I have never been a very confident driver. I tried hard not to learn to drive, but living in the Dandenong Ranges, Public transport is non-existent, and when I became a mother, I stressed immensely at the thought of not being able to take my children to a medical facility if needed, so I reluctantly got my license. My first car was a cream colour EH Holden. It leaked like a sieve and was as solid as hell, unlike today's modern cars, and I felt like it had a bit in it. My newfound freedom meant that I became my mother's chauffeur to television and radio stations, where she appeared as she never bothered to get her driver's license even though I do remember her riding Dad's motorbike once when I was little because she came home in her nurse's uniform with bandages on both knees. 

The first thing my mother did when I got my car was fill it with different protection pieces, which she did to all our family with every car we ever bought. When we were going to buy a car, she would always say never buy a red car. Red cars are the colour of anger, and most car accidents in those days were because of or caused by red cars. She was horrified when I learnt to drive a fire truck. 

My EH Holden, however, became filled with Lapis Lazuli stones, Amethyst Stones, Sandalwood Powder, and a Hexagram (Protection symbol: star of David) hanging from my rear vision mirror. Every time Mum got into that car, she would mumble something, sprinkle some herbs onto the front floor, and throw some over into the back seat. 

As they got older, my children learnt to cover the food they ate before Gran (or Ger as they called her) got into the car. 

One night, I had been at a relative's home in Hampton Park and was driving home. It was around 10 p.m., and the children were asleep in the back seat. Of course, I was very nervous about driving, and it was also dark, so all the doors were locked. I had a can of hairspray on the seat beside me. Yes, I would have used it. I would have sprayed it straight into someone's face if needed. Today, I think I would use a can of Bushman's as they would burn the hell out of someone's eyes. 

I was coming up towards the big roundabout at Wellington Road, and I saw a lady on the side of the road with a cane basket picking flowers. She wore a long skirt, a scarf over her head, and a long cardigan. She had long grey hair and laid the long-stem flowers into her basket. The flowers were all different colours, and she looked up at me and smiled. I hit the brakes and slowed right down as I was going to ask her if she was alright. I put my indicator on, looked in my rear vision mirror, and looked up, but she was not there. So, I kept going. As I started to pull away, a car flew through the roundabout at one hell of a speed, ploughed straight through the fence, and rolled several times. If I had not slowed to aid this woman, I would have been right where the car came through, and it would have hit us. 

About three years later, I was driving again at night and saw the same lady on the side of the road in the hills. This time, I looked at her, and she smiled and vanished. A couple of days later, I saw her again in the same spot, but this time, she was pointing out in front of her. I didn't stop as she disappeared again. I regret not stopping, as it turned out that a car had left the road a couple of days earlier, and the driver was stuck in the car. 

They survived, but it still haunts me that I could have rendered assistance if I had listened or instead acknowledged my ability. This person would have got medical assistance earlier. I have seen this lady once or twice since then, and the sightings tie in with my CFA firefighting Volunteering. 

However, this will make the hair on your neck stand up. I drove my mother to 3aw the Dave Pincombe radio show once, and we came home late at night. Every time Mum was on the radio, the switchboard would light up, and the number of calls that came through was unbelievable. Now bear in mind my mother, Kerry Kulkens, was the first person here in Australia to admit to being a witch and who would do Palmistry, Tarot, Numerology, Spells, or anything remotely Metaphysical, so we were the target of death threats and the object of fascination. 

So, on this drive home, I noticed a car had started to follow us from the Radio station. I could see that it had one person, possibly two people, in it. I told Mum I thought someone was following us, and she said, it's ok; the police have them already in their sights. Your grandmother told me. My grandmother died when I was about 11 years old. 

I was terrified, so I told Mum I would go a different way so they don't see where we live. Remember that there were no mobile phones or after-hours Police stations, so we were on our own. Being not a very experienced driver, I thought I could only speed up and get away, and I wasn't 100 per cent sure we were being followed. Still, it did look like it, and we had recently had many bothersome phone calls and mail that the police were investigating because of the shop being burnt down suspiciously. 

Therefore, I decided to go home along the roads where there were a lot of traffic lights rather than the freeway, which was quicker and easier to navigate. This would have been risky if we got stuck at the lights, and the person or people in the car behind could have quickly jumped out and into our car at the lights. We locked the doors and continued. We came up to a set of green lights. I went through, and the car behind me had to stop as the lights went red, but they didn't stop. They kept going, and then I saw the red and blue lights of a police car pull them over. 

I have seen many spirits, and it's different than turning on a take and getting water out. Sometimes, you get a message and don't understand it; other times, you get it as clear as a bell. Remember, if you see, hear, or smell someone who has passed, pay attention to what they are trying to tell you or warn you or what message they have for you, as it is not always a bad omen. It can be that they protect you or help you to help others along the way. 

Sarah Kulkens ©2024