 00:16:34,399 thumbs up 529 00:16:39,189 --> 00:16:37,279 then subscribe and click the bell icon 530 00:16:39,829 --> 00:16:39,199 so you'll get notification when we 531 00:16:42,790 --> 00:16:39,839 upload 532 00:16:43,509 --> 00:16:42,800 new first-person encounters we have many 533 00:16:46,550 --> 00:16:43,519 more to come 534 00:16:47,749 --> 00:16:46,560 very soon and by the way if you have a 535 00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:47,759 suggestion