Community Chat

[Oznell]

That was extremely scary, @hyacinth003 ,  --  the fact that he called you by name, is what makes it even more harrowing.  It's a shame that you had to move, but in the end, you probably did the exact right thing for the situation, since the harrassment (which who knows how it might have escalated), then stopped.

[Susan in California]

@hyacinth003 

That was a creepy experience, and I'm glad you moved.

In the 1980s we lived in a house on a hill on a private road with eight other houses.  Our house was the third house up, and all the houses had an acre of land.  The whole back yard area was bordered by a county park with lots of trees, and a barbed-wire fence separating the park from the homes. 

In the back, my husband planted an orchard, and we had an area to park our travel trailer.  It was a safe area where kids played with each other, going from home to home. 

The back of our house was all glass with a wrap-around deck.  we never felt a need to cover the windows at night, because the park was closed from the evening on, and the park ranger lived with his family in the park.  His son was our older son's best friend.

One day, my husband had to get something out of our trailer, and he called me to come look.

Inside, several cans of food had been opened (green beans) with a knife, and a spoon was still inside one can. There was some mold floating in one can.

The bed in the back had been slept in, and the down comforter on top was dirty, with dirt.

Luckily, the toilet had not been used, but someone had slept and maybe lived in there for at least one night.

We realized the whole back of our house was like a fishbowl, which exposed our livingroom, diningroom. The back bedroom had drapes, which were closed at night.

We didn't have homeless in the mid 1980s, but a visiting friend told me that people do seek out isolated  county parks if they are hiding out, on the move.  It really gave me the chills.

From then on, we closed the blinds in the back, and kept our doors locked.  It was a creepy feeling.

My husband kept wondering if it had been kids, but the opened cans of green beans, all jagged from the use of a knife, made me think it was a desperate, hungry person.

We were young, and this was more than 30 years ago.  We sold that house about 5 years later, and we live about four miles away now.  But I was just thinking about this the other day.

[EastCoastGal]

@hyacinth003... First...for some reason I can't make my print larger or heart posts, edit posts, etc. I don't know why but this is why this is so small. I'm sorry to hear what you went through with that guy years ago...especially since he knew your name! How scared you must have been! You even moved and got another job! Wow! At least you never heard from him again. That's the important thing. For some reason it was on your mind again because you started this post. My "Unsolved Mystery" is, unfortunately, similar. In the middle 70's l was working as a secretary in an inner-city school district. I worked in my first high school there for 2 years. I ended up transferring to another of their high schools because l wouldn't "cooperate" with the first principal. That's a whole different story!! I was lucky that another secretary to the principal position opened up. I didn't know how to drive so l took a bus to the other side of the city but l also had to transfer to another bus. That was a pain because when l got off one bus l had to walk a couple blocks to the next bus stop. Wasn't fun in rainy and stormy weather! I mention this because it may have something to do with who my stalker was! I lived alone in an apartment like you. He would call at night. I asked who he was. He wouldn't tell me. It was the first time I received a call like this being pretty new in this big city. I ended up hanging up because l didn't know who he was. He called again that night but l hung up. The calls continued. Some of his calls were heavy breathing. I would immediately hang up.. I called the police and they had a lock...or whatever it was called so we could try to catch him. He didn't call at my apartment again. Then he started calling me at work! I would hang up. I thought who knows me and where l work? Maybe someone l used to work with at the other school because there were a lot of teachers? I knew my former boss's voice so l knew it wasn't him. This continued for a few weeks l guess. So long ago you know?? The calls stopped for probably 6 months or so or maybe longer. I got married and the calls started again! I couldn't believe it! The student that l thought it was (because he always stared at me when l got off the bus) l found out he died. I don't know how. These calls at home were in the middle of the night. I would have my husband (at the time) answer the phone. I contacted the police again and they put another lock on my phone. Eventually the calls stopped. I was married and he probably was no longer interested.This all lasted for about THREE YEARS!! Yes! Three years! I was thinking about this one night recently and it dawned on me that when l was walking to the second bus stop, l walked past a police car that was parked every day in an area where they could watch both sides of the street for speeders. They would stare at me but l didn't think anything about it. Then a police officer at work told me one of the policemen liked me. I don't remember the conversation. He never asked me out but l could have been dating my soon-to-be husband at that time and said l was dating someone. I don't know but I have the "feeling" that my stalker was this police officer!!! He knew where l worked. He found out my name. He could easily get my phone number and l never received any calls after a lock was put on my phone. I will never know for sure but it was a very scary time of my life!!

[EastCoastGal]

Wow!!! I made several paragraphs in my post above but they didn't work. I guess I'm really having a difficult time posting!

[San Antonio Gal]

@EastCoastGal  - I was going to ask you to separate it into paragraphs, but I see you already tried. 

[San Antonio Gal]

@hyacinth003  - I'm thinking this person had to be connected to someone in  your inner circle.  Back then, how would you get someone's number that was unlisted?  I don't think it was possible.  

This is a great thread, BTW.  I don't have anything to contribute, but I'm enjoying reading the mysteries.

[EastCoastGal]

@San Antonio Gal I also probably wrote too much! I had a stalker for 3 years back in the '70's. He was never caught! Frightening experience! I should have only written this much! I hope the OP reads it though. Thanks for your note!

[kelshar]

@hyacinth003 and @EastCoastGal I'm so glad you're OK. How scary! hyacinth003, did you have the phone book unlist your phone number? You said you changed your number twice but he still kept calling. If not, maybe he was getting it from the phone book. If you were not in the phone book.......then My God!! How frightening. Glad your both alright.

[EastCoastGal]

@kelshar Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it! It was a very frightening time but it could have been so much worse! The most frightening part was after not hearing from him for six months then to answer the phone late at night and it was him again! That's why I think it was the police officer.

[AuntG]

This isn't "my" mystery, but I remember when a night clerk was taken from a motel,  murdered, and the body was dumped not far from our house. Back in those days, murder was uncommon in our rural area. As far as I know, it remains an unsolved mystery.