Now we will commence with Part 2 of our Halloween day!
I now must go to the cemetery, Old Burying Point, and photograph the monsters that are passing through. My, I have found so many! Even the tombstones seem to be participating in their way with me and my photos. There’s the tour guide at the Salem Witch Walk. I think I’ll send him this photo. I think he will like it!
And there are the assorted buildings, the Witch Memorial, all being presented during the setting of the sun. Ah, the beautiful sunset in Salem settling so gracefully in the stormy sky here in a most ancient cemetery.
And then, the most wonderful thing! I was standing at the topmost corner of the Witches Memorial. I happily find that this is a fantastic vantage point for taking photos of the cemetery and it’s happenings. Someone asks to take my photo and I’m always happy to accommodate. But now, in a solitary moment, I turn around to face the sunset, and a gust of very cold wind blows across my face. I moved to face the wind and in that moment, the temperature must have dropped at least 30 degrees. Within a few moments I was freezing and longing to go back to my room. Salem weather … yes, you just never know when you will be caught in the enchanted moment of a sudden gust of cold wind in Salem. But shit! Now I’m frickin’ cold! I shall walk back to the Doom & Gloom Hotel and change into my Halloween best. It’s long about 7:00 or 8:00 pm now. Just enough time to wander through the streets of Salem in hopes of getting a photo or two on Halloween night!
Ah, all dressed for Halloween in Salem. I go outside with much expectation! It’s funny, this photographer-looking dude … I mean, he’s got all the bells and whistles … approaches me and asks if he can get a photo of me. Yes, I am that beautiful! (hee) Of course, I’m happy to oblige! So I stand there somewhat posing and he fiddles with this and fusses with that and finally, snap! No flash, so we try again. I stand there while he gets his hands going here, there and everywhere. He’s so confused! I realize he’s brand new at this and I KNOW how he feels! He tries again. Nope, didn’t work. Now he’s pretty much mortified and I feel badly for him. Maybe I should take it for him? Huh? Anyway, want to try one more time? Nope, it’s a bust but he thanks me and wanders off. Oh well, at least he is learning and man, have I ever been there!
I walk back around and see if the band that I saw a couple of years ago is playing and yup, there they are! From what I’ve heard from them, they are pretty much a Beatles cover band but they do it good! They’ve got a large crowd gathered before them …. and they are dancing and being quite rowdy! That’s a good sign!
And there he is, the blonde English guy. Now I don’t know if he’s English but he wears the English shirt with the Union Jack on it so he looks English. Hmmmm. I stand and watch for awhile and I move more toward the front and he seems to recognize me! From 2 years ago?! It’s got to be my hat! It is…. I watch him play for awhile longer as that gold wedding band flashes in my eyes as he plays his guitar. Nope, don’t want none of that! Did that once and I felt like the wicked witch of the west! Not pleasant!
So now, I’m on my way….
I continue walking through the Halloween streets of Salem taking a photo here and there while I go. Then I hear this guy say something about someone (probably me) taking pictures of people they don’t even know. Now how the “F” does he know if I know these people or not? Of course, that’s assuming he’s referring to me. Grrrr, just shut the fuck up! No one asked you! It made me feel really stupid there for a moment or two and then I thought, “Wow, that pretty much puts the media right out of business, doesn’t it?” That guy is a dumb ass. Just think how it would be if we all could only take pictures of people we know. If that’s the case, then I’m screwed! No more trips to Salem to catch photos of people in Halloween costumes! Moving on….
Soooo, I really would love to see the fireworks signaling the end of Haunted Happenings. I know that two years ago I had a beautiful view from the top floor of the Hawthorne Hotel but this year, I’m on the ground. I’m not staying at the Hawthorne but let me tell you, this is the last time that I won’t stay there! I’ll be staying there next year!
So, I make my way to the Salem Common and stand in a place where I think I can see the fireworks. I know where I can get a better vantage point but I’m staying here. Watching this crowd with the Salem Witch Museum in the background is fascinating.
And there they go! I can just see them over the roof of the castle which is the home of the Salem Witch Museum. Not such a good view. Most I can’t see but there’s always next year. Oh, and look! There’s those gorgeous horses that the Salem Police ride. Unfortunately, they signal the end of all the Halloween festivities for this year.
I am reluctant to leave. I feel sadness knowing that it’s over until next year. I look around. A sea of people are pouring out of the Common. The horses and the cops astride them are going in to police out the Common. I stand and watch the activities around me for awhile. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow and go home. Hmmmm….
I think of having that experience at the Boston airport a few days ago. God, it seems like years ago when that happened. I was stranded! And now I think about having to leave. Well, shit. Of course, I don’t want to go. Hmmmm, thinking, pondering, arguing with my inner guidance.
Ooops, I said it. Program interruption here. Join me for a general discourse about my spirit, Essence (and you don’t have to read this if you don’t want but it may shed some light for you)! She’s actually a spirit and I call her “Essence.” Or should I say she told me who she is. During a quiet moment in my bedroom, I heard her say, “Hello, I’m Essence!” I said, “Well, hello Essence!” I was glad to hear from her and I finally knew her name! And now it’s like she’s always with me. “Oh, so you’re the one that I argue with internally all the time! Sometimes things will happen in my life and I feel her absence. I’m not pleased and I tell her so. I ask her where she was when I needed her. Essence says, “I am here, you just only have to listen, or be aware of the impressions.” Most times she speaks but sometimes it’s a feeling or words or a song repeating over and over in my head. Sometimes she’s a nag! Nag, nag, nag! I cover my ears and tell her to shut up! You can imagine the reaction from the people who are around me … or maybe they just think I’m talking on my phone. Sometimes Essence literally takes matters into her hands and completely goes over me when I’ve really got myself into a fix. On several occasions she literally puts words in my mouth. If I’m really doing something that is WRONG, I speak words that I had no intentions of saying to correct the situation. I don’t even know I’m going to say them and boy, am I surprised when I do! But it’s always the right thing to do, always. I know Essence is with me, bless her. She is a God-send in the truest sense of the word!
Okay, back to the program. My how I do run on! So, I decide not to leave tomorrow. I’ll leave on Friday instead! Strange how everything has brightened! Two more nights in Salem (and Essence is as quiet as a mouse). Well, alrighty then, I’m going to take some photos tomorrow!
At this point, I begin to make my way back to the hotel. Halloween is over. Such a letdown. Man, I hate that. It has been an interesting trip though – even if at my expense!
Luvs and Happy Halloween!
Janet
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, 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!
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 go to bed. Damn, it seems like such a long time ago when I saw Hocus Pocus. Party’s over, trip is done.
All my very favorite monsters are here! All the Hammer Film movie monsters! And don’t they look real …. life size …. scary …. unsettling …. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I very slowly savor Count Orlok’s gallery. I look over each monster, up and down, this way and that. This guy is good. Oh look, Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Bela Friggin’ Lugosi! I’m so in my element. And the music, excellent. Oh and there’s Mother and Norman Bates as well. But the creepiest room to me is the Death Masks. These are casts taken from the actual faces of the actors. That room in there is full of their faces …. in death. Shiver! Alfred Hitchcock’s in there too. I’m loving this! And then after a few assorted various monsters, I’m out in the daylight again. In Salem again. Off I go this way and then I’ll go that way!
I wander on down and get some great shots of the Old Burying Point Cemetery again. I’m so drawn to that place for some reason. My heart squeezes when I’m in there and I have to touch my tree. It’s a beautiful ancient tree. The bark is so rough …. and warm. I could stay with it all day but I tear myself away. Does this make me a tree-hugger? Don’t care … love that tree! I do have Salem to do after all. This cemetery is so old that the original passenger that came over on the Mayflower is buried here. Jeeeesus!
I talk to him. He’s personable. I tell him about Halloween’s Unseen. I feel really strange in this moment. If you had told me back in the 1970s and 1980s that I’d be talking to Michael Myers/Tony Moran about something personal I’ve accomplished that had something to do with Halloween …. and he was liking it, well, I would have said, “You are crazy!” He lets me take his picture and charges $10 for his autograph. Shit! Oh well, everyone’s gots to get theirs! I like Tony Moran, he’s nice to me and he’s going to check out my web site! (right)
Now an interesting thing occurs here on the floor. We sit on the floor and begin to twirl around. I don’t mean the floor twirls, we twirl around and around and around! The show is set up in the “Castle” in a circle. We follow these sets around the room that light up and guide us through the witch hysteria. It’s very interesting and I love the creepy music. It’s all very interesting and I don’t know why I worried about sitting on the floor. I was never still and not there long at all! Then we are released …. directly into the gift shop only to be held captive there until the second half of the show. Can you say, “Ka-ching – capitalism?” OMG Salem …. and I did not buy anything! Then off we go to the next part of the show. This one’s cool. It defines the “witch.” The mid-wife beginnings, flying around the night sky on broom sticks (give me a break) and the gentle witches of Wicca. Then there’s a huge board explaining “witch hunts” over the years which we’ve all been a part of. Hee! And out and it was good. Actually, this is the first time I’ve taken the museum tours in Salem and I’ve not been disappointed.
When I arrived, I called as instructed and said I was ready to be picked up. The guy on the other end was frantic, spouting out instructions and directions to me – someone who didn’t have a clue where in the hell she was – on foot, lost and from Texas for crap’s sake! I gathered that I was supposed to meet the Van at a specific intersection somewhere in Salem. Hmmmm. I began walking and found a policeman directing traffic. I said, “See, look, I’m from Texas and I’m pissed and lost and I need to get to such and such intersection.” The policeman was nice and helpfully – eagerly even – pointed the way …. down a dark, spooky street to my left. 
At least I walked the right direction! I look down the street and it’s all houses – old houses – on both sides with some having people lurking around the porches. I’m not scared of ghosts but I am scared of people so I am not liking the idea of walking down there for a couple of blocks. Anyway, here I go, a very perturbed, somewhat overweight witch still dressed up in all her witchy best about to walk down a street that at this moment looks like it’s probably the scariest street in Salem. Oh, I’m so far from home – a totally solitary witch at this point. So I walk …. down the very middle of the street. What a sight I must have been! I’m peering at the houses as I go making sure no ghosts or zombies come running out. I am in Salem after all and Halloween has just ended. So I walk and I finally reach the intersection. There are no street signs. Now I’m not going to go into this here but why oh why are there never street signs when your life absolutely depends on it?! I do see two groups of people standing on either side of the street. I assume these are my people and choose the group that has the nicest looking lady standing there. So we wait, and wait under this huge tree. The lady and I speak. She has about as much information as I do but at least she’s a human presence for me. We wait and then it begins to rain. Salem has great weather. It happens when you least expect it. And there goes a cold wind. I have been in Salem long enough to know that you don’t take cold breezes lightly. So me and my beautiful hat are getting soaked and it will only be a matter of time before we are freezing as well. And I have no where to go, no way to get there. I see in front of me two guys from my hotel jumping into a cab and driving away. They could have offered to share that cab …. and fare …. with some of us. I would have. I’m from Texas. We wait, we get wet, we get nervous. And then alas, two Vans show up! We are elated and run and lurch to said heaven-sent Vans …. and neither are going to our hotel. The hell you say! Our group that had gathered were in no mood to hear this and quite literally jacked up both drivers and piled our asses into the Vans whether they liked it or not. “Now ***pointing gun at driver’s head*** if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get your skinny ass moving to Beverly!” And he did! We were packed in like sardines, soaking wet and stinking but we managed a civilized conversation during our ride.
My Salem Happenings 