Friday, August 10, 2007

Goosebumps - Sunday Scribblings 8/12/07


This week’s prompt was a no-brainer for me. While there have been several events in my life that when recalled can create goosebumps, only one raises them the size of small tumors.

First, I must declare that I am a well-educated and rational person (some who know me would disagree with rational in many cases, but I am claiming rationality for the purpose of this subject). Maybe skeptical would be a more accurate description of me.

When I was living in England in the early 90s, an English lady friend of mine was acquainted with a “renowned” medium. She lived near the coastal town of Great Yarmouth. It was a good hours drive from my home near Cambridge to the Norfolk Coast but my friend assured me it would be well worth it. This particular clairvoyant was evidently not easy to get a reading from as she held a high position in the pecking order of psychics. She even claimed to work as a consultant to local police and even Scotland Yard in helping to close unsolved crimes. Though I seriously doubt that either law enforcement agency actually admits to using parapsychology as an investigative method. (From what I understand that type of activity is limited to the Phoenix Arizona District Attorney’s Office.) It is common knowledge that any paranormal activity happening in England automatically gains credibility. The occult runs rampant in the British Isles. Lets face it, there are a lot more dead people in England than in the fairly infant United States. And apparently, many of them don’t know they are dead. But I digress, as usual.


Anyway, though skeptical, I agreed to have a reading. I arrived with a totally closed mind, using the hour drive to plan my strategy of providing no useful information to the medium. I would display the stoic face of a Texas Hold’em champion and answer any questions with curt yes and no answers. I was told to bring a personal item with me from which the psychic would feel my energy and emotion. I chose a ring that belonged to my late mother. So, I went in with absolute certainty that this reading was all hokum.

OK, we have come to the part where the goosebumps appear every time I think about the time that I spent with this witch. Not just goosebumps, but the hair on the back of my neck gets a life of its own. She allowed me to bring a cassette tape to record the entire session. I brought a one-hour tape and the reading lasted much longer than that, so I did not capture it all.

She began by taking both my hands in hers and examining my aura. Then she asked me to produce the personal item and hold it in my right hand without showing it to her. I cleverly reached in my pocket, concealing it in my already sweaty palm. She said, “Your mother’s ring is an excellent choice. She loves sapphire.” She made a point of using the present tense even though mom had been dead about 5 years. That subtle point did not go unnoticed. She put both her hands over my outstretched, closed fist, and the ring actually heated up in my hand. Not just warm from being in my sweaty fist, hot like Arizona.

Then she proceeded to talk about events and people in my life (by name) that no one could possibly know. I didn’t get the opportunity to use my poker face because my mouth remained wide open throughout. Nor did I get the chance to use my curt answer plan as she asked me no questions. She already knew everything. I am glad I did not have a full bladder.

As if I was not already primed to join her fan club, she sent me home with a final proclamation from my dad, then dead 2 years or so. This is the part that raises goosebumps on top of gooseflesh.

“Your dad said you could have at least gotten the watch fixed. There will come a time when you will have to because the one you are wearing will stop working.”

That simple statement really didn’t mean much at the time because my head was reeling from the information overload she had provided me. But on the way home I had time to think about her closing remarks. A year before I was on vacation in Miami and went into the ocean without removing the watch I was wearing. A gold Hamilton watch that my dad was awarded at his retirement for 35 years of service to the Bunker Hill Company, of Kellogg, Idaho. When I realized I still had it on, it was too late. The crystal was full of seawater. Upon arriving home I put it in a drawer in my bedroom and began wearing the watch I was wearing during the session. I forgot about it entirely but after she mentioned it I took it out and opened it up. It was severely corroded (a year of whatever seawater does to metal). I put it back in the drawer. It was a total loss. I was certain it could not be repaired. Again, I forgot about the watch.

A few years later, I was living in Riverton, Wyoming. I woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the illuminated dial of my watch. It was stopped. I went to the drawer and pulled dad’s watch out. It was funny, but I was not surprised that it was running. The second hand made a couple of revolutions and then stopped dead. I took it into the jeweler the very next day. He said that he could repair it but had to order some parts and it would take a while. He said it was impossible that it had been running at all as severely corroded as it was. It was totally seized up. I did not argue, though I knew better.

A few months later, since I had not heard from him, I went back to the shop to check on the status of the watch. The jeweler had retired and the guy running the shop could not find the watch or any record that I had actually brought it in. I would never regain possession of the watch. He had no reason to lie about it as in a store full of diamonds and gold, a $300 watch is of little consequence. I do not believe I was meant to have it.

I still do not believe in the legitimacy of most mediums, psychics, or clairvoyants, but I know the lady in Great Yarmouth was the real deal. By the way, during the hour I spent writing this I shuddered several times and there is a constant drip of perspiration running between my shoulder blades.

If you don't buy this story I will not bother with my UFO encounter.

17 comments:

Rob Kistner said...

Sounds like a most memorable encounter for you. After my son Aaron was killed, I got coaxed into a séance -- but came away a confirmed skeptic. Your experience obviously affected you much differently.

Beau Brackish said...

I am a cynic when it comes to the paranormal, though I'm very much interested in hearing about your UFO story sometime.

Anonymous said...

I believe it. Becos I can see thing unseen by most people.

myrtle beached whale said...

Raymond Pert:

For some reason I lost your comment but it was Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5. "There are more things in heaven and earth.........

Sherri B. said...

What a fascinating story...I do believe there are some on this earth who really do have this talent, although I also believe there are a lot of scam artists fooling people. It sounds like you got one of the genuine ones!

myrtle beached whale said...

One of the things that impressed me was that she was obviously not in it for the money as I was anxious for another appointment with her. She said that it would not be necessary, that nothing would be gained as she wouldn't have anything new for me, as time goes very slowly on the other side. She said I should come back in a year or so. I never did. Had she been in it for the money, she could have had me hooked like a junkie.

awareness said...

Great story....

I am a believer and have had a few encounters with individuals who are gifted in this way. It ALWAYS leaves me with goosebumps....especially over the little detail situations they seem to be able to comment on.

Lucy said...

your story gave me goosebumps. I am a believer because 18 yrs ago I watched my friends 2 year old have an animated conversation with her grandpa. He had died before she was born. I still get chills at the memory of this scary scene. I think for sentiment sake,( and good karma) you should fix that damn watch!

myrtle beached whale said...

It is now impossible for me to not be a believer. It somehow comforts me to know that mom and dad are watching over me 20 years after their passing.

Christy Woolum said...

This gave me goosebumps reading it. Now let's hear that UFO story.

myrtle beached whale said...

Maybe Sunday Scribblings will give us a UFO prompt sometime soon.

Gill said...

Incredible story. I believe that some people have the power that this woman obviously had, but there are also many who are in it for a quick buck and are complete frauds.

myrtle beached whale said...

Gill:

I think it is just like in everything. Some people have gifts. I think there are far more frauds and conmen in the field of religion than any other. Look at all these television evangelists. "Send us $100 and we will heal you over the television. We take Mastercard and Visa". For crying out loud they have a website called http://www.evangelists.org.

Anonymous said...

I'm usually not a believer of unexplained events --unless I am faced with irrefutable evidence -- but I admit that sometimes things happen and there is no how or wherefore to be had. I got a couple goosebumpettes reading your post. And I agree with inlandempiregirl -- bring on the UFO story!!

myrtle beached whale said...

Ok, due to popular demand I will work up the UFO story in the near future. Actually, after 20 years in the Air Force I have several UFO storie you might find interesting.

raymond pert said...

You are right on the money about the quotation from Hamlet I goofed around with. Too bad it got lost. I wanted to show off my deftness at relating anything and everything to Shakespeare. Heh.

paisley said...

that was truly amazing... i have always wanted to try a reading by a real"psychic",,, but i too am leary... i read my own tarot cards,, but i don't think that is the same thing at all...