Messages By: poorestchump

When I was about 17 or 18, this man made a great impact on my life. He may have been 25 or 28 but he always seemed young to me. He was kind of like a vagabond even then. I’m 48 now. He told me that his father called him was “Spike”. His last name is Kiethley. This may be the wrong spelling but that’s how I’ll spell it for now. I don’t remember if I ever knew his real first name. He just went by Spike. He also hung around with a guy named Daryl Gibson back then, who was also a musician.

His name is Spike Kiethley. When I knew him, we went to bars and played guitar and sang for drinks and tips. Spike was the talent. I was just some kid trying to keep up with his pickin’ ‘n grinnin’. Back then we called it jammin’. I’d ask Spike, “Where you been?” He’d say, “Been jammin’”. His real name may be Benjmam but I don’t think so.  This was in the Pasadena, TX area in the late 70’s. I believe his parent’s or some relative of his lived in the LaPorte, TX area about 20 years ago because I searched the phone book hoping to find someone who knew him. I got his number from this person and called him. He was then living in Indianapolis, IN.

 He was a very accomplished guitarist and decent song writer. One song that he was locally famous for was called “Footprints on the Dashboard Upsidedown”. He told me he had been in the Army. He also said he had been in college and majored in Music. This guy could pick up a guitar, violin, banjo, trumpet, or harmonica and play a song. He may play more instruments but these are all that I actually saw him play. He also sings pretty well.

From the time regressed pictures, this guy is without a doubt, “The Spike Kiethley”.

When I was about 17 or 18, this man made a great impact on my life. He may have been 25 or 28 but he always seemed young to me. He was kind of like a vagabond even then. I’m 48 now. He told me that his father called him “Spike”. His last name is Kiethley. This may be the wrong spelling but that’s how I’ll spell it for now. I don’t remember if I ever knew his real first name. He just went by Spike. He also hung around with a guy named Daryl Gibson back then, who was also a musician.

His name is Spike Kiethley. When I knew him, we went to bars and played guitar and sang for drinks and tips. Spike was the talent. I was just some kid trying to keep up with his pickin’ ‘n grinnin’. Back then we called it jammin’. I’d as Spike, “Where you been?” He’d say, “Been jammin’”. His real name may be Benjamim but I don’t think so.  This was in the Pasadena, TX area in the late 70’s. I believe his parent’s or some relative of his lived in the LaPorte, TX area about 20 years ago because I searched the phone book hoping to find someone who knew him. I got his number from this person and called him. He was then living in Indianapolis, IN.

 He was a very accomplished guitarist and decent song writer. One song that he was locally famous for was called “Footprints on the Dashboard Upsidedown”. He told me he had been in the Army. He also said he had been in college and majored in Music. This guy could pick up a guitar, violin, banjo, trumpet, or harmonica and play a song. He may play more instruments but these are all that I actually saw him play. He also sings pretty well.

From the time regressed pictures, this guy is without a doubt, “The Spike Kiethley”.

I spoke with Spike's brother who says he died of smoke inhalation in '96 in Arizona. He said he went to the funeral. I had a friend who died of a drug overdose. He was bagged & tagged (his words). And he came back to life. I had another friend that says the same thing happened to him. Neither one of them got amnesia. But it seems to me, depending on the burial/cremation/organ donor or whatever the case, If this man "Spike" "came back to life" and just escaped, it would be something that the people responsible would not want to get out. Spike could have had amnesia since '96.

Spike had been known to drink or do drugs occasionally and considering his wandering lifestyle, he would run into many more diverse types of people in his journeys. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that this person could be the supposedly deceased Spike.

It appears that Spike has at least 2 copyrights for songs or a collection of songs registered at "bulk.resource.org". I don't know what all those numbers mean but aparently there is some record of his being someone of "note"... excuse the pun.

I can tell you with regard to Benjaman, he and Spike have similar facial expressions. The only other thing that looks familiar to me is his obvious shyness. Spike and I would play at various bars, as I mentioned, but he never really seemed comfortable no matter how much the applause. Benjaman doesn't have the same accent he had assuming the far-reaching possibility that he could be the "late" Spike Keathley. Spike had a fairly Texan accent. But Spike really got around. He may not have been around long enough before he moves on to another State, where he would probably pick some of the speaking habits of the locals, to develop an accent that would really stick. Also, the only thing that looks familiar about "Benjaman" is the time regressed pictures. But the picture is pretty dead-on.

I'm sure wherever Spike went - at least before '96 - he would continue to impress people with his musical abilities. The only problem I can see is that the people that he would usually end up hanging with would be of a lower class than he was - in terms of talent, skill and ambition - maybe that's why he moved around so much. I only say that because many of them may seem kind of flaky.

Also, I found out Spike would now be 52 yrs. old... not 58.

I don't know Spike's brother. I looked up his number in the phone book. I'm a little shy about these kinds of things when I find out Spike's supposed to be dead. I tried to call him back and left a message to confirm that my memory is correct when I remember that Spike had blue-green eyes. I also asked him if the name Benjaman Kyle meant anything to him. He didn't call back (been 2 days). I don't want to bother the guy because he's probably pretty old since his mother just died last August at age 84. She must have been 32 when she had Spike since Spike would now be 52.

Anyway, the guy probably thinks I'm a flake. Any producers out there want to take a shot at it?

Okay, so I went over to his brother's house. I showed him the time regressed picture and he admitted it looked a lot like Spike. Of course, they weren't close for the last 20 years of his life, and he only lived another 19. Bottom line is: the guy doesn't want to get involved and who can blame him? I'm just some strange person with some pictures that happen to look like his brother who has been dead for 13 years. Why would he think otherwise? He told me Spike's buried off the Gulf Fwy. in Houston... and he doesn't know if he was an organ donor or not.

He really didn't want to talk to me so I apologized for bothering him and left.

It's probably just a really big coincidence, I mean really, who could possibly believe in someone rising from the dead, living 9 years with amnesia and then another 4 still with amnesia. But if it happened I'll bet it would be traumatic enough to bring on plenty of want-ta-forgetfulness.

Sorry, I meant to include your quote on the last message.

An interesting turn of events indeed. Spike was a local celebrity in his own right. He deserves his own show even if he turns out not to be Benjaman.

Spike traveled the world, gutiar or banjo in hand, perhaps influenced by his mother Violet, his own love and "addiction" to music and intellectual pursuit of a way to get over his aparent shyness and to play pure perfection. All good musicians are perfectionists. I said that. What he said was, "You can't be a real musician if you can say you don't like a certain type of music. He said you can always find some good song in any flavor. He also said to keep time with your foot. All musicians keep time. Maybe he was trying to tell me something.

But if Spike never died... worth a story either way... "DOES ANYONE KNOW the late "SPIKE KEATHLEY"?

My guess is he's been in every state in the U.S., Germany... maybe some others. Hoaky. Can it be made believable?... Hmmm..

Sorry I offended you. Will you be offended if it really is Spike? Do you think Spike would be offended? You have no idea how much Benjaman looks like Spike. Will you be offended if I can get my hands on some pictures from one of his sisters?

Has it occurred to you that nobody is looking for him because he died? Also, they probably haven't seen him since the early '80's.

But you're right. Spike's brother looked a little shaken when I showed him the picture. I did apologize and I won't bother him again. But I might shake up his sisters a bit. I can be cruel - if I think I have a good reason. And I can be disgusting - I have a cold right now and I'm coughing up some pretty nasty stuff.

But seriously, how do you get your eyes burned from walking on the beach... or from being knocked out?

Do people really leave their eyes open when they're unconscious? Do people develop cataracts overnight? This guy must have been walking around half blind for a long time.

Cruel and disgusting are only relative terms, in my opinion.

I asked the same thing when I filled out the form (w/my Real Name/Email/Number/Address/etc.).

I also left a message w/the FBI agent handling the case 3 days ago (no response).

Can anyone think of a better reason that no one recognizes him? Spike lived on the road for his last 20 years. He would be accustomed to it, I think maybe even if he didn't remember who he was, he would still have that wandering instinct. I don't think instinct is forgotten. And he was very resourseful. He was polite, brilliant (in my opinion) and personable despite his shyness. He was just an over-all great guy. And it wouldn't hurt his feelings to live in a cave or under a bridge.

And you're obviously right. The pictures now look NOTHING like the picture from his 30's.

And don't forget, I had a friend claw his way out of a body bag and yank the tag off his toe.

If I can't get this out of my head, I believe I'll go crazy. My wife will probably divorce me. I had to take off work today for "personal reasons". If someone doesn't help me, I think I'll end up worse than Benjaman.

I'm obsessed with the time regressed picture and how I may be the only one that recognizes him. It's very difficult to concentrate at work. I've thought about going to Georgia to see if I can convince myself that Benjaman is not Spike. I've upset Spike's brother (in about 2 minutes flat). I've tried to call one of his sister's husband (because I didn't want to upset his sister). Their Mother only died 4 months ago. Some crazy guy claiming their dead brother may still be alive is the last thing most people would want to hear.

Will someone PLEASE tell me they knew Spike!