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The Cross and the Car

 

During my younger days in NY during the 60's. My friends and I used to take turns borrowing our fathers cars on a rotating basis (without their knowledge) but, not unlike many other guys. We would all get together and one guy would sneak his dads keys. Then the guys would push it out of the driveway very quietly then down the street where it was, anything goes from there on. As long as the car was home before dad woke up. After a night of driving around the island we would go home and coast the car into the driveway and no one was the wiser. We always had a good time until one night we decided to visit a cemetery at the end of a dead end road.

The Cross and the Car 1 There were four of us this night. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was my turn to take my dads station wagon. It was a fairly new Oldsmobile vista cruiser. It had no roof rack. (this is relevant to the story)

We pushed it out of the driveway and down the street. Little did we know that this night wasn't going to be just another ordinary joy riding experience.

It began just like any other night. Nothing special and it was even getting boring just driving around. One of my friends suggested that we go to a graveyard. He just said a lot of cool things could happen in a cemetery. We figured it had to be better than what was going on so we headed toward the river. On the way one of the guys said he knew of this cemetery at the end of this old road. He gave the directions as we went. Sure enough all by itself at the end of this lonely old road was a very old cemetery.

The Cross and the Car 2

I remember there was just one street light at the entrance but the cemetery was dark. I drove up into the cemetery until the road ended. I am not sure why now but, everyone got out of the car except me. Maybe I was nervous, or maybe concerned for my Dads car. They were all acting goofy. You know how young guys act. A couple of the guys started acting like the Night Of The Living Dead. Climbing on my car etc, until one of them broke my dads rear view mirror off the car. That took the fun out of it for me so I yelled for everyone to come back so we could leave and go to Wetson's for a burger at the other end of the island.

The Cross and the Car 3

The guys came back to the car and one was carrying a wooden cross. It was one of those temporary markers used for graves before the headstone is put on the grave. It was faded, dirty and some of the paint was missing. The guy wanted to bring it with us but everyone objected saying it was bad luck. He held it by the end of the longest part below the cross and tossed it with a full swing into the darkness. Then he jumped in and I backed the car out of the cemetery onto the road.

Now under the street light the guys told me to burn rubber. (something we said in the 60's meaning to spin the tires) I tried and tried but could not break the tires loose from the pavement. So everyone but me got out to lighten the load. I tried and tried but still couldn't. (It was a family station wagon!) I then drove up the street and backed up as fast as I could and threw it into drive but the car would just come to an abrupt stop and stall. (Now here is a very significant part) One of the guys saw an old tire and tried to put it on the roof to see if the car even had enough power to knock it off. I told him no, it would scratch the paint and he dropped it. Well, the guys all got a big laugh about that. They all got back into the car and we drove down by the river road. It was a windy road that went up sort of the west side of the Island. As we drove along one of the guys suggested we stop by this closed bar he knew of. He said they threw away their empty kegs behind the bar and we could get a few.

The Cross and the Car 4

So we went and I backed in and two guys go out and started loading the kegs. I should have known that they were lying and the bar was open and a few kegs they took were full. Well, the bartender had seen or heard us. We took off and now we had the bartender after us in his van. Racing down that winding road. Me screaming at them for lying to me and taking the kegs. Them rolling the kegs out of the back of the station wagon in front of the guys van until the guy broke off the chase.

By now we are all excited and I am very nervous and agitated. Just then someone yells, "Take a right"! So I slammed on the brakes and made a right up a road with no houses. My friend said that he had been down the road a few days earlier and they had put down fresh tar to make repairs. (they did that back then)

The Cross and the Car 5

He suggested that I make one last try to spin the tires in the new tar. I drove for a little bit and he yelled there is the tar, STOP! I did. Being in the excited state that I was, I slammed on the brakes and the car came to a full stop. Then, (after the car came to a full stop) we all heard a scraping noise on the roof of the car and a bang on the hood.

There on the hood of my fathers car was the wooden cross that everyone saw my friend throw away more than an hour before. We had driven miles, made sharp turns, sudden stops and drove quite erratically to evade the angry bartender. Yet the cross held on? OR DID IT? I don't see how with a smooth roof and no roof rack. (remember I said that in the beginning) Also, the one kid had tried to put the tire on the roof and no one saw it. Did it just get there somehow? One of my friends was beside himself, very upset and yelling at us to get rid of it. The friend who originally found it swore he threw it away. (we did all see him do it) He said it was an omen and we should keep it. I got out of the car, took it off my hood and gave it to him. We took it and talked about it the rest of the night. My one friend never was comfortable with keeping it.

The Cross and the Car 6

We finally drove to the other side of the Island that night to Wetson's. On our way back home we got stuck driving behind another car. All of a sudden, in what seemed like slow motion, the entire area lit up as bright as day but with a strange orange glow. Then there was an explosion louder than anything I have heard to this day. The car in front of us and mine were pushed into the oncoming lane by the shock and we both screeched to a halt. By now my one friend was really upset, saying that we should have never taken the cross.

Well, it wasn't the cross' fault. I don't think. It was a huge oil tank from a refinery in New Jersey that exploded. Talk about scary. Well, we all went and watched the fire from across the river before going home. That ended our night of adventure. Our parents never knew.

The Cross and the Car 7

I got hold of and talked to the friend who took the cross just before I originally wrote this the first time. I asked him one last time if he had put the cross on the car somehow? Nearly 40 years later he swears he did not, even explaining that if he did, how would it have stayed on the car so long and no one saw it when they were out of the car a couple times. I had to agree that I had no explanation either.

Oh and one last thing. Remember my friend that was so upset about the cross. It turned out that when the cross was cleaned and examined, the name on the cross was his Grandmothers name... We talked about this for many years...

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, GhostBreakers, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

maldita08 (3 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-23)
OMG the grandma's name part is really creepy... Maybe it was just a warning that your friend shouldn't be fooling aroung stuffs like that... He must've learned his lesson the hard way! Btw nice stories!
GhostBreakers (3 stories) (4 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-14)
SOME ANSWERS:

We were several miles away from the cemetery when the cross fell on the hood.
I know it all sounds fantastic but it felt quite normal except for the cross part. Not until later and going over the nights happenings did we put 2 & 2 together where it seemed like an adventure. I guess I too would question this if I didn't have the support of the 3 other guys.
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-11)
I have just re-visited this story, I saw on Martins post that pictures have been added.

I have to tell you, with these pictures... Uhhh... I was terrified and felt as if I was right there!

Thank you for adding the pictures to the story. Look forward to further investigations!

God Bless! 😁
metalhed16 (14 stories) (119 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-09)
I really enjoyed this story. Were you close to the cemetery when the cross hit your car?
metalhed16 (14 stories) (119 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-09)
lol glad we cleared the air that the cista didn't have a roof rack lmao...

Sweet story though man!
Martin (602 posts) mod
 
17 years ago (2008-04-08)
Note to readers: the author updated the story with quite a few pictures.
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-07)
A broken side mirror, A misplaced temporary wooden marker, stolen kegs of beer, a speed chase by an angry bartender, (A DISTINCT Dukes of Hazzards feel to THAT), the warning of an "omen" by one of the guys, (You should KEEP it?!), an oil refinery explosion, WHAT an adventurous night.
I find it interesting that the cross that was removed from the grave site just happened to have been that of one of the young men's Grandmother. Perhaps as there was a family tie, the excitement did not reach the level that it would have had there not been that link. I must wonder, though, was the poor woman never given a proper gravestone, and THIS was her FINAL marker?
How did you manage to keep the broken side mirror a secret from your Father?
Did the bartender just end up letting the theft of the kegs go?
Thank you.
Ohiowatha (11 stories) (415 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-04)
Great story!

One question: if the cross was a temporary marker placed over a grave right after burial but before a headstone could be placed, wouldn't that imply that the owner of the cross had recently died? Seems strange that the kid picked up this cross if his grandmother had not recently died.
Flutterofwings (13 stories) (428 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-03)
Loved this story. I guess Grandma wanted him to know, she didn't like him removing her Cross to where she was resting. The 60's were some good years, I lived through them myself.
faerielike (15 stories) (268 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-02)
What an awesome story! It is in my favorites now! Creepy too! I can't wait to hear more tales! 😁
Chrono (2 stories) (41 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-04-01)
Holy shamolie, that is one heck of a story, I love it though! Probably my favorite I have read. Man, the 60's seemed like so much fun! Wish I lived in that era,;].
ANYWAYS, that is crazy with the cross and how it was his grandmothers, definatly a story to tell children and grandchildren.
Please keep writing more of your experiences.
Take care,
Chrono 😳
Snowcaps01 (1 stories) (3 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
That was an amazing story I have the chills now I have had some encounters but their not huge just sort of small. 😁
Jennifer40 (20 stories) (202 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
Wow, great story! I'm sitting here with the chills. Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your other story as well.

Jennifer ❤
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
GhostBreakers,
Welcoem to another investigator to the site!

Thank you for sharing your story, it was very fascinating.

I do have one question. In the beginning of the story you indicated the rear view mirror on your dads car was broken off. How did your dad not find out about this joy ride if the mirror was broken?

God Bless!
Sorcha (59 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
Very nice story GhostBreakers. 😊 What a busy night for you and your friends!
Patch (3 stories) (91 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
That's an amazing story.
Goes straight into my favorites.
❤ Thanks for sharing.
ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
Oh Ghost breaker I have just read your comments to Pixiemel and I just happy to have met a paranormal investigator. I can't wait until you post your other stories. I hope you feel welcomed here and he have a lot of people here with great stories. Its good to have somone with great knolege and experience here. The more the better 😁.I hope to hear from you soon and take care
ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
Hi gain Ghost Breakers. That was a great story. It is ghoing into my favorites. I think that your friends mother didn't approve your nights ride 😉.I loved raeding your story. I don't think anyone has welcomed you here, so WELCOME. I hope you have other stories to share and I will be delighted if I can read them. Thanks for sharing. I hope to hear from you soon and take care
GhostBreakers (3 stories) (4 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
I appreciate your positive feedback. I do have a few more but I must admit that these have happened over a period of 55 years. So even though you have little encounters, they probably will continue. It's why I became a Paranormal Investigator. 😁
Pixiemel (20 posts)
 
17 years ago (2008-03-31)
An amazing story... Simply amazing! Goes straight to my favorite collection! Thank you so much for sharing! I have just small little encounters, nothing big ever...

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