Your Rocky Mountain Sky Station is following the story of an extraordinary infant who was born in the city late yesterday evening. This child’s tale is a peculiar and astonishing one. Where it will lead, no one can tell.

The baby boy was born to Joe and Marian Borden who live in suburban Grandview. According to the parents, there were only a few hints that their firstborn might be unusual. The couple have been married over two years, are both gainfully employed, and were happily awaiting the new arrival. Now they don’t know what to expect next.

The husband’s first words after the delivery give a hint as to his own amazement. He’s reported to have said, “Uncle Bud did it. Who would’ve ever believed him?”
Marian seemed rather nonplused, being merely relieved that her child appeared healthy, having all its fingers and toes and other appendages, and that her pregnancy was over.

Word of the event spread rapidly beyond the extended family throughout the community to the state and the nation. Such an occurrence couldn’t help but draw the media to the medical center. Doctors and nurses and even orderlies were besieged by reporters for any morsels of information which might be available or manufactured for the moment.

The hospital’s spokesman was terse and unresponsive to inquiries trying to make the incident less an oddity and more a “happy occasion.” Dwight Headly simply stated: “At 11:15 p.m. yesterday in a City Medical Center birthing suite, a male child -- as yet unnamed -- was born to Joseph and Marian Borden who reside in the suburban City. The infant was examined and found to be in excellent health. He weighed 15 pounds and 15 ounces and measured 27 inches. The child has a full head of brown hair and bright blue eyes. Quite remarkably, the baby was born with several teeth. But most astonishingly, he was noted by the attending obstetrician and nurses to have spoken several words immediately upon delivery. In them, he made specific requests for his care and attention. We cannot divulge any of these at this time except to say that he has been sleeping contentedly since that time with his grandfather close at hand in the newborn ward. I am unable to answer any questions until the family allows release of further information. Thank you.”

What can be made of a talking infant? Well, probably lots of news stories, a siege at the hospital, and eventually a book or movie. Time will tell.

Please stay tuned.

Really, my only wish when I found out I was pregnant was to have a healthy child. I guess I hoped for a boy. No, I planned for a boy. I could almost see his face at times. It was really bright and smiley, but very serious at the same time.

I should maybe say that I did do a bit of praying during the pregnancy, thinking maybe there was something special going on inside of me. Most mothers probably think that. I used to sing and hum and talk to the baby inside as it grew. I think he liked it. I don’t sing all that well, but I was sure that my boy wouldn’t mind if I was off key.

Oh, I shouldn’t forget that I did have some different dreams while I was pregnant. They were about far-off places and sometimes had angel-like people in them. I would tell the baby about the dreams, but no one else. Not even my husband. Sorry, honey.

In one dream, I think I remember. Oh, it’s all kind of hazy now. It seemed to me that the baby was already grown up. He was grown and I was sitting in front of him and he was telling me the most amazing stories. It was almost like he was the parent and I was the child. Very strange, but not bad, you know.

Sometimes, in the middle of a day while I was carrying baby, it felt like he was trying to speak to me. At least, I thought that was the case. I never quite got the drift of his message. I really don’t know what other women experience during their time and honestly I never really asked. I’m kind of quiet and shy. And, besides everything seemed to be going quite well. I hardly had an ache or pain during the whole nine months. I’ve really been healthy and comfortable and Joey has been real helpful to me.

I did have one more hint that something out of the ordinary might be happening with my baby. I had sort of a waking dream just a few hours before I went into labor. Well, I’m not sure what it was. I was just waking up real slowly that morning and felt lights around me and even in me.

It was really the most wonderful feeling I think I’ve ever had. I think maybe some of it’s still here with me.

As I was lying there, I felt like I was floating in space somewhere. And, there were stars shining everywhere. Then, I realized that there were other lights that were coming from me. One was my own light. It seemed to shine from several places, but mostly from the middle of my heart.

Then, it seemed like there was another very strong light like the most powerful electric bulb over my head -- and kind of all around.

But, the most wonderful thing was this fiery flame which was moving and pulsing in my belly. I knew it was my little boy and that it was something really cool. Kind of silly. A fiery light that’s cool. Ha.

I think that’s about it until my labor started which was really not half as hard as I had heard it might be. It wasn’t real fun, but it wasn’t scary or terrible either.

We did do the birthing classes and I did my breathing when things started to get uncomfortable. But, when baby was ready to arrive, I was eager to get my part over with, too. I remember panting and groaning, aching and muttering to myself, and hanging on to Joe’s strong arms. I did the best I could until we made it to those pushes on the birthing table.

Seems like somewhere during those last moments either I remembered that dream with the lights or they showed up again. Anyway, for the last few moments, I felt no pain. It was almost like heaven. I’m almost embarrassed to say that.

I was so happy when baby came. And so tired. I was just glad. And then I heard him sneeze and make some other noises that sounded like words. But then I think I kind of checked out -- somewhere like with the dream. I was lightheaded and everything was filled with light for a long time.

I think it still is.

After an approximate 10-hour labor, Mrs. Marian Borden was prepared for delivery as her contractions became more urgent. She was fully dilated and 100% effaced, and the infant’s head was at minus 2 station.

The stage was set and the cast of characters was complete except for the new soul when I quietly entered the room, stopping to give a few words of encouragement to Marian before proceeding to the task at hand. I’ve delivered thousands of babies over my 20-plus year career and this event promised to be pretty much as routine as the vast majority of my other deliveries.

I settled myself on a stool facing the semi-reclined mother after quickly gowning and gloving. In only a few moments, the last contractions were aided with Marian’s tired but determined pushes to cause the infant’s head to crown at the perineum. I couldn’t help but announce, “My, this child has one hank of hair. Extraordinary.”

In the next instant, the head was delivered and shortly thereafter the shoulders. And then, with a whoosh and spurt of blood and fluid Master Borden had arrived intact.

Intact to be sure. More than intact. This was -- is -- an extraordinarily large, healthy, robust infant. He took several spontaneous and remarkably deep breaths after which I held the child in my hands for a moment en route to presenting him to the parents. In that instant, I looked at the face of the newborn, who, as if on command, revealed his piercing, brilliant blue eyes. We stared at each other for another moment and then the strangest thing occurred.

The child’s tiny penis came to attention immediately after which a booming, “A-a-a-choo,” spurted from his mouth. There occurred a moment of supreme silence in the room as I instinctively moved the manchild to a sitting position.

With what must have required a huge amount of energy -- the child took in a large breath and then emitted a resonant tone which everybody in the room understand to mean, “Excuse me.”

By then, a palpable electricity had filled the whole of the suite. Shivers ran up and down my spine. Goose flesh covered my body. Then for the first time in over a decade in the delivery room, I felt weak in the knees. I had to force myself to remain standing and conscious.

I immediately clamped and severed the umbilical cord and quickly asked for a nurse to take the child to the light table. I also requested her to call the pediatrician to attend the infant while I collected myself and then completed my work with Mrs. Borden. The remainder of the procedure occurred without incident.

But, I won’t soon forget my encounter with young Mr. Borden.

I suspect when something unusual like this happens, it doesn’t take much tree-shaking to bring down some apples. Well, I have an apple of a story to tell about Dr. Borden.

You see, I happened to attend one of his workshops a few years ago. Actually, I participated in a couple of his healing seminars. I liked what I heard and felt when I was around him here in the city.

Dr. Borden apparently traveled the country -- or a goodly share of it -- leading programs and even entertaining folks to induce them to attend his workshops. He was funny and always very attentive and interested in everyone who got involved. Bud, he liked to be called, listened most of the time when he wasn’t creating some setting in which people could relate to each other, discover themselves, or do one healing exercise or other.

I gather that most of his programs were sparsely attended, but the people who came really enjoyed themselves and thought highly of the “Doc.”

I think it was the second time I saw him that he took a moment to talk about reincarnation. Actually, I think the group did some exercises that had something to do with reincarnation. That part I don’t remember very well.

Anyway, in the middle of it, Dr. Borden told some stories about different people whom he had met who either didn’t believe in repeat lives or at least didn’t believe they would be back. I remember him saying that Christians prayed, “God, you love me too much to make me come back to this hell hole.”

Then there were the New Agers who meditated on the assumption that they were so advanced that, “I’ve pretty much completed my round of incarnating. I’ve fulfilled all my karma. And, my teacher says I probably won’t have to return. Why bother?”

Well, Dr. B. seemed to think we should bother even if we didn’t have to. Cause we’re supposed to help make this planet a better, brighter, lighter place to live. For future generations, that is. And, I guess, he inferred that we may well be in those future generations.

Suppose his thinking appealed to me or I wouldn’t’ve remembered all of this. Well, there was another angle on his story.

Seems that Dr. B. wasn’t, at least at one time, too keen on coming back himself. He recounted how he had been bored (said it kind of went with his name -- Borden) for the first 25 years of his life. And, he didn’t want to repeat that situation again. Talked about famous people like Churchill and such who had similar experiences.

Anyway, the Doc said that he’d decided to approach the next round in a novel way. Said that he’d be prepared ahead of time and when it was time for him to “slide down the chute,” he’d stick out his hand and greet the obstetrician. After which, his plan was to ask for “a white coat, a nurse, and a job.” I think he added a cigar in there somewhere to make it more of a joke. It was funny --- period. Yet, I’m sure that he was quite serious at the same time.

Seems like maybe he’s at least partially met his objective. Don’t know if they have a job open for him at City Medical Center. Lots of nurses over there.

Well, it’ll be interesting to find out how he manages to fill out the application forms and if they’ll accept his previous experience, if you know what I mean.

Wow! What can I say?

This is far out, cool, crazy, incredible for everyone. And, it’s happening to our family. Nothing ever happens to the boring Bordens. Boring!

Well, things are sure to change. I know this will be tough on Marian for a while. But, just think of all the help we’ll get. And, there won’t be a dull moment for a long, long time.

We were warned and given clues. Hints here and there. Dad knew this was going to happen. At least, he kind of knew.

Uncle Bud was quite a different fellow: eccentric, a loner, always doing unusual and progressive things. Going off to faraway and exotic places. Leading, instead of following. Quite different from the rest of us sheep.

I’m sorry now that I didn’t get to know Uncle Bud better. I saw him only on the holidays when we were growing up. Later on after Mom died, he came and spent time with Dad. Tried to “buck him up,” he told me. Didn’t work. Nothing did. Now, if this doesn’t buck him up, nothing will.

We did have a couple memorable conversations in recent years and he seemed to pay more attention to Marian and me on his latter visits. The last time I saw him, we got a few minutes, maybe, a half hour, alone to talk.

The conversation started out like any other. He wanted to know about our lives and plans. Bud always asked questions. Something I need to learn to do.

Somehow, we got to talking about Mom, and life and death, and that sort of thing. Sooner or later, he moved the talk to reincarnation and what he thought about it.

Bud said something like, “We all pass through here for a time, then take a break before we come back. Have to keep coming back until we get it right. Even the brightest of us. Especially the brightest of us. Folks like Russell and Jung remembered their past lives. Maybe they left us preparing for their future ones.”
I recall him repeating, “Have to keep coming back until we get it right.” Then he told me that he was already making plans for next time.

Said, “You can’t start too early to plan ahead. Gives you a leg up, so to speak. Besides, whatever we do today, prepares us for tomorrow. Same with lifetimes.”

I got in one good question: “What’re you planning for next go round, Uncle Bud?”

He kind of grinned and said, “I can’t let the cat out of the bag quite yet. But, you’ll be around so as to know soon enough. You won’t miss a thing.”

That wasn’t too clear. That’s the way he wanted, though, I’m sure. But now, I get the picture.

I happened to be on call for the pediatric group the night that the Borden child was born. It has to be the most astounding thing I’ve ever witnessed. Really. I mean it’s downright incredible. So incredible that I still can’t believe it after examining and, dare I say, talking to the baby. It just blows me away.

If you’d been there, you would’ve felt the same way. You or anyone else.

It was close to midnight and I decided to do late rounds of the pediatric ward and intensive care nursery. I’d gone to dinner and an evening meeting and put off my duties until I had time to do them justice.

Well, I received a page while I was in the peds ward. I called the OB department and was requested to go over there ASAP. No info was given other than that that good-looking Dr. Schumann had asked for a pediatrician. Well, I would’ve gone over directly anyway, but Schumann calling got me moving a step quicker.

When I arrived, I was directed to one of the birthing suites where I was met by astonished looks on every face. But, not a word was spoken. They just pointed to this healthy looking newborn being attended at the warming table. Still no information was given as I noted Schumann beaming quizzically at me while she cared for Mrs. Borden.

I had a few hints from the child’s full head of hair and large size. Lacking any other clues, I began to examine him. As I placed my stethoscope on his chest, the child opened his eyes, inhaled deeply and gave out an ear-rattling “OM.” Scared the hell out of me, I have to say. Raised the hair on the nape of my neck. I stepped back with a start.

Amazingly, he held his chant for most of thirty seconds which seemed like forever, as the whole room stared and gawked and then traded glances at each other. I still couldn’t quite fathom what was going on. It was almost surreal. I felt that I’d stepped into The Twilight Zone. Not that I wanted to leave, mind you. I just didn’t know what in Hades was happening.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long. For the child, believe it or not, took charge of the whole damn situation. I was amazed.

This newborn began to talk. Yes. True. He began to talk. I didn’t have my Lanier with me or I would’ve taped him. Oh, hell, I probably wouldn’t have thought of it, anyway. I was half a wreck by then and half entranced at the same time.

So, the boy -- Jesus, I don’t know what to call him -- boy, infant, man, child, angel. I don’t know. He just began to talk in short spurts. Very deliberately. With power and force, but tentatively, as if he had only so many words to use or so much energy to expend.

Rita, one of the nurses, supported his back as he mobilized his breath and diaphragm to speak. First, he said, “Have no fear.”

He paused, thankfully. Gave me time to stop being afraid. I wish. It wasn’t so much fear. What was there to be afraid of? It was just so startling and damned unusual, unheard-of, unbelievable.

He smiled then, really widely, and almost laughed. Kind of like he was playing a joke on me or all of us. By then, a bit of a crowd had developed in the suite.
He collected his energy again and bellowed, “I want Nate.”

Well, I hadn’t a clue. His words were clear, but my understanding was missing. Who was Nate?

In a few moments, his father crept over and rather timidly announced that Nate was his father and the child’s grandfather.

So, I naturally asked, “Can we get him here?”

The father said, “Yes, I think so. He lives only a few miles away. He was not feeling well today or he would’ve been here. He really wanted to be with us. He just -- ”

“Well, please call him or go get him. It seems to be important.”

So, the father, Joe, I believe is his name, ran out to the phone and induced grandpa to come in. I don’t know what he told him. Didn’t matter.

During that time, I tried to start a conversation with the child, awkward as you might imagine it to be. I said something like, “This is really strange. I’m the pediatrician, I guess you understand. I’m supposed to examine you. What do you think about that? Or should we just talk -- or just wait?”

The child breathed, “You talk. I wait.”

I laughed nervously. And so we waited quietly.

The room became almost unbearably hot with more people slipping in and the level of energy being heightened with some sort of awe as well as expectation for the next scene in the play.

When we eventually got some air moving, there was a breather. The child spoke up, “Be still.” Then, he began humming. It was eerie, but changed the feeling in the room to one of comfort and wonder and even joy, I think.

It was most amazing.

Eventually, Nate Borden arrived and slowly moved with Joe toward his new grandchild. The older gentleman instinctively reached out to touch the child at the same instant that the infant spoke the most beautiful word I think have ever heard.

He simply said, “Bro-ther.”

Tears began to stream down Nate’s cheeks. The tears were, as you might have suspected, contagious.

Well, I have to tell you, friend, that life can change in an instant even though that seems to be a pretty unusual occurrence in my experience. That instant for me was when my son called telling me to get my butt over to the hospital.

Well, I had planned to be there for the happy event, but I just wasn’t quite up to it. Not feeling well. Really haven’t been for quite some time. When my wife died a few years ago, things started to go downhill. Actually, they had been dragging for some time before that. Just really hadn’t been paying attention. Never thought things could turn around like they have since Bud resurfaced a couple days ago. Never know what’ll happen. Sometimes, when a fellow least expects it . . .

I feel great today. Haven’t felt this good in years. Bud put a real buzz into me, I guess. Some other people, too, I think.

To get back to the story, I wasn’t expecting much of anything. I had begged off on attending the birth. I’ve been depressed, frustrated, tired, and out of sorts for too long. Besides, the previous few days, my stomach had been acting up and I was just in a plain old ill humor. I’d told Joe that I would come see the baby the next day on the ward.

Well, I was up a little late that night when he called. Thought he was just going to tell me about the tidings. Didn’t say no such thing. Just said, “We got a baby boy, Dad. And, we want you over here right away. Can you come on your own or do you want me to come and get you?”

I says, “Well, is there something wrong, Joe? You can tell me.”

“No, Dad. Something really extraordinary has happened and you need to be here right now. When can you get here?”

“Well, I just took a shower and was putting on my p.j.’s. Guess I can be there in 10 or 15 minutes. Will that work?”

Joe signed off and I put on fresh clothes. Kind of got an exhilarating hit off Joe even from the little he told me. But, couldn’t for the life of me figure out what was the need for me to be at the hospital close to midnight.

I got in the car and drove directly to City Medical and found my way up to the obstetrical unit. Seemed awful strange, but there were a lot of folks like staring at me or at least pointing the direction for me. Kind of like the traffic had stopped for me to pass to my destination. But nobody said a word.

Joe met me outside the door to the delivery room, or whatever they call it these days. He didn’t say anything either. Just stared at me with a big chessy cat grin and bulging eyeballs. Removed my coat and laid it aside, then took me by the arm and walked me into the room.

Seemed kind of crowded in there. Hardly knew anyone as I looked around the room. Quickly, I realized that all eyes were passing between me and the baby who was strangely sitting up under a light.

Joe nudged me in that direction, so I scooted over that way. As I did, the child opened its eyes -- big blue ones. Didn’t really look like a baby. He almost stared a hole through me as I moved closer and my heart began to pound.

Then, the little thing stuck his hand out toward me and said, “Bro-ther.” I’m still amazed that my heart didn’t stop right then.

Well, I extended my hand to his and he smiled a huge grin and I think he even laughed. I started to cry. Then, I started to laugh. And, I didn’t know what to do. I looked at the boy -- the baby -- Bud. He stared at me and said, “Nate, take care of me.”

He turned his head and said, “Mo-ther, you un-der-stand.”

He -- Bud -- put his arms out to me. So, I looked to see if it was okay. Then, I picked him up and held him.

My life changed completely in those few moments.

A storm of rather large proportions is developing on several fronts after a wayward stork left an unusual infant in the city very recently. Most of you will recall our earlier reports about the birth of a male child to the Borden family.

Family and other reputable eyewitnesses, including attending physicians at City Medical Center, have claimed that the child spoke on more than one occasion immediately after birth. The child, who has apparently yet to be named, remains on the medical center premises under the care of his grandfather.

City Medical Center spokesman, Dwight Headly, has said that the hospital is taking a keen interest in the child and will do whatever is necessary to make him “feel at home.” For the time being, the child has requested no interviews, photos or the like. Station KBOB is trying to comply with family wishes. However, we’ve been assured that we’ll be allowed to speak with the child at the first possible moment.
Master Borden’s mother was discharged from the hospital yesterday. Leaving the hospital grounds without her baby, Mrs. Marian Borden told us, “For now, my boy wants to stay on the hospital premises, for his own reasons, with Grandpa Nate watching over him. They’re in a room of their own. They’ll be with us at our home soon, we believe.”

The storm certainly doesn’t seem to be emanating from City Medical Center or the Borden family. Instead, one wing of the media is demanding immediate access to the child while another calls the local happening “a Murdoch media moment.”

Then, there are scientists and medical authorities who rail that the whole event is a base hoax. “Totally preposterous,” says one local pediatrician, who incidentally refused to have his name aired. Hedging his bet, maybe?

There are many in his camp who believe likewise. Most will gladly give opinions, off the record. We have also sought, however, to find experts at the other end of the spectrum, and with some success we have discovered a noted physician, medical historian, and archivist at Guy’s Hospital in London, UK.

I can hardly say much about the incident in your city, living several thousand miles distant. Time will tell, I suppose, about the veracity of the reporting which has come to us so far.

But, I must say, that there have been numerous reports, I should say rather, a number, a few, a handful of reports, that is, to my knowledge, over the centuries of infants speaking within weeks, days, or hours of birth. Terribly interesting stuff. Fascinating, actually. I should very much like to meet this child, if he is bona fide.

Anyway, there have been recorded instances of similar phenomena in France. The Cevennes babies were said to have spoken and prophesied. I am not sure of the timeline there. I think this occurred, or is said to have occurred, in the 18th century.

In the late 19th century, a report came into a London newspaper, Lloyd’s Daily in 1875, of an infant speaking moments after birth, predicting the state of affairs on the continent for the coming years, and then immediately expiring. His birth, prophecies and death all occurred within thirty minutes, if I recall correctly.

Most of the stories of such occurrences come out of the East and have to do with the return of a monk or high lama. Several, excuse me, a number, a handful of reports have detailed the reincarnating lama speaking to western observers during his toddling days, at age three to four months.

But, there is also one mind-stretching story on record from a correspondent of the French Institute which comes down to us from early in the 19th century. This Italian scientist and known skeptic witnessed and even touched the newly reborn Dalai Lama, who is in effect the Pope of Tibetan Buddhists, when he was only a few days old. From the newborn’s own lips, the investigator claimed to have received these words quite directly: “I am Buddha, I am his spirit; and I Buddha, your Dalai-Lama, have left my old, decrepit body . . . and selected the body of this young babe as my next earthly dwelling.” As you might expect, the scientist’s report which was delivered to the Institute in Paris was quickly repudiated. A review committee suggested that the observer must either have been ill during his investigation or deceived by an acoustical trick.

I have not run across any similar incident happening in the present century in the West. Seems to really be one of those sorts of things which is most peculiarly Oriental in cast. I shall do some more research since you have piqued my interest a bit, I dare say.

I must say further that when a phenomenon occurs at disparate times and places to credible observers, the observations ought not to be pooh-poohed without at least a good look.

This isn’t easy. Going home without the baby I’ve been praying and planning for for almost nine months.

I’ve been trying to be strong and understanding. “Understand,” Bud said.

I haven’t cried much. I’m still in a state of shock in a way from not having my baby with me. But, there’s the glow of those almost holy experiences surrounding the delivery. That’s still with me when I can remember to reach for it. Much of the time, I’m just kind of limp and numb. Off and on, I pray for that calm and understanding, but I’m not sure it helps much.

I’m tied up in knots physically. My breasts are aching and my arms are empty. My bottom’s sore.

I didn’t bargain for this. Mother Mary didn’t even have to give up her child at infancy.

Suppose maybe we could compare notes if she were to come by for a visit, huh?
I’m trying. You have to give me credit for trying.

Joe’s trying too. He’s been right there with me, but he really doesn’t, can’t, even begin to understand.
I really don’t think anyone does. Maybe that’s not fair. I just don’t understand, but I’m trying.

I tell myself this is happening for a reason, beyond the comfort of our little family unit. Something good will, is, coming from it.

But, Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! Help me! How do I manage?

Maybe you’ll send me another baby? A real baby!