Mike Mitchell and I went up to help Rick rework his cattle pens, and after a long day and evening finally ate and went to bed late. I was awakened from a sound sleep, hearing the “thunk, thunk” of something walking around the porch. The weather was warm as I knocked on the door and went into Rick’s room.

The AC was on full blast and the lump under a pile of covers must be Rick. “You hear that sound, someone walking around your porch?” I almost whisper. He uncovers, I notice a watch cap on his head, rises up and replies, “What sound? Animals, I’m sure.” Blaming animals again?

Thinking to myself, how could he hear anything covered up like he was, with the AC roaring and his watch cap on. Later that morning we talked of the “thunking” I had heard and Rick said again, “It’s just those ‘Dillos rooting around.”

The next day more work on the cattle pens, and after steaks, we talked a while and turned in early and I finally found out why Rick had such strange sleeping habits.

Tonight, just like last night was warm, and I wasn’t even covering with a sheet, when I wake up with a start! What’s going on here, I’m freezing! Then I notice the foot of the bed is leaning and I sense that something/someone is setting on the end of the bed. What’s going on I ask myself, could this be a ghost, no way, I don’t even believe in ‘em!

Still freezing I say to the “whatever”, “I’m not afraid of you. I am a Christian and you don’t scare me!” Then something really strange happened, whatever it was on the end of the bed got up, I could feel the end of the bed rise as if a load was removed, the “whatever” moved away and the room returned to a normal temperature. Personally, “it” never bothered me again.

The next morning, when Rick and I had a chance to talk alone, I told him about my encounter the past night. His reply was, “I don’t want to hear it.” He was uncomfortable I could tell, but I went on with the entire story. He replied, “I have heard things go “bump” in the night before, but I have to sleep out here three or four nights a week. Why do you think I run the AC all year, even in freezing weather, wear a watch cap and cover up with all of those quilts? I really don’t want to talk about it.”

End of story, or so I thought!