Urban Legends and Myths

What Grabbed My Leg?!

This took place in the summer of 1959 in Heyburn Lake, Oklahoma. My church had a kid's picnic at the park at Heyburn Lake. The lake is manmade and the water is always murky due to the red clay sediment.

While everyone else in our group was eating or playing on the swings, I decided to go swimming. The swimming area was sectioned off by floating barrels held in place by a cable anchored to the lake bottom. This keeps the swimmers in and the boats out. No one else was in the water and the small beach was deserted.

I swam for awhile, then deciding to rest, stopped at the end of one of the barrels. Placing my feet on the cable, I watched the fishermen in their boats far out into the lake.

Something gently touched one of my feet. It almost felt like a cold clammy hand, as it took hold of my ankle and started pulling me toward the deep water. Frightened out of my wits, I kicked as hard as I could, breaking free of the grasp, then swam as fast as I could to the beach.

Once there, I sat down and watched, trying to see the bubbles from a scuba tank or a diver emerging from the water. In two hours, I saw nothing.

Recently I've read of a fresh water octopus rumored to be living in some of the lakes in Oklahoma and wonder if that, instead of some unseen diver playing around, was what I encountered. I've not returned to Heyburn Lake, nor have heard of anyone else having a similar experience, but would like to hear from you, if you have.