Unusual encounter: I was walking my dog thru a dense part of the park on a windy, rainy day. As I turned down the trail a young boy (about 8) was sitting on a small downed log holding a huge mixed breed dog. I stopped because it was a school day and well, my spidery sense told me something was very odd. He was very animated, talking to me like he was an adult, I asked him if he lived around the area, and he said, “yeah somewhere.” I asked him for his name, he gave me his first name but said he forgot his last name. I asked him was he lost, did he need help, etc., etc.. “No,” he replied, as he continued to maintain a very animated, friendly, adult-like conversation. Since my husband is a pediatrician on this island, most kids know his name or the name of Mercer Island Pediatrics, so I asked him if he knew my husband or did he see any of the doctors. “No,” he said, “I don’t really go to the doctor.” After chatting about books and other things, I told him I must continue on. I went up the trail and when I turned back he was gone along with the dog. I told my husband about this unusual encounter that day. I’m convinced he and the dog were an apparition. This is a very small neighborhood where you’ll see the same people often, especially you’d remember the dog, never have seen that boy or dog anywhere on the Island.