We recenltly came across a long, but interesting article on the Internet by UFO author Budd Hopkins. It’s called Deconstructing the Debunkers: A Response. It appeared on a web site called The Alien Jigsaw: True Experiences of Alien Abductions. The article reminded us of the time we spent with Hopkins many years ago.
It was the early 1980s when we were writing for OMNI Magazine’s red pages about UFOs, hauntings and other paranormal activities. We were assigned to a UFO conference in Hollywood, Florida where Hopkins, was one of the speakers. We’d read his book, Intruders, so when we had an opportunity to go along with him on a UFO investigation involving hypnotic regression, we jumped at the chance.
Budd hadn’t rented a car so we drove him up the coast to meet a family with a dramatic story of repeated abductions, involving a woman and her young son. Hopkins hypnotized the mother, Carrie, and she told of being floated out of her bed down the hall and right through the wall to an illuminated ‘tube’ that lifted her and her abductees up to a waiting vessel.
Carrie remembered nothing about what happened to her when she was taken into the vessel, but she did recall details about the trip up the tube. Their house was located less than a mile away from the headquarters of the grocery store tabloid, National Enquirer, which during those years published UFO stories. Each Christmas season the Enquirer would put up a huge Christmas tree, a dazzling display of lights and kiddie rides. It was a popular attraction. The tree was fully lit and visible during the abduction and Carrie recalled looking down, and pointing it out to the aliens. Hopkins matter-of-factly asked how they reacted, and Carrie, speaking in a hypnotic monotone in the present tense, said, “They aren’t impressed.”
Carrie’s husband, D, was also present, and he was a presence – to say the least. While Carrie and her son were gentle and sweet, her husband was imposing. He was a big man, older than Carrie, with a mane of silver-gray hair. D wore black clothes, and a gold necklace bearing a thumb-sized gold devil pendant. He said he was a former Baptist minister, who told us that he had ‘changed sides.’
Yeah, that was weird. Trish and I were exchanging glances, wondering what was up with that dude, but Budd seemed to ignore him, as if he didn’t figure into the scenario, and just focused on the wife’s experiences. Budd was staying overnight with the family and when we left, we were glad we weren’t staying there.
In the aftermath, we asked for a follow-up interview and invited the couple to our Fort Lauderdale townhouse. We should have guessed that doing so would attract more high strangeness. Since we didn’t particularly want to be alone with them, we invited a few friends, ones we knew from other stories we’d done for OMNI and other magazines. So it was an eclectic group and among them were a few talented psychics. Carrie and her husband arrived early and again D wore black with his satanist logo visible. Everyone stayed late and seemed to be enjoying themselves, except for D. The ex-minister/satanist seemed out of his element, wary of everyone, and remained stoically silent for the most part. He never moved from one place the entire night.
It was around 1 a.m. and we were talking about MIBs – men in black – when the unexpected happened.
I glanced over at the sliding glass doors, which led from the living room to a small porch and the parking lot. Someone was standing on the porch staring in at us. By the time I alerted the others, the man had moved away. I hurried to the doors, threw them open, and could hardly believe what I saw. Instead of simply disappearing into the darkness beyond the parking lot, the man was making a scene of his escape. He crouched low, and moved from car to car, and kept looking back at us. He was hiding in full view.
Trish called the police, and the response was astonishing. Within a few minutes, eight or nine patrol cars arrived, some with dogs. The police spread out and searched the complex. We were baffled…until we found out that a man had been murdered an hour earlier, less than a mile away. As far as we know, they never found the man we reported, and we don’t know if he had anything to do with the murder. But it was a strange ending for an unusual evening, and hey, we never saw that couple again!
I read Bud's article and he was definitely mad at his ex-wife for literally throwing his life's work to the wolves.
Tee Hee at Gypsy.:D
Why would you even want to see those folks again? The man just made my stomach turn.
Dpage ~ There is a fine line indeed. Most of my scary experiences happened around some missing girls.
dpage – your stories, like cj's, i am sure would be more than riveting –
i remember this story from a previous post, do i not? an incredibly intriguing one in every aspect – love that you wore white, rob! would be great to have had this meeting on video but my imagination and your detail are just fine with me on this one – great story –
cj – i know what you mean about hesitation in terms of your own blog on such experiences – i considered a separate blog – and even incorporated just a few of my own experiences into my travel journal blog in the beginning – but after meeting the macgregors, i knew that their forum was where i would tell my own stories – not all of which i have told – and perhaps even not all of which i will divulge – just for the same reasons as you – but should i decide to relate more, i know that this is where i will do it – in terms of creating your own blog, should you decide to do that, you can always limit your audience to invited readers only – that kind of thing – just a thought as you do have so much to share –
as for me – and those ignorant close-minded naysayers – i could care less whether anyone believes me or not – as we have said many times here, our experiences are our own reality to each of us – let others decide for themselves – just like religion, i know what "is" and "is not" for me – it is not my wish or responsibility to convince or educate or whatever anyone about my own personal experiences – the self-proclaimed debunkers out there who attempt to use the banner of science to disprove experiences which cannot be disproved by those closed means and measures are of no consequence to my own life and/or experiences – however, again, i do so understand hesitation for anyone [i am there, in hesitation, with some of mine, too] to come forward with their own stories for a number of reasons –
sorry to ramble so – i'm done now!
oh, dear, interesting vw – "prock" – i dare not comment!
Debra, we always felt that the husband played a role in that abduction scenario – if only by his presence. Budd was more interested in the nuts and bolts of the abduction and didn't seem to see the elephant in the room.
Connie, I don't remember how he reacted after the mysterious visitor showed up. But I clearly recall that he never moved from his chair that night, as if he was holding his ground.
BTW, we had prepared the others for our 'special' guest. Ironically, possibly mocking him, they all wore black, just like him. Countering the trend that evening, I wore white. – R
Given what I have experienced in the "UFO world" both as an "experiencer" and a researcher, this story doesn't surprise me.
There is such a dark edge to the research side of this phenomenon. The satanic element is always there at the fringe as well. This is were I had my most horrific experiences.
I wish I could share the story publicly… maybe someday, but not yet. The satanic element is always there at the fringe as well.
I'm curious about how the devil-worshipping ex-minister behaved the following morning after the nurder had been committed? (Not by any means suggesting he was invloved) I'm just wondering if he continued to remain silent and separate prior to their departure from your place? What a harrowing incident, guys! And frightening.
You have to wonder if bad juju attracts bad juju in this instance. Was the murderer attracted to this man's dark energy? Creepy!
Thanks for the link.
What a strange story, it had the lot: MIB, odd characters, a murder, abductions, nine police cars …
Great! You must have met some fascinating people through your writing.
The Budd Hopkins article is well worth the time it takes to read it. There is also a list of other pertinent articles to the left side of the article that I plan to read today. There is so much I could say, but there isn't sufficient time or space to say the things I feel compelled to say. I may follow the suggestions the MacGregors have made to me on several occasions and create a blog. Am just not sure yet if I want to open myself up to the attacks that would surely come, yet am very certain that I would learn a great deal from other folks whose experiences may mirror my own. So, it's a thought. Meanwhile, as always it was inspiring to read Hopkins. Thank you, T & R, for sending it! Here's a relevant WV: "ancetell"