We won’t begin to determine the validity of the tale of 1953.
You know the one.
Bladenboro, and a time when there was no social media. A new home cost less than 10-grand. Gas was 20 cents a gallon, and the new car you put it in was less than 2-grand.
Were those the days or what?
Not necessarily if you lived in or near Bladenboro. The killings late that year were described as vampire-like. It was pets and livestock. Depending on who was doing the telling, the creature was four to five feet long and resembled a cat. Or a bear.
People heard something, and we’re guessing the shrill was nerve-splitting.
Whatever it was, nobody caught it alive, dead or otherwise.
Nor was it fully exposed as a hoax.
And we’ll grant you that even the big cats, if compared to a bear, are quite different images. We don’t know.
Besides, the best ghost stories don’t get an easy explanation. The few reasons there are usually have rebuttals, too.
It’s an interesting tale, nonetheless, and we like it. We also like Bladenboro and all of our fine friends there.
To say the community has been run through the ringer over the last few years is an understatement. The business community has been overwhelmed by flooding from hurricanes Matthew and Florence, to the point many closed up and either relocated or simply said they’d had enough.
There’s been tragedy. The high school has lost classmates and friends before their graduations in recent years. A favorite native son who grew into his dream job, a state trooper, was killed in the line of duty three years ago this month.
And then there’s the scandal of the 2018 election cycle.
Tonight that ol’ ghost story comes to life with the 14th annual Beast Fest. And for a weekend, mostly on Saturday, Bladenboro rolls out the red carpet and tells everybody to come on over for fun.
There’ll be a few contests, and lots of local talent sharing throughout the day on stage. And there’s featured musical artists tonight and Saturday night.
Beast Fest is a B’boro tradition, and we’re hoping everyone will lend support to the cause. Boost the ’Boro works hard for the community, one that needs strength in its downtown as it builds a better place to live for everyone.
The ghost story is the starting point, coinciding nicely with Halloween and this time of year that begs for fall festivals.
Bladenboro is the destination, the merchants awaiting our trip through their stores, the events of Saturday promising to make us smile. Young kids and older folks who think they’re kids — they’ll all be there, having a very large time.
We look forward to seeing you at Beast Fest.