The Time Jesus Saved Me from the Wolf Man
The youngest of my brothers, Keith, is 11 years older than me. He joined the Navy at 19, but in the year between high school graduation and service, he worked second shift at a canning factory. Being in 2nd grade, I didn’t get to see him during the week. When I got home from school he was at work, and when he got home from work, I was supposed to be sleeping. I missed him! On Fridays, I stayed up waiting for him to come home, and we would watch “Svengoolie” together.
When Keith went into the Navy, I missed our silly scary movie evenings. I saw a commercial for Creature Features, and thought "Oh, Svengoolie has a new show!"
THAT was NOT Svengoolie.
That was SCARY. What was that creepy hand reaching out of the coffin? I thought, oh my god, what if it's under the couch?? The hand could reach out from under the couch and -- and GRAB ME!
The movie was The Wolf Man, and I did not like it. I sat cross-legged on the couch, covered in a blanket, muscles immobilized with horror. Everyone else in the house was asleep. I wanted to turn it off, but we didn't have a remote control, and I was afraid to get off the couch, because the arm might reach out and get me.
As the movie played, I became convinced it was The Wolf Man hiding under the couch, and if I let any part of my body hang over the edge, he would grab me and try to tear me to pieces.
I huddled in the couch, turning my face to the back, pulling my blanket up over my head -- but I could hear it. Oh the horns! The strings! I could hear the Wolf Man stalking the woman! I heard him growling! She screamed and I couldn't bear it - I covered my ears.
And began to pray.
Please God, don't let the Wolf Man get me.
Please Jesus, don't let the Wolf Man get me.
I'll never watch a scary movie again.
I'll NEVER watch a scary movie again.
When the scary music ended and I heard the voices of men, I turned over and looked at the TV.
A commercial.
Still unable to put my foot down on the floor, I reached for the giant family Bible on the coffee table, opening it randomly to Psalm 121, and read.
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth...The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."
Jesus would save me from the Wolf Man.
I read it over and over until I fell asleep with it on my chest as I lay motionless on the couch, trying not to attract the attention of any monsters.
Because as we all know, lying very still, barely breathing, will keep the monsters away.
Especially if you have a 5lb Bible on your chest.
Normally, I wasn’t allowed to watch scary movies, but Svengoolie was different. The host dressed up like a hippy zombie and made the same terrible jokes Keith did. We sat side by side on the couch, eating the pork rinds and Dr. Pepper he bought from the vending machine at work. I loved the rubber chicken and talking skull that bounced around, and laughed at the puns which I mostly didn’t understand.
I was just happy to get attention from my brother.
The old movies weren’t scary with Keith, who poked fun at them the same way Svengoolie did, pointing out the fake looking monsters, making jokes at the terrible acting. I usually fell asleep before the movie was over, and Keith would put me to bed.
When Keith went into the Navy, I missed our silly scary movie evenings. I saw a commercial for Creature Features, and thought "Oh, Svengoolie has a new show!"
I stayed up to watch it on my own.
It was not Svengoolie's new show.
I dozed off during the news, and woke up to this intro.
THAT was NOT Svengoolie.
That was SCARY. What was that creepy hand reaching out of the coffin? I thought, oh my god, what if it's under the couch?? The hand could reach out from under the couch and -- and GRAB ME!
The movie was The Wolf Man, and I did not like it. I sat cross-legged on the couch, covered in a blanket, muscles immobilized with horror. Everyone else in the house was asleep. I wanted to turn it off, but we didn't have a remote control, and I was afraid to get off the couch, because the arm might reach out and get me.
As the movie played, I became convinced it was The Wolf Man hiding under the couch, and if I let any part of my body hang over the edge, he would grab me and try to tear me to pieces.
I huddled in the couch, turning my face to the back, pulling my blanket up over my head -- but I could hear it. Oh the horns! The strings! I could hear the Wolf Man stalking the woman! I heard him growling! She screamed and I couldn't bear it - I covered my ears.
And began to pray.
Please God, don't let the Wolf Man get me.
Please Jesus, don't let the Wolf Man get me.
I'll never watch a scary movie again.
I'll NEVER watch a scary movie again.
When the scary music ended and I heard the voices of men, I turned over and looked at the TV.
A commercial.
Still unable to put my foot down on the floor, I reached for the giant family Bible on the coffee table, opening it randomly to Psalm 121, and read.
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth...The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."
Jesus would save me from the Wolf Man.
I read it over and over until I fell asleep with it on my chest as I lay motionless on the couch, trying not to attract the attention of any monsters.
Because as we all know, lying very still, barely breathing, will keep the monsters away.
Especially if you have a 5lb Bible on your chest.
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