Premonitions? By Joanne Olivieri
Premonitions?
A collection of true stories.
by: Joanne Olivieri
©Joanne Olivieri 2021
All Rights Reserved
Published by Yasou Press
This book is dedicated to my friend who has inspired me with his true to life inspiring
stories. Thank you Will Mayo for doing what you do.
Background
It began in 1973. I was 17 and had a dream which resulted in a true to life encounter.
Over the years, through the present time I've had many vivid dreams come true in some way since that day in 1973.
I don't know exactly if they are premonitions or intuitive feelings but what I do know is that they are never pleasant and always result in a bad situation.
The interesting aspect is that I have a terrible memory from day to day but I remember these dreams in vivid detail and the resulting scenario.
These are true stories. I tried to remember the dates so as to write them in chronological order so they may not be exact though the years are exact.
Enjoy.
Unfamiliar Face
It was 1973. I was working my first job as a bank teller. A redundant boring task, filing checks by hand. Though for me I was excited as it was my new job and I was getting paid.
The night before I was to start this new endeavor I had a variety of different dreams some of which I can remember and some I completely forget.
While dreaming, I had a ten second glimpse of a very handsome man with a blinding and foreboding stare looking right through me. It woke me up with an uncomfortable feeling.
I dismissed the face and went on to get ready for my new job. I left early and hopped on a streetcar on my way downtown. We arrived at the Castro street stop. At that time there were no underground stations.
I was sitting on an aisle seat looking out the window. The streetcar was fairly full and I felt someone standing next to me in the aisle. I looked up and saw that foreboding stare. That handsome face in my dream looking down right through me. My heart dropped and I must have been staring back because he threw a smile at me. Even with that smile it scared me and I got off the streetcar at the next stop and waited for another one.
Had this happened now rather than when I was so young, I would have started a conversation with him but nevertheless it was strange and unexplained. I vividly remember that face to this day and that was 48 years ago.
The Hot Water Heater Explosion
It was 1972 and I had a close friend who lived in an inlaw apartment in the Richmond district of San Francisco.
My friend and her son had been over the night before for dinner and a very pleasant evening. When they were about to leave I experienced a very uneasy feeling and tried to coax them into spending the night but they decided to go home.
The next morning around
6: 00 a.m. I woke up to a very distinct and heavy smell of smoke. I immediately thought there was a fire so I checked outside my window at the area around me and did not see anything so I headed back to bed and just about to fall asleep when my phone began ringing off the hook. We didn't have cell phones at that time.
I picked up the phone and it was my friend screaming and crying. The water heater in the building had exploded and thank God, they got out in time with no injuries.
They ended up staying with neighbors until they found another apartment.
I realized after that incident that I hated these premonitions I wanted these premonitions gone and didn't want to dream anymore. Well, the dreams kept coming and making their mark in real life. With each dream or premonition they kept intensifying and became more vivid.
My Aunt and Godmother
My Aunt was always very dear to me. I loved her so much that this experience was devastating.
It was September 27, 1988 and I was working in an insurance office on Market street near Church.
It was an ordinary day and I was reviewing policy claim forms when all of a sudden out of nowhere I began panicking and sweating profusely
My Aunt had been in the hospital and I wasn't sure why at that time but she was in a regular room and was about to be released shortly after that date.
The panic I experienced quickly had me turned to her. It was a very strong feeling that I had to call the hospital ASAP! I called and the floor nurse put me on hold after I had inquired about my Aunt. I waited and waited and waited. I don't know how much time lapsed but it was about fifteen to twenty minutes and I was very impatient. I hung up and called back right away. The nurse asked who I was then put me on hold. My panicked sense became stronger with each minute. About ten minutes passed and someone else came on the phone and I said I was inquiring about my Aunt. She said I'm sorry but your aunt just expired.
All I could remember at that point was hanging up and being erratic thinking I have to leave. I have to get to my Mom and tell her. How will I tell her? How on earth can I break this news to her?
I went next door crying to my friend who worked there and said I need a ride to my Mom's.
We left and arrived at my Mom's home. I ran up the stairs and found her sitting in the kitchen sobbing and uncontrollable. I knew she had already been contacted.
It was devastating news and another situation where I despised having these feelings of intuition? I don't know what it was.
The one consolation I have is that my niece was born in that same hospital two days before my Aunt passed and she was granted permission for my brother and my sister in-law to see my niece which made her so incredibly happy.
My Brother
It was shortly after my niece was born and the last incident. My feelings, for lack of a better word were becoming more vivid and intensifying.
It was a Friday evening and I had a late night reading and went to bed very tired. I had a very vivid dream in detail that terrified me.
I was in my Brother's truck and he was driving. We were stopped at a stop sign on the corner of Chestnut and Van Ness on our way to Fisherman's Wharf which is only a few blocks away.
The light turned green and we proceeded to make a left turn onto Van Ness when suddenly a huge crash. Next I found myself trying to catch my breath but I was stuck underneath the truck and could feel the air from the cars whizzing by me. I turned to look at my Brother and he was not moving, facing me with his eyes crossed.
Now remember the crossed eyes as you continue reading.
I woke up in a panicked state and was sweating like a pig. I knew something was going to happen to my Brother. I thought it was going to be a truck accident.
I called their home and explained the dream to my sister in-law who proceeded to laugh and responded with " oh, Jojo you're crazy." I pleaded with her not to let him drive anywhere that day. She told me he's not going anywhere because he's working in their yard all day long.
We hung up and I called my Mom and told her about it. She listened and said "oh, it's just a bad dream." We hung up but I could not dismiss this feeling it was just too strong and the anxiety from it took center stage for me all day.
I went to bed, it was Saturday night and when Id go to bed I'd leave my phone on for emergencies. It was a landline, no cell phones back then. My parents left theirs on as well but would only answer if they got the code. The code was ring three times, hang up and call back and keep doing that if it was an emergency.
About midnight my phone started ringing off the hook. I answered and it was my sister in-law in a complete panicked state screaming that my Brother was critical in emergency at the hospital and that she couldn't get a hold of my parents. I didn't even ask what happened but called my parents, gave them our phone code and my Mom answered to which I told her what my sister in-law had relayed to me and we needed to drive up there ASAP! They live in the East Bay but with hardly any traffic on the roads we arrived in no time.
We go into emergency and my sister in-law is in the waiting room frantic and crying. She explained to us that my Brother was working in the yard all day, he came in for dinner then relaxed in his chair for a night of television. My sister in-law was talking to him from the other room and he didn't respond. She went into the living room and found him awake but not responding and with his eyes noticeably crossed. She thought he was joking around because his eyes were crossed but found that he couldn't move or talk. She called 911, they rushed him into emergency. She then looked at me angrily and kept yelling" you knew! You knew! I dismissed her anger as I knew she was out of her mind with worry as we all were.
Long story short, he spent a total of two weeks in that hospital ICU then when he was stable he was transferred to San Francisco where their hospital is located for further testing and underwent a treatment called plasmapheresis which is basically taking the blood plasma from his body and treating it with saline and doing a sort of recycling and transferring the blood plasma back into his body.
At one point during these procedures the doctor informed us he was not responding the way they wanted him to during all of this and said we should prepare ourselves because he only had a 50/50 chance of living through it.
We were devastated and I have to admit that I never prayed so hard and so much in my life.
He finally got through the procedures and ended up spending two months in the hospital where it was determined that he had contracted encephalitis from a tick bite. He was then moved to St. Mary's hospital who is well known for treating people who had accidents and needed rehab. The 49et quarterback Joe Montana was treated there for his back injury.
My brother spent another month there in rehab learning to walk, talk and feed himself. I took my two week vacation from work in order to get to the hospital each afternoon and feed him his lunch and then over to my Mom's to help care for my niece who was still an infant at that time while my sister in-law spent her evenings at the hospital. We worked in shifts until he came home. Then he needed outpatient care to correct (uncross his eyes). He is fine today but that premonition I had which came true completely terrified me. It is something I never wanted to experience again, but have.
My Mother's Death and the clock.
It was shortly before Mother's day that I went shopping to find a gift for my Mom. We were very close, lived only about a half a mile from each other and spent a lot of time together.
While shopping I found a beautiful rustic looking clock for myself. It was large with a wooden base, the photo of an old schooner and battery operated. I hung it in the living room and after about a week the clock stopped. The hands on the clock were stopped at 9:30. Remember the time as you continue reading.
I bought new batteries and the clock still did not work but I loved the photo so I kept it. Too much of a hassle to return it.
Each time I looked at that clock and saw 9:30 I became anxious but didn't know why. I kept dismissing my feelings. This was n May of 1994.
We spent Mother's day in Santa Cruz and had a fantastic time. When we returned home my Mom said to me "promise me something. Promise me that when I'm gone you will call your Brother once in a while and check on him." I replied Mom, don't think like that. You'll be around for a long time," she insisted that I promise, so I did.
Note: I'm crying right now as I write this.
Two months later on July 9, 1994 I woke up early and went to Safeway to do some shopping as my Mom and I had planned the night before to go have lunch and do some shopping.
I was coming home with my groceries and when I stepped into the streetcar and sat down I heard loud buzzing in my ears. There was a siren blaring but it was manifested as a loud buzzing as if a fly had entered my ear. The streetcar stopped at the light on 19th and Taraval and I looked up at my Mom's house and saw a paramedic unit and an ambulance parked in front of the house next door. The panicking and profuse sweating ensued. I quickly tried to suppress it and tried to explain it away as the house next door was having their roof replaced and I imagined maybe one of the roofers had an injury. Yet my feeling persisted and the anxiety began.
I was anxious the entire way home. I think at that moment I knew the worst had happened but would not allow myself to believe it I got home, rushing to put my groceries away and the phone rang, it was my Brother.
All he said was " you better get up here now." I asked " what happened? Is it Mom?" His reply was yes, it's bad." My heart dropped. I began"shaking, sweating uncontrollably, and could not catch my breath. I dropped the phone, grabbed my keys and waited for a streetcar which luckily was on its way. Tears started flowing, my heart racing and I was scared to death. We got to 19th and Taraval, I got off the streetcar and without even looking at the stop sign or looking out for cars I just ran up to the house. I could have easily been hit by a car. I got to the house and a paramedic met me at the door. I pushed him away, went into the kitchen where my Mom would always sit shouting " where is she?" Where is she?"
I went back to the living room where my Father and Brother were and there was a dead silence.
I proceeded to go into the dining room looking for Mom crying frantically and repeating "where is she?" When the paramedic and my Brother stopped me and said "she's gone."
The next I remember I woke up on the sofa with the paramedic taking my pulse. I had passed out in shock.
Before coming home late that evening it was determined by the paramedics that she had passed around 9:30 in the morning in her sleep.
My life completely changed at that moment. I would never be the same person again.
I got home that night and the first thing I saw was that damn clock with its hands fixed on 9:30. I took it off the wall and slung it across the room breaking the glass in a million pieces and finally throwing it in the trash.
I grieved for years and still do at times. I became withdrawn and always wanted to be alone. I was a shadow, a dark shadow of myself for years. It altered my life completely and not in a good way.
My Mary Kay Director 1999
As I mentioned in my Moms passing story I had become a self described hermit and my life was wasting away.
My cousin in-law who lived in Elk Grove at the time was a Mary Kay consultant and wanted me to meet her director who also lived in Elk Grove. Reluctantly I went up there to meet her. She talked me into becoming a consultant and joining her team. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to people and sell cosmetics etc… but I agreed to join. I was trained by my cousin in-law and director and did enjoy the fact that I had my own business and had freedom to do what I wanted rather than work a 9 to 5 job.
My director constantly pushed me into doing more and making more sales happen. I admit we butted heads many times but her goal was too instill confidence in myself and to grow and reach my potential.
It worked, I became motivated, made many sales and won all kinds of awards for myself and the team by selling lipsticks. To this day I've always believed all a woman needs is lipstick to give you the color you need and ditch everything else. I was great at sales and it was a direct result of my director having pushed me into believing in myself. I was becoming the person I used to be, before my Mom's passing.
I would travel up there very often to spend time with my cousin in-law cooking and gardening and meeting up with my director. It was fun.
A while later my director became ill. She had nagging flu like symptoms. She saw doctor after doctor who told her it was just the flu. I traveled up there one day to meet with her and my cousin in-law for lunch at the Elk Grove brewery in old town. I grew to love that place.
We planned a lunch there and we arrived early waiting for my director. I saw her arrive and immediately felt that familiar panic and profuse sweating and knew instantly that would be the last time I would see her. I said Oh My God! Out loud and my cousin in-law replied "what?. My director at that moment arrived at our table.
I did thoroughly enjoy our lunch and that meeting but with a nagging feeling, this was the end. We left the brewery, we said our goodbyes and I knew this was the last I'd see of my director.
I explained what I felt to my cousin in-law who dismissed it and said I was crazy.
A week later. My director was admitted to the hospital with stage five liver cancer. She only had a couple of weeks to live. It was diagnosed too late. She lived about two weeks and called me during that time from the hospital which surprised me. We were friends but not what you would call close friends. She told me she enjoyed our time together on Mary Kay and that she knew I could do it! I thanked her, she said she loved me and we said our goodbyes.
She was instrumental in giving me the belief in myself that I could succeed in anything I wanted to do. My life changed for the better as a result of knowing her.
The Love of My Life 1999
It was July 27th 1999 and my love was in Southern California. I won't get into the whole story here as it is too long.
I was home having a quiet reading poetry day to myself. Out of nowhere I began getting strong chest pains. I could not breathe well and at that same time I saw my loves face as if he were standing right in front of me.
The usual profuse sweating and panic began. I knew there was something wrong but had no idea what or how to contact him.
I also didn't want to call 911 for the pain I was having in my chest so I took a couple of Advil and tried to take a nap. I woke up a few hours later and the pain had stopped but that nagging feeling persisted for a while.
About a week or two later I received a newspaper clipping and a letter from my cousin in the mail informing me my love had died on that same day, July 27, 1999.
He was being transported from SoCal to NorCal and was having heart pain and labored breathing and died on the way here.
Needless to say I was devastated to the core for years. He was a guy I met at 12 years old, it was love at first sight and the rest is history now. A day does not go by that I don't think about him.
Food Poisoning?
It was sometime in 2004 and I don't remember what date. Me, my cousin and her friend went to Borders bookstore in Union Square to see a very dear friend perform.
It was a great performance and enjoyable outing which culminated in an early dinner at a local Greek restaurant. We had a delicious meal and great time even being treated to some Ouzo by our waiter.
We finished our dinner, left and stopped at a Mom and Pop shop to buy some ice cream before we dropped off my friend and continued home.
I was tired and decided to turn in early. I awakened with the all too familiar scenario of profuse sweating and panic thinking about my dear friend. I knew something was wrong. I looked at the clock and it was 3:00 am. I so wanted to call to see if she was okay but didn't because I thought what if nothing is wrong and I'm waking them up in the middle of the night? They'll think I'm nuts!
So I went back to bed and tossed and turned all night. I waited until an appropriate time the next morning to call. I called and her hubby answered the phone.
He told me she was very ill all night and think it was food poisoning and was now resting. She was actually sick for a while but thankfully is fine now.
The interesting thing here is that I always know when something is wrong with her it's just instinctual, I guess, but it is disturbing.
The Fire
It was sometime between 2004 and 2013. I do not remember the exact year now but it was closer to 2013.
I was headed to my bank in West Portal and stopped off at 19th and Taraval to visit my Brother. We had a pleasant visit and I left and was waiting for the streetcar to get to my bank only a few minutes away.
I was waiting patiently when suddenly everything stopped. The traffic stopped and everything was still. It felt like slow motion. I smelled fire. It was very strong and my usual feeling kicked in. There are two restaurants on that corner intersection, a gas station and a bank. I started to panic. I was worried because the gas station was only four doors away from my Brother's home and I had that very strong fire sensation. I called my brother whom I had just left and asked if he was okay and explained what I was feeling. He was fine.
The feeling and smell continued and became stronger. I looked at each restaurant, looking for smoke and saw nothing. I walked up to a woman who was standing near me asking if she smelled the fire and must have come off to her as a nut case as she looked at me weirdly and moved away from me. Then the streetcar arrived and the slow motion became normal again. I headed to the bank.
I finished my business in West Portal and started walking toward the station to catch my bus home. I heard blaring sirens from fire engines and ambulances all over. I got to the station and they announced that the L Taraval would be ending at West Portal and would not continue through Taraval as there was an emergency situation at 19th and Taraval. My heart stopped and the anxiety and panic began. My Brother was the only thing on my mind.
I started running up Ulloa street and took the route the street car would normally take. I got to 15th and Taraval and looked down the street to see a sea of red lights flashing with ambulances and firetrucks. I began running down the street while calling my Brother and he was okay. He said the Vietnamese restaurant had exploded in flames. I felt a huge wave of relief come over me as he was okay. I couldn't go past 18th avenue as it was blocked by emergency crews so I walked down one block to Ulloa Street and continued my journey home.
It was a fire in their kitchen which caused the explosion and thankfully no one was injured.
July 9, 2017. The anniversary of my Mother's Death.
It was a Sunday morning and I was off to my part time job. I worked at an interior design firm as a sales associate on the weekends. I wasn't feeling well but continued to work.
I was sick all day long with flu like symptoms. At that time I had already been diagnosed with Diabetes and diabetic neuropathy which resulted in my walking with a cane.
I fell in the store that day and luckily there was a customer there who helped me to my feet. My symptoms became worse and I decided to leave early.
I was walking along Hayes street to catch my bus on Masonic. I walked one block was waiting for the green light and when I began to walk I felt dizzy and fell off the curb. I couldn't get up. There was a woman riding a scooter who stopped and helped me back up. She asked if I wanted to call 911 and I thanked her but said no.
I continued to Masonic and luckily there was a bus right there. I just wanted to get home.
I hopped up on the bus and the traffic that day was very heavy so it was slow going as my symptoms became worse. We proceeded to Haight and Ashbury when we came upon an ambulance just cruising. I hated being behind that ambulance as it was a bad omen for me. The panic began as the bus trailed that ambulance. We finally got to Haight and Cole streets when the bus had to make a left turn onto Cole to continue it's route. We were stopped at a light with the ambulance right next to us. I was in the front seat and looked over at the ambulance and remember the driver was very short as his head barely rose above the steering wheel. He looked at me, nodded and smiled and I returned the smile. We finally turned on Cole street and I was happy not to be trailing the ambulance.
We continued on to my stop at 9th avenue and Judah streets. This particular route passes in front of UCSF medical center. As we began approaching the Center my profuse sweating and foreboding panic began. I looked at the center and experienced shortness of breath as well. Luckily 9th and Judah was close by.
I disembarked at 9th and Judah and was about to wait for my next bus home. My symptoms were stronger than ever and I needed to use the bathroom but none of the businesses allowed the general public to use their facilities so I stood on the corner by the laundromat leaning against the wall with my cane as I began feeling dizzy, visibly shaking, my eyes were flashing lights, I started losing my bodily functions and control of my body.
I remember calling my Brother and saying I needed help and telling him where I was. The rest is a blur but the next next thing I remember is saying to a 911 operator to "please tell the paramedics, no sirens!" Then I see an ambulance stop in front of me and who walks out of the driver seat? The short driver from that same ambulance we were trailing on the bus.
They picked me up, loaded me in the ambulance and before we took off I saw my Brother as they were closing the ambulance door.
Next thing I remember is being wheeled into emergency at UCSF. They rushed me into a room, cleaned me up and the poking and prodding and testing began.
I asked where my Brother was and they told me he was in the waiting room. So I felt better.
I remember them injecting me with something, I don't know what it was but within minutes I felt the most fantastic high I've ever experienced. I remember asking the doctor if I could get some in pill form to take home with me.
They ran a series of tests and it was determined that I was in diabetic shock and had I not called 911 when I did I could have died right there on that street. The good news is that the doctor said I had a very strong heart.
They finally released me at around 1:00 am the next morning. I never however got that drug, whatever it was in pill form, damn it!
My Sammers
It was just about a week before my writing this so it was the end of January 2021.
For those that don't know My Sammers is my cockatiel who came to live with me late in 2017. His first owner before me had him his entire life before rehoming him to me and I've had him almost four years now. Being disabled and homebound, he has become my constant companion. I don't know what I would do without him.
He is 21 years old now and beyond his life expectancy. Because of that I'm always worried that either something will happen to him or me and if something happens to me, who would take care of him. I have worked that detail out with my cousin. So I have felt much relief from that. However…
I went to sleep the other night and had a terrifying nightmare and hope that this nightmare is just that and not a premonition of some sort so that's why I'm including it in this series of stories.
This was extremely vivid and detailed. I was in an office setting with office equipment all around. It was a messy office with paper strewn everywhere. In the office with me were two women I have never seen before, one was standing at her desk and the other was on the phone laughing and joking around. .
Sammers was in one of the desks roaming around and shredding the paper. There was also a duck and a huge green parrot with ruffled feathers who was nipping at Sammers. I tried shooting the parrot off a couple of times. I turned around at one point and saw that the parrot has picked up Sammers and had him in his mouth with Sammers laying in the parrots beak, breathing heavily, his crest up and his eyes wide open in shock.
My heart pounding out of my chest I began screaming and went to free Sammers when the parrot swallowed him. I woke up, gasping for breath, I literally could not breathe, my heart pounding and I was screaming but nothing was coming out.
It was already light outside so it was early morning. I got up and checked on Sam's and he was peacefully sleeping away in his play area.
This nightmare scared the hell out of me and I immediately prayed to God that this was just a nightmare and nothing more.
If I lost my Sammers, I would lose my world. As of the writing of this story which took place only a few days ago he is fine and feisty as ever, thank God.
In closing as I mentioned before, I absolutely hate these feelings, or intuition or premonitions that I experience. I want them gone, for good!
I did at one time consult with some guy online who is supposedly an expert in these paranormal experiences. He told me that everyone is born with intuition and that some of us are able to tap into that intuition. He also told me that he could help me enhance the experience to help me understand what I was feeling. I realized at that moment he was a quack and just trying to sell me his service. I've been in retail sales long enough to recognize a scam.
I told him no thanks. I don't want these events enhanced, I want them gone!
He then said he couldn't help me.
While all these stories are of a negative event these are just a small though significant part of my life story. I've had a very wonderful and blessed life through the present time. I'm surrounded each day by my top three passions in life which are birds, my own little Sammers, poetry and music. Through these events and my health issues I am truly grateful for the life I have.
I wrote these stories because these memories are etched and pinching the nerves in my mind. I had to tell my stories in order to get them out there and free my mind.
I also hope that if you are one that is experiencing these types of phenomena that you take consolation in knowing you are not alone.
Thank you for reading.
Bio
Joanne, a bird, music, poetry and nature lover has been writing for over 50 years. She is a published poet and photographer. Her works have appeared in numerous print and online publications such as The Parnassus Literary Journal, Westward Quarterly, The San Diego Arts and Poets Magazine, Nomads Choir, SP Quill, just to name a few.
She was awarded a round-trip ticket to Hong Kong in 2007 by Cathay Pacific Airways for her winning entry in their poetry contest.
Joanne is the founder and editor of Yasou! A Celebration of Life and Stanzaic Stylings Literary Ezine.
Joanne enjoys reading, writing, collecting old poetry books, live music concerts, roaming art galleries and museums, leisurely lunches with friends in diners, getting out in nature with her camera and making toys for and playing with her feathered companion, Sammers.
You can learn all there is to know about her by visiting her website/blog at: poeticshutterbug.
blogspot.com or click the link on the title page to see all of my sites.
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