Editorial: 9 years later

9 years. A long time to some people, but to me, it is still fresh in my mind. In the early morning hours of January 13th, 1998, 1:15 A.M. I was driving north on U.S. Highway 61 between the towns of Leland and Shaw, Mississippi, about 3 miles south of Shaw. I was not really tired, thankfully, and I think I had the radio on. I was scanning the road, making sure not to hit any animals that might cross my path. Suddenly, about 150 yards ahead of me, I saw what I at first thought was an individual crossing from left to right across the highway. I thought to myself, "What would a person be doing out at this time of night in the middle of a highway?" I drove up to the point to where the "person" crossed the road and got the shock of my life. There, on my right, was standing a large, hairy, dirty-white creature. It was on two legs the whole time I saw it, and it was standing in a ditch with its back to the road, and as I passed it, I saw its side profile. A massive, Schwarzeneggerian arm and bicep was observed, as well as rippling muscles in the back. It never looked at me, but seemed to be frozen still, as if it were thinking I would believe it to be a post or some natural thing to stand there by the side of the road. But, having had a lifelong interest in Sasquatch, I knew it had to be one of two things: a real Sasquatch or a person in a gorilla costume. However, the second option was eliminated from my mind when I considered the size and bulk of the 7 1/2-8 feet tall individual I saw. I could not tell if it was male or female because I did not see sexual organs. I have been wondering to this day where it was coming from and where it was going, knowing that a person in a passing car might see it. There is a large tract of woods off to the east at around 500 yards away, so I wonder what this thing was doing out in the open like that. I have speculated that maybe it was feeding on some crops in the fields on the western side of the highway, but there's no telling what it was doing. I often reflect back to that night, on that dark highway, and the creature I saw. The image is still in my head and has not gone away yet, and I doubt it ever will. Seeing a Sasquatch (if indeed that is what it was) is a life-changing experience, and one that I feel privileged to have partaken in. I have had several sound encounters with possible 'Squatches and also found tracks, but nothing compares to a sighting. I will always walk around with a sense of wonder about what it is I saw 9 years ago on that lonely stretch of road, as I am sure all witnesses do.