The Grandma of River Road <x RangerXx>

I live in rural North Carolina. The foothills to be exact, and this is farming country. I grew up on the farm(Although I have traveled the world) in my mid life I return to the home of my birth to raise my family. Who, by the way are witness to "The Grandma of River Road". To my knowledge, no one else has ever seen "Grandma".

We had just sold our house of seven years and While searching for the Perfect home we, rented a old farm house on River Road. This house was built in 1901 and was the farm house of a 40 acre tobbacco farm. In those days, the community of snake creek consisted of about 25 families. The center of snake creek was the only church and meeting place.

Every Sunday morning, I'd get up around Seven am. While washing my coffee pot out, I glanced out the window at an elderly lady, with Bible in hand strolling down the dirt path toward River Road. I thought... Well maybe someone is going pick her up for church. The next few sundays, I saw her about the same time( and I might add) my two Children commented about the old lady wearing that "Same Red and White Print Dress". We were all talking at breakfirst about it not being safe for such an old lady walking down the road way out here.

My wife suggested (Although she had never seen the lady) I might offer to pick her up and bring her to church. Well, monday on the way home from work I decided to ride down that dirt path to take a look at her house. So, I did.... to my suprise the dirt path was much over grown... (I thought to myself its a wonder she has not been snake bitten!) The path came to an old farm house which had been vacant, from the looks of it at least 30 or 40 years... No way could this lady live here.

Back home the kids assured me she always came down that path. Next sunday I waited at the kitchen window for our "Grandma" to pass by. and at seven am that sunday here she came with her red and white print dress, Bible in hand, just strolling and singing. As she past by I ran to the front door to go out and meet her. Yes, thats Right! She had vanished. I walk up and down the path and River Road looking for her. I guessed she had caught her ride to church. Several sundays I tried to "Catch" her but failed... Ever tried to catch Smoke?.

A few months went by and it was late fall, we had dicided to buy some collards ( Those are a type of Greens we country folk eat down south) from a nearby farmer. He was asking where we lived, and he told about his great grandmother ( she was 93) who died of "Old Age" in our front yard. She was on her church which was across from our home back in 1943. I know I turned white and the farmer knew something was wrong with me. As he ask if I was feeling alright.

I never said a word.... He said the really bad thing was his great grandmother had been a life time member of that chruch. The sunday she died, the Church board was going to give her family a burial plot for life time service. "Poor old women" remarked the farmer, She always wanted to be buried on Holy Ground.

It makes me wonder, Why its always me that all these strange things happen to. Ranger X

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