Okay, today is the day! Tonight is the showing of Hocus Pocus in Salem Common! I’ve been so looking forward to this. I know, I’m such a dork! GROW UP! HELL NO!! I never want to be a grown up!! Never!! This is going to be cool. There are parts of the movie that were filmed in Salem Common and I’ll be watching the movie in Salem Common. Of all the times I’ve seen that movie, I never dreamed I’d be watching it right where it was filmed. I always wondered why I was so drawn to that movie. I watched it over and over through the years. Now I know why. It’s the crazy city of Salem and God only knows why it’s so important to me.
So for now, it’s Saturday in Salem. Tonight is the night of all the Halloween festivities. What fun and crowded? Geez, you would think it’s already Halloween! I can barely walk through the streets because of so many people! I’m getting photos, of course, but I’m getting knocked around so much, it’s pretty tough going.
I decide to go back to the hotel and dress a little warmer. I’m actually pretty much actively hating on the people working here in the hotel but the room maids are so nice and friendly with me. I think somehow they feel my sadness and are drawn to me. I’ve never had the room servers quite treat me as nicely as these. I talk and laugh with them. I’m glad they are here. And…… I’m suddenly hearing things on the TV about a Hurricane Sandy……
So now I’m thinking I will need to get to the Common a little early so I can get a good spot …. on the ground. I dress warm and have my camera, of course … always. I decide to get popcorn and a coke. So now I walk over to Salem Common. It’s a few blocks over from my hotel. Awww dusk in Salem. There is no more beautiful time in Salem. Hell, to me, dusk in Salem is an event to savor!
I get my popcorn and coke, pick my spot in front of the screen and stand there and eat all my popcorn before the movie even starts! Pig – Right. The crowd gathers. Not as many people as I thought but still quite a few. I try not to get too close to really little kids. They make me nervous. And believe it or not, Hocus Pocus is not really a movie for kids. It is Disney but not so much for kids.
So, it’s cold. I’m waiting, even bored because I already ate my popcorn. People are showing up and I pull up a leaf and sit on the ground. It’s sort of wet. Alright already, stick the DVD in, man. And there it goes. I sit enrapt. The most enjoyable thing really was listening to the kids comment on what they are seeing on the screen is all around us. One kid stood up pointing at the screen saying, “We are there!” They were loving it and I did too. As I said, it doesn’t take much to make me happy!
And it’s over and I enjoyed it so much for the 100th time!
Ok, all right, hungry. Since this is a big party night, everything is packed. I walk over to the Hawthorne Hotel and look in the window and watch the Halloween Ball that’s going on in there. Quite a good crowd, strobe lights, live band, costumes …. and I don’t want to be in there. Two Halloween Balls alone is quite enough for me. I did actually fall in love there once. I wonder if he’s in there now. I wonder if he IS in there, did he look for me? Silly. Silly old woman ….
Seeing many, many costumes on the Pedestrian Mall. Now there’s something, the whole crew from the Wizard of Oz. Their costumes look so good, almost like the originals. Definitely worthy of the grand prize!
Hungry! Welp, back to the same place I guess! I saunter on over to my pizza place once again. They are really crowded and when I order my food, the lady makes a comment about me always having my camera with me. So, what of it, huh? Yes, my camera stays with me. It is quite simply why I’m here!
Now the fun begins yet again. I squeeze into a corner seat and begin to wait. My phone begins to ring and it’s Jason. Dang! He’s frantic …. and mad! He’s bitching me out because I’m apparently going on my merry way and not even considering that a Hurricane named Sandy is out there. I guess it’s heading this way and I don’t have a clue. Jason wants to know how I can be so oblivious to the danger that could be heading my way. Well, you know, I’ve just seen Hocus Pocus in Salem Common. I had popcorn and everything! There’s wonderful costumes everywhere and I’m waiting on my pizza. What possibly could be amiss? All’s right with the world, right? After all, I’m in Salem! And shit, he goes off like a rocket and yells at me and demands that I return home this instant! Get my ass back to the hotel and schedule a flight home NOW!
Okay, shit, guess I’ll do that. I stay long enough to eat then I head back to my room all dejected and shit. Guess I’m cutting this trip short. And I now think of Sir Tight Ass at the hotel wanting all that money from me and I’m only staying 2 nights! I didn’t even get to see the Witch House! I didn’t get to tour the Salem Witch Museum again and Count Orlok’s! Dang, Count Orlok’s for shit’s sake! I haven’t even spent my gift certificates that I got for winning that photo contest here in Salem! Bloody hell! I wanted to ride the trolley, do a ghost cruise, maybe ride the ferry to Boston! It all passes away right in front of my eyes. The whole trip …. gone.
I enter the hotel and I think this place is jinxed, unlucky, a proverbial black cloud overhead. Doom and Gloom Hotel, Salem, Mass. Every time I walk in here I have bad luck. My last time here was the shits and flat tires. Geeez. Every time, the shit begins to fly (literally). I get comfy again in my room and plant myself in front of my computer with the Weather Channel tuned in on the TV. Hmmmm, looks like rain. Assholes placed strategically around the East Coast with NO weather happening behind them. What the hell? I jump into United and change my flight from next Friday to this Sunday. Bloody Hell! They charge me $70.00. I know, Bloody Hell!! Anyway, done. The only thing to do now is to wait for tomorrow and go home. I call Jason and tell him I’m coming home tomorrow and the time. I guess now he can rest and stop being completely at his wit’s end with me. He doesn’t like it when I come up here not one bit and now Frankenstorm has got him at his complete limit with me.
So now I sort of start packing. My heart’s not in it at all. I do keep the weather tuned in and play on the Internet instead of packing. What, me worry? I gots no problems. I’m flying home tomorrow.
Then suddenly, a text message comes through my phone. Hmm, it’s from United. Probably reminding me of my flight tomorrow. I press the button and I see only one word. “Cancelled.” What the fuck? My flight tomorrow is cancelled? What? I’m beginning to feel a bit apprehensive here. They’ve cancelled my flight with Frankenstorm on the way? Now what do I do? Seems like I said that before on this trip. What the bloody hell do I do now? I immediately get on the phone and call Jason to tell him my flight is cancelled. That did NOT make his day. All the while, I got United up on my computer and I’m trying to reschedule or something and their web site starts doing some kind of weird looping thing. You can’t get to where you need to be on the site. It just keeps taking you through some crazy looping thing. Well, I’ve had enough of that. So I get on the phone and try to call United. It takes me a few times but I finally hear their stupidly helpful greeting and they say the wait will be about 45 minutes. Well, at least they’re not telling me to hang up and call back later. So I put the phone on speaker and I wait … and wait … and wait … and wait … and wait! Gosh, it’s getting late and I’m sleepy. I don’t want to hang up because they might answer at any moment and I’ve got to talk to them! So finally, I lay down in the bed and I’m still on hold with United. I’m about to fall asleep. Well, for cripes sake, I’ve been on hold for over 3 hours! I guess they are not going to answer. Every asshole on the East Coast is probably calling them right now. So what do I do now? Yes, another fine mess I’ve got myself into. So I decide to check out tomorrow and go to the airport. They will have to deal with me then. I’m not leaving that airport unless they put me on an airplane. I arrange my ride to the airport in the morning. They are happy to help me. I would be too for $50.00 plus tip …….
So now I go to bed. Damn, it seems like such a long time ago when I saw Hocus Pocus. Party’s over, trip is done.
Crap.
I feel more than compelled to touch the trees especially the largest ancient tree that you see here. And do I touch it? You bet your sweet bippy I do (what the fuck is a bippy?)! I think I've mentioned this before in this blog but dammit, I mean it! I went over to the Howard Street cemetery the other day and I felt no such thing. I loved the cemetery with the squirrels and jail and all but I just don't feel anything there. Of course, I can't get in the cemetery so that is a bit off putting but this all is very strange. I really wish I could know what's going on with me and Salem. How do I find out? Does anyone know?
I was also able to get a few pictures of the Witch Memorial and the “The Burying Point” cemetery which I’ve included below. The Cemetery Tour was so up my alley and the things I learned were awesome. Our Tour Guide loves Salem and is a true historian of Salem’s troubled past. I will have much more on the cemetery and the Salem Witch Trials so be looking for it in this Blog. And too, I don’t know if y’all remember me telling you but the movie “Hocus Pocus” is one of my very favorites and it was filmed in Salem. I found many of the locations and there’s “Allison’s House.” Cool? Yup!
My Salem Happenings 