First of all, I really don't know if I've had an experience or not, and I really pray that I haven't. However, there are damn few things in this life that truly scare me, and this subject absolutely terrifies me. In fact, I often have dreams about "the little gray men" that never materialize into a dream, but just knowing they are coming for me. I know that these particular instances are only dreams because I generally whimper and begin to hyperventilate in my sleep, which invariably wakes up my wife. I've also never had a case of "missing time" that I'm aware of, but I have had some weird experiences that I'll relate. My wife thinks I'm nuts, and so do I sometimes.

The first experience I can remember is when I was 8 years old and my family was taking my older sister to college in Laramie, Wyoming. We camped at a KOA-type campground on the edge of the town, next to a large expanse of prairie (or fields) that stretched to some hills about a mile away. As a kid I was always playing in the boonies by myself when my family went on trips. This particular site was Nirvana for me! However, the first night we were there, I had a terrible nightmare where the "clowns with big sad eyes" (like the ones you always used to see in doctors offices), were out in that field, and coming to get me. My parents were nonplussed, but they worried, because for the remainder of that trip, I refused to leave the campsite without someone with me.

Another time, I was about 10 or 11, in Northern California where I grew up, I was sitting with one of my friends in her backyard when we saw a light about the same size and magnitude of Venus exhibiting "non-ballistic movement" by darting at speeds and trajectories that I've never witnessed since. That is my only true experience with a UFO by its definition.

Other times (and there have been many), usually have occured while backpacking; instances when things just didn't seem right the next morning when I got up. Snatched memories from what seemed to be dreams, but who knows? On one occasion, a friend in another tent actually commented on a meterorite that "wasn't going to clear that mountain," although we were in out tents, and couldn't see outside! That same night I awoke to footsteps walking up to my tent door, but instead of investigating, or asking "Who's there?" I fell back asleep! I do not sleep soundly when backpacking, and something like that would never have happened, unless in a dream. Problem is, my friend remembered making the comment the night before, and even heard those footsteps, thinking it was me returning from relieving myself.

Other "experiences" like this, all as vague, never involving a slow recovery of memories of what really happened. I hope it has been an overactive imagination, because I now have a baby son that I want to protect. If I really am experiencing something like this, how can I protect my son?

Protect him from what? From being frightened because you are? I would strongly suggest you overcome your fear by coming to an understanding of what's going on so you can explain it all to your wife and son. And do it now before your son learns from you that this is something to be afraid of.

The fear of the unknown is our greatest fear simply because it is 'unknown', death of our personality being the greatest for most people. My question to you is -- "Why do you so greatly fear something that has not hurt you in any way? Has it attempted to kill you? Are you, as you say, terrified of this subject just because you don't understand what is happening to you?"

I'm sorry, but this is kind of dumb. Figure it out! Read, read, read the literature. Read all the information available to you on this page. Quit trying to rationalize it as an 'overactive imagination' or whatever. Find out what it is! If you have to, go to a hypnotist and unlock these encounter memories that are buried deep in your subconscious mind. Do whatever it takes to figure it out.

It's either this or you can wait until your baby son is old enough to talk and have him explain the "little grey beings" that come into his room at night to you. -- Editor