My Experience with Manson

Fortunately, it wasn't a face-to-face experience, but a scary one just the same. It was around 1976 or '77. I remember Angela was still sleeping in a crib and she and I were alone at home. My husband was with Ron and Allison at church. It was during a brief time when I struggled with church and didn't always attend. Because of that, I believe God was speaking to me through this experience, as unlikely as it might seem.

The week before I had watched the made for TV movie Helter Skelter, based on the violent crimes committed by Manson and his family of followers. I decided to also get the book and read it. I'd read a couple of chapters the night before, and settled down to read again after Chezzy and the kids left for church and Angela was napping. Back then, I was afraid of my own shadow. It scared me to drive alone at night and to sleep alone. I knew the book would scare me but I picked it up anyway, telling myself the current chapter was only giving some background information on the victims. I'd only read one paragraph when my doorbell rang.

Startled, too, to be alone in the house and opening the door, I finally eased it open. No one was there. I looked down and found a beat up metal sign on my porch. In red, someone had scribbled "we are killers". Trembling, I slammed the door.

I finally called my neighbor and asked if he'd seen anyone at my door. He said he hadn't, but would come and investigate. I told him I couldn't look at the sign again. He assured me the sign would be eliminated before he rang my bell. He did remove the sign and told me that was all he saw. Just a morbid sign and no one around my house.

Needless to say, I didn't go back to my book. I huddled in my bedroom until Chezzy came home. I relayed my horrifying experience to him and asked that he remove the book from the house. I didn't want to ever read it again. I know I could pick it up today and read it without being afraid that a similar menace was lurking behind me. But I have no desire to do that. I can also sleep alone and drive at night without fear. I overcame. But the question remains, why and how did that sign get placed on my front porch? I was probably the only one in the neighborhood reading that particular book right then. And, if you remember some of the details from the Manson murders, you know they left messages written in blood at the homes of their victims.

I have one theory. Because the movie had aired the previous week, some kids thought it might be funny to play a prank on someone. But why me? I live on a cul-de-sac, one way in, one way out. Wouldn't another home be more convenient? Or did God direct the pranksters to my house, knowing it would result in my trashing the book about human demons? Don't get me wrong. I don't believe God causes bad things to happen. I'm just wondering if, knowing the deed was going to be carried out anyway, He sent them where it would do some good.

I don't know the whys or hows. I just know it was too profound to be a coincidence.