My cousin and I were visiting our grandparents in Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the exact date or time because this was a long time ago. I'm going to say it was 2001 because I think I was 11 years old. It must have been summer time because neither of us were in school.
When we were there, there was absolutely nothing for us to do. So to cure boredom we would just walk and walk and walk and walk around the subdivision of Heatherwood until it was late and we could walk no more.
One day we were walking around this curved street, talking and completely unsuspecting. We started to hear what sounded like running water, but we didn't think much of it. Eventually we came around the other side of this stuco-style church and the street continued to the end of the block and T-ed left and right.
However, just beyond the end of the street and the side walk, there was a river running toward us! Coming from wayyyy in the distance from a waterfall located in the mountains. There were steep rocks, trees and even people on a tiny bridge and standing on either side acting like tourists. With big cameras, big hair and waist-high shorts, like mum's era, whenever that was.
"Oooooo, cool!" we both pretty much said. We wanted to go play in the river. Neither of us thought of the fact that even though we could see the mountains we were even miles away from the foothills. And this river? It seemed to go under the street because... where else would it go?
We were young and didn't question these things. It seemed real enough. Sadly, we both had to pee really badly at this point, so we decided to make a pit stop back home and then come back. Only we were never able to find the river again. Grandpa and grandma said there was no river anyway.
Soon after, my cousin would not talk about it and she now denies it. She never was very good with anything like that. Freaks her out, I think. But I'll never forget it. And I'll never let anyone try to tell me what I really saw or didn't. It was there. I don't talk about it much anymore, but I periodically walk by that same spot that is now just someone's front yard and a bus stop... always half believing I'll see that river again.
