As we say around here: “w\What runs in your family?” For some it’s music and others it may be sports. For my family, it’s strange stories.
My Mamaw Jo used to cringe as she told this story. One day she and Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle were busy cleaning house when they heard the old clock upstairs chime. Both of them were startled. It wasn’t because they didn’t realize the time. It was because the clock was broken and hadn’t worked for years. Mamaw Jo thought it was pretty, so she hadn’t thrown it away. Immediately Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle said: “Something is going to happen.” Shortly after that, my great grandfather had a major stroke and soon passed away.
As for me, my strange story happened when I was 11 years old. A couple days after Christmas, we were relaxing in the living room late one evening. My parents were sitting on the couch together on the other side of the room from me. I was in my pajamas and sitting on the floor as I looked through record albums and books I had gotten as presents. Behind me was the wall next to the basement steps. Suddenly there were three loud banging noises coming from the other side that wall. It sounded as if someone was standing on the steps and slinging a sledge hammer into it as hard as they could. The wall actually shook from it.
After the banging stopped, you would think that I would have jumped up and run over to my parents. Nope, I was frozen in place. I don’t know if I was more frightened or surprised. That was something I had never before experienced. By the way, I didn’t like it. My parents didn’t move either. I don’t know how long the three of us sat in shocked silence before my dad finally got up. “Guess I need to check it out.” When I looked into his face, I realized he looked as scared as I felt.
Still sitting in my spot, I held my breath as he opened the basement door. In my mind, I imagined a masked intruder standing on the steps with a sledge hammer. “I don’t see anything.” He walked on down the basement steps. Neither mom and myself moved or spoke. After a few minutes, he came back upstairs. “The outside door is still locked and nothing is out of place.” Goose bumps ran up the back of my neck. We hardly ever went in or out of that door, so it stayed locked. Plus, nobody could’ve come in or out of the basement without us hearing them. The basement door was heavy and you had to slam it to get it to close. My mom wondered if it was because the room was so new and something happened to the wood inside the wall. You see, earlier that year, my parents had added our living room on to our house with the basement underneath it. Daddy said he didn’t believe that was the case. So, what made that noise?
Are you wondering if something happened after that? While nobody passed away, my parents marriage began to fray. By the next Christmas, they had separated.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 (KJV)
Both of my mamaws believed the clock chime was a warning sign from God. So, I thought the same of the banging noise. Were we right or were we wrong? Either way, I think we have to accept the fact that as long as we are on this side of eternity, there’s no way we can understand the Lord and how He works. So, when things you experience strange things, just remember Who is in charge.
My daughter Sara lives in that house now. She has never experienced the banging noise. I hope she never does. I also hope it doesn’t happen were Tim and I live now. If it does, I hope this time I don’t freeze so I can try to record it with my phone.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.