A Familiar Face In The Dark

Thanks for your response, TammyMom. I'm in my mid fifties now and this episode occurred way back in the mid 1960s; some forty-something years ago, so I doubt that Buddy is still roaming that dark road anymore. I think that he has only been spotted a couple of times after I had seen him and then he probably moved on after that. A lot of folks I've known have passed on since then; my grandparents, my dad, many great uncles and aunts, many people that were part of my life as I grew up. I sometimes find it hard to believe that they are all gone now; hopefully, to a better place. But Poston SC hasn't changed that much, even if it is called Johnsonville now. It's still a very wooded area and still a bit spooky at night. But, it's still home to me, and I try to get back there to visit relatives, including my Mom, every year. By the way, "Mamie's Place" (pronounced "May-mee") is still there but has a different name. A woman named Mamie used to own the place, but she passed on some thirty years ago. The place has changed hands several times since then.

Laxe, I live in a rural area and everyone waves to each other when they pass by, whether it's two vehicles passing, a vehicle passing someone in their yard, or passing one or more people who are walking down the road. We don't even know most of the people we are waving at. But, whereas we live just outside of our state's capital city, it sounds like your family lives in a very small town. There have been many times in my life that I have seen someone who looked or walked so much like someone that I know, or had known, that I wasn't sure whether or not it was that person until I got a really good look at them. However, in very small towns where everyone knows everyone else, it would be very unlikely that you would see someone who looks just like someone you know so well, especially a member of the family. If it is Buddy, it sounds to me like he is just going about his own business and doing the same things that he enjoyed doing most in his life. I also believe that this is an intelligent haunting because he interacts with people in real time. I wish that everyone would just be kind enough to return his greeting and wave back at him. He probably thinks that either everyone is ignoring him for some reason, or that no one sees him. He might think that his family, or even the whole town, is mad at him and that's why they won't acknowledge him. You said that he used to walk down the road to the juke joint, Mamie's Place. Is that place still open for business, and if it is have there been any odd occurrences there since his death? Maybe he is going there sometimes and no one is seeing and/or hearing him. If that's the case, he may be doing things to try and get folks' attention. Have there been any strange things happening at your grandparents' house, or any other relatives' houses that he used to walk to on that road? He may still be walking that road, hanging out at his favorite places, trying to make himself known. As for seeing or not seeing ghosts' feet, I believe that some ghosts only partially materialize, while others fully materialize. There have been many cases where the person, or people, thought that they were seeing a real, living person until the person either vanished before their eyes, or something happened later to make them realize that person was a ghost. It makes you wonder if that odd man, woman or child who looked strange, or out of place, gave you a really creepy feeling, and wouldn't speak to you, was even real. I've sat at the bus stop or bus terminal with people like that, whose eyes look empty, or vacant, and whose skin just doesn't look right somehow. They didn't speak to me at all, even when I tried to start a conversation. After I was away from them I still felt a clinging aura of weirdness, like I had been in the presence of something unnatural. It really makes you wonder. And, by the way, my dad's nickname was Buddy. Everyone called him that.

Loved ones can come and go from their place of existence-into this physical world of ours. For me?, it's like a subconcious yearning to reconnect with someone who has passed, and they will certainly come for a visitation. Not necessarily when I want them to come, but they do come. Remember... Time has no meaning for those on the other side...

Thanks, again, for your responses. Speaking of telling the difference between an apparition that looks like a solid person compared to a real individual, I've been told by older folks to look down at their feet. If you can't see the person's feet, then you are definitely looking at a ghost. I'm not sure if that's true. It could be an old wives tale.

Hi Laxe and thank you for sharring this very interesting story with us. I would have to agree with Tammy 100% on this one. I believe that some older people wouldn't even want to admit it that hey have seen a spirit. And to tell you the truth I believe that there are a lot of older people out there who have seen something but would never tell any one about it.Why?I think it is because they have believed in something with all there hearts and then appears something that doesn't add up to what they believed in. I hope to hear from you soon and take care

Hi Laxe,
The fact that Buddy was seen on two separate occasions by different members of your family and doing the same action, albeit a familiar greeting, reaffirms that it was him. He sounded like a nice man who probably wanted to say goodbye to you and your family in his own way.
Remember him in your prayers.

Hey Laxe and thanks for posting another story with us!

I have to agree with Tonith that maybe Buddy liked that area or he was stuck between two worlds. I hope he is not stuck because that would be really problematic. If anything else happens, please tell us because I really enjoy reading your stories!

Biemaster

Maybe Buddy liked the area and wasn't ready to leave. Also when you see them as a solid spectre it can be confusing as to whether it's a ghost or a real human. Apparently, whatever you saw, others saw it too, so you didn't imagine it. I hope Buddy is not stuck between worlds. He may just like to visit. I guess he is harnassing enough energy to materialize in solid form. He seems happy so that's a good thing.

Hello Laxe. I enjoyed your story very much, thank you for sharing it with us. In a way this story reminds me of the experience my brother and I had, especially the part of "him" looking like a regular person. I wonder if some ghost/spirits have more "power" than others.

FRAWIN 😊

Nice story... Loved it...😊
Maybe Buddy just wanted to say final byes to all of you!😁

Dear Laxe,

This story was quite moderate in terms of fright but scored high in the subject of "pleasant visitations". Truth be told, I liked the story very much, especially about your gradnmother's experience with Buddy. I believe Buddy wanted to stay on earth for a while before moving on. Or maybe he has some unfinished business to settle. I am not sure though.

Thank you for posting your experience and sharing it with the yourghoststories community. God bless you and take care.

Sincerely,

Francois

Thanks for the input, guys. Yes, I agree with Lexiluca. Buddy, who had just recently passed away, wanted us to know that he was still around before moving on. He has been known to walk those roads in the dark when he was alive. As far as where he was headed, he used to frequent an old juke joint called "Mamie's Place" about 2 miles from the center of Poston. As a teenager, me and my cousins use to go there on weekends to hang out, shoot pool, and dance to music from the juke box.

AWW! I think this is so nice! Seems like Buddy just wanted to say his last goodbyes to everyone.:)

Thats cool, buddy actually wanted to say hi to you guys. It means the ghost doesn't want to leave his family. What I think why that ghost is still around is probablyy it has to fullfill something before going away right? Anyways its jsut a theory but anyways at least someones watches for you guys 😊

Hi Laxe and thank you for posting your experience. I trully enjoyed reading it.

You know what I think? I think your grandpa was also quite overwhelmed by the apparition himself and pretty scared to admit to himself what he saw! No matter how old and mature one is, he can never be prepared for a sudden encounter with a ghost or spirit.

I wonder though, why was Buddy wandering around? He seemed an intelligent haunt since he recognized you and even greeted you. Do you think he was still on a guest for a sense of completion or was he just enjoying being around a familiar place and family?

Where was he heading when you saw him on the road?