The Digging In The Creekbed

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The Digging In The Creekbed

First, let me say that as a scientist,I tend to be very skeptical -- I think that almost all unusual phenomena have a rational explanation somewhere -- although sometimes highly unusual in itself. I also know that science cannot (at least yet) explain everything that happens. We have one such event in our family's past that we refer to as: [insert spooky music score here] "the digging in the creekbed".

My brothers and I grew up in an old (for Colorado) stone house that was built in 1872 (as an aside, I still live there). By all "rights", the place SHOULD be haunted. Right behind the house is a sandstone shelter cave that was used for at least a couple thousand years (off and on) by Native Americans. The house was used as the center for a tuberculosis patient camp for many years. Alferd Packer, Colorado's famous (believed) cannible, was a frequent guest at the house after he got out of jail. But alas (I think) none of us has wittnessed anything unusual occuring - in the house. OUTSIDE the house, however, was: [insert spooky music score here] "the digging in the creekbed".

Jeez, all this build-up for what is probably nothing. Ok, here's what we experienced:

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One summer in the late '70's, and in my late teens (oops, I just dated myself- god I hate when that happens!), starting in mid-june, we heard the unmistakable sound of someone digging in the sandy creekbed with a shovel. Every night, starting at almost exactly 11:00pm, and continuing until 3:00am until early October (if I recall correctly). The creekbed runs about 15 feet (5 meters, for you metric users) behind the house. I say "unmistakable sound" because I spent a LOT of time as a kid digging in that creekbed (making dams and such) and I KNOW the sound ...

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