Vancouver, B.C. Haunting Story From 1955 to 1958 (But Solved)

Posted: January 23, 2008

Hi Brian, Your query re. Ghost Stories brought to mind something that happened to me a long time back. From 1955 to 1958 I delivered the Vancouver Sun newspaper from 41st and Oak north to 32nd. Oak to Laurel. This was in the city of Vancouver for those who don't know. Vancouver in the 50's was still only partially built up with houses and large blocks were still covered with second growth forest. At that time the area bounded by Oak St. to Laurel St. and from 37th. Ave. north to 33rd. Ave. was part of Langara Golf course. Later it was made into a High School. Around the outside perimeter of the Golf course was a band of trees. I believe with the intent to keep flying golf balls from flying across the street and striking the houses and a few pedestrians. There was one strip about midway up the driving range where there was a gap in the trees and several hundred feet of long grass dividing the course from the street and if it was a nice day I would often sit and watch the golfers and make a note of where their balls landed.

I would sit and watch as they hunted in the grass for their balls getting more and more frustrated. Finally I would get up and go and locate it for them this would always be rewarded, usually 25 cents which was a lot of money in those days. Some days I might take in two or three dollars which was a lot more than I got for delivering the paper. During the day I loved the area, but once each month I had to go back at night when I had to make my collections. Then those trees around the golf course would sometimes take on an eerie and sinister and sometimes menacing appearance, especially in the Fall and Winter when it got dark early. That's when I would rush to try to finish my route before it got to dark. The incident I recall took place in the Fall of 1957, I had gotten a late start making my collections and by the time I got as far as 33rd. it was already after 11:00 pm as I was reminded several times by irate customers who had been gotten out of their warm beds. Anyway that night it was really black with heavy rain and the wind was blowing almost gale force and the racket coming from all those trees was rather unnerving. Remember, I was just a teenager at that time. When I reached 33rd. there was a one block stretch with trees and bush on both sides of the road before I reached the houses again. I would always ride my bike down the centre of the road and do it at a good clip.

This particular night I had just reached the first of the houses when I got the feeling someone was calling me. I turned around and saw what appeared to be a tall slim woman all dressed in White from head to toe like she was wearing a cloak. She was standing about ten feet back in the bush and appeared to have one arm raised as if she was beckoning me. It was quite dark around her but she just seemed to glow. My first thought was she was a ghost the second the Virgin Mary. No, I am not particularly religious, just that is what she looked like. I only had three more blocks to collect from so I disturbed all my remaining customers just as fast as could and then beat a hasty retreat for home. On the way I met my brother who had been sent out by my father to search for me as it was about midnight by then. The next day was more of the same sort of weather and I was rushing to get finished. I never thought about the lady until I was already at the houses on 33rd. then I turned around and there she was still beckoning and still glowing in the dark. I realized that she could not even be seen when you were on the road next to her location due to the bush and it was only when well past that there was an opening into her little clearing.

I decided right then and there that I was going to do my route in the reverse direction the next day so I could be there during daylight. Luckily it cleared somewhat the next day and was still quite light when I got there. From across the street it still looked like a woman, but as I got closer I soon realized it was just a stump about six feet high. Someone had peeled all the bark off of it and the beckoning arm was just a jagged piece of the stump. As I stood there looking at it I soon found why it appeared to glow in the dark. The one solitary street light chose that moment to come on and the light from it managed to penetrate the trees to hit right on that stump. Now I knew what it was but still for the remainder of the time I spent delivering papers in that area I would still avoid that spot the best I could. Even knowing, it still gave me the creeps to look back and see her calling me back.

Thank you to the person for the story.

Brian Vike, Director HBCC UFO Research. email: hbccufo@telus.net Website: http://www.hbccufo.org http://www.brianvike.com, http://www.hbccufo.com, http://www.hbccufo.net HBCC UFO Research International: http://www.hbccufointernational.org/

HBCC UFO Research, Box 1091 Houston, British Columbia, Canada - VOJ 1ZO