FRED'S BACK - TO GIVE US A PHOTOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW, OF WHAT MAKES MUSKOKA SO TANTALIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL - SENTIMENTALLY HAUNTING

     AFTER A SHORT CREATIVE HIATUS, AND SOME OTHERWISE CRAZY STUFF GOING ON, AROUND THIS TOWN OF OURS,  MUSKOKA PHOTOGRAPHER FRED SCHULZ AND I, HAVE ONCE AGAIN FOUND A CALM ZONE, TO RESUME OUR COLLABORATION, IN THE REPRESENTATION OF MUSKOKA……NATURAL AND SUPERNATURAL; NORMAL AND PARANORMAL. I LOOK AFTER THE SUPERNATURAL AND PARANORMAL ASPECTS, WHILE FRED, (UNLESS HE COMES UPON A UFO OR HOBGOBLIN), TACKLES THE NATURAL AND NORMAL. THIS ISN'T A RULE, BUT I HAVE WARNED HIM ABOUT TAKING PICTURES OF UFO'S, JUST IN CASE THEY (THE ALIENS), DECIDE TO TAKE HIM UP TO THE MOTHER SHIP FOR PROBING.  FRED WILL BE TRAVELLING THE BACKROADS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL REGION, LOOKING FOR INTERESTING SUBJECTS THAT OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS MIGHT MISS, OR FIND UNINTERESTING. FRED WORKS HIS MAGIC WITH THE LENS, AND CAN MAKE WHAT APPEARS TO BE UNATTRACTIVE, A THOUGHT-PROVOKING WORK OF ART. FRED AND I STARTED OUT THIS SPRING, WORKING TOGETHER ON MY "MUSKOKA AS WALDEN" BLOG SITE, WITH SOME SPILL-OVER HERE. I LIKED HIS WORK SO MUCH, I GOT GREEDY, AND WOULD OFTEN USE TWO TO FOUR IMAGES EVERY DAY. YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK ON MY WALDEN SITE TO SEE SOME OF THESE INCREDIBLE PHOTOGRAPHS. WE BOTH RAN INTO TALL ORDERS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND IT WAS TOO BUSY TO KEEP UP WITH THE DAILY MEDIA PROJECT. NOW WE'VE MANAGED TO PULL TOGETHER ENOUGH MATERIAL TO GIVE IT ANOTHER GO, BUT ONLY ON THIS SITE, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS GENERATED OVER 160,000 VIEWS SO FAR. I'M SURE LOTS OF FOLKS WILL WANT TO TUNE IN TO SEE FRED'S INTERPRETATION OF AUTUMN AND WINTER IN MUSKOKA. THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND COPY MAY COMPANION EACH OTHER, BUT THE WAY WE'VE SET IT UP, IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT IS WHAT IT IS! TWO LONG TIME MUSKOKA ADVOCATES, OFFERING OUR VIEWPOINTS ON WHAT MAKES THIS AREA OF ONTARIO SO DARN ENCHANTED. SO I WELCOME FRED BACK AND TONIGHT WE HAVE A GREAT SHOT OF A LONG RETIRED COOPER'S FALLS HOME. YOU CERTAINLY GET THE IMPRESSION, THIS HOMESTEAD HAS A STORY TO TELL ABOUT THE STRUGGLES IN THE RURAL CLIME OF OUR DISTRICT. HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT ONCE AGAIN.

A LOFTY PLACE AMONGST THE RESIDENT SPIRITS

     THE AUTUMN OF 1977 IN RETROSPECT.

     WRITER IN RESIDENCE. AND IT WAS A HONKING BIG RESIDENCE. I HAD CO-WRITERS. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IT FOR THE FIRST YEAR, I WORKED FROM THE ATTIC, OVERLOOKING BRACEBRIDGE'S MEMORIAL PARK.

     WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE FORMER HOME AND MEDICAL OFFICE, OF DR. PETER MCGIBBON, AND HIS WIFE MABEL, OF BRACEBRIDGE, I HAD TWO DISTINCT OPPORTUNITIES OPENED TO ME BY CIRCUMSTANCE.

     IT WAS OF COURSE, MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MY CAPABILITIES AS A FLEDGLING ANTIQUE DEALER, UP FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY, ON THE MAIN STREET OF MY HOMETOWN, AND A WONDERFUL ARCHITECTURAL ADVANTAGE, TO HAVE A STUDIO LOFT, ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE HISTORIC, TURN OF THE CENTURY BRICK RESIDENCE. THE BUSINESS, OLD MILL ANTIQUES, WAS MORE THAN ADEQUATELY ACCOMMODATED IN FOUR ROOMS DOWNSTAIRS. MY PARENTS EVENTUALLY MOVED FROM DOWNSTAIRS, INTO THE SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT, WHEN WE EXPANDED THE SHOP; AND I LIVED COMFORTABLY IN THE BACK WHERE I HAD A HUGE KITCHEN AREA, MY OWN BATHROOM, AND A SMALL BEDROOM. THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE WAS THE ACCESS TO THE BACK STAIRCASE, WHICH WENT UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR, THAT HAD BEEN LEFT UNRESTORED WHEN THE REST OF THE HOUSE WAS REFURBISHED. IT WAS FINISHED AS TWO ROOMS, AS IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED WHEN THE MCGIBBONS TOOK UP OCCUPANCY.

     IT WASN'T TOO LONG BEFORE I SEIZED THE GLARING OPPORTUNITY, TO TAKE-OVER THE THIRD FLOOR AS MY WRITER'S LOFT. I WAS JUST EMBARKING ON MY WRITING CAREER, AS A RECENT UNIVERSITY GRADUATE, AND I HAD HIGH, HIGH HOPES. I HAULED AN OLD DESK AND CHAIR TO THE BIG WINDOW THAT AFFORDED ME A PANORAMA OF THE PARK, AND MAIN STREET, IN THAT AREA, AND HAD A TELEVISION AND RADIO UP THERE. JUST IN CASE I RAN INTO THOSE PAINFUL LITTLE HIATUS PERIODS, WHEN I WOULD STARE AT THE SMITH-CORONA ON MY DESK, AND IT WOULD STARE BACK.....AND MOCK ME WITH ITS UNBLEMISHED, STARK WHITE PAPER, WITH NARY AN IMPRINTED WORD.

     I LIKED THE ROOM AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, IT INSPIRED ME TO COMMENCE WORK ON MY FIRST BOOK OF POETRY. YUP, I STARTED OUT AS A BARD. NOT A GREAT ONE. JUST A SMALL, UNTUTORED BARD, WITH A REALLY NEAT LOFT. MY ONLY TREPIDATION, WAS THAT IT WAS TOO PERFECT FOR A STARTING-OUT WRITER. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE NEEDED SOMETHING FAR MORE RUSTIC AND SIMPLE, THAN THIS CHARMING OLD ATTIC WITH A PENTHOUSE VIEW. I WAS HUMBLED AND HONORED AT THE SAME TIME, TO HAVE, ONLY MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION, SECURED AN IDEAL BUSINESS LOCATION, AND AN AFTER-HOURS PLACE TO RETREAT, THAT ANY ARTIST OR WRITER WOULD HAVE GIVEN A LIMB TO POSSESS.....EVEN FOR A SHORT TIME. GRADUALLY I RELAXED IN MY NEW DIGS, AND LOST ANY INHIBITIONS THAT HAD BEEN HOLDING ME BACK. IT WAS AN OPEN ROAD AHEAD. EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. I WASN'T ALONE. IN THE MORTAL SENSE, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON OCCUPYING THE LOFT, BUT IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM OF POSSIBILITY, I FELT THE ROOM WAS PRETTY CROWDED. THERE ISN'T A WRITER ANYWHERE ON EARTH, WHO WOULD BE UNAWARE OF AN INTERLOPER, BREATHING ON THE BACK OF THEIR NECK. I DIDN'T FEEL THEIR BREATH, BECAUSE OF THE "DECEASED THING," BUT I KNEW SOMEONE, OR SPIRITED VAPOR, WAS HOVERING AROUND MY NECK TO CHECK OUT THE COPY. REMEMBER THE TELEVISION SERIES, "THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR." IT WAS LIKE THAT BUT MY GHOST(S) WASN'T A SEA CAPTAIN. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DOCTOR.

     ALTHOUGH MANY FOLKS, SOME READING THIS TOME, DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS, AS SUCH, (AT LEAST THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF THEM) ,THEY WILL HOWEVER, ADMIT TO HAVING HAD A PECULIAR SENSORY PERCEPTION ABOUT SOME PLACE OR CIRCUMSTANCE, WHEN THEY INSTINCTIVELY FELT INTRUDED-UPON; OR FEELING THAT THEY HAD JUST INTERRUPTED SOMETHING THAT DEFIED THEIR SENSE OF LOGIC…..FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE WITHOUT KNOWING WHY. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVEN'T BEEN EXPOSED TO A DRIFTING WHITE VAPOR, CROSSING THEIR PATHS, THEY HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY INFLUENCED BY A POTENTIAL SPIRITUAL PRESENCE; YET THEY ARE QUICK TO WRITE-IT-OFF TO AN EXCESS OF COFFEE, A BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE, OR MARITAL PROBLEMS WEAKENING THEIR DEFENSES. EVEN IF THEY HAD A FULL-BODY GHOST SIT DOWN BESIDE THEM, WITH A CUP OF COFFEE STEAMING IN THEIR HAND, THERE ARE DOUBTERS AMONGST US, WHO WOULD SIMPLY ATTRIBUTE THE ENCOUNTER, SHORT OF GETTING HOT COFFEE ON THE LEG, TO INDIGESTION, VERSUS TRUSTING THEIR SENSES AND THE ABILITY TO JUDGE AN APPARITION ON ITS PREVAILING MERITS.

    MY MOTHER CAME FROM A STRICT RELIGIOUS FAMILY, FAR MORE STALWART ABOUT SUCH THINGS AND GOD, HEAVEN AND HELL, THAN I EXPERIENCED GROWING UP.  SHE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE AGREED, WHEN I WRITE THAT HERS WAS A "GOD FEARING FAMILY." YET I NEVER ATTENDED CHURCH WITH MY PARENTS ONE DAY IN MY LIFE. IT WASN'T NECESSARY, IN THEIR MINDS, TO PROVE ONE'S BELIEF IN GOD. I WENT TO CHURCH ON MY OWN, WHEN I WAS SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS OLD. I CHOSE THE BURLINGTON UNITED CHURCH, BECAUSE I WAS CHASING A GIRL I KIND OF LIKED, NAMED DONNA…..AND SHE SPENT HER SUNDAY MORNINGS IN BIBLE CLASS. I LASTED A MONTH, WHICH ACCORDING TO MY MOTHER, PISSED-OFF GOD. IN HER MIND, IT WAS BETTER TO BE SPIRITUAL AND STAY AT HOME, VERSUS SHOWING UP IN GOD'S HOUSE, AND THEN SHOWING DISINTEREST LATER ON. SHE TOLD ME, IN HER CASE, "THE WAR GOT IN THE WAY OF REGULAR ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH." SHE WAS REFERRING TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND HER VOLUNTEER WORK FOR THE CAUSE. WHICH SHE FELT WAS GODLY. BUT DESPITE HER FEELINGS ABOUT AN EVER-WATCHING GOD, SHE ALSO HAD A PROFOUND RESPECT FOR HEAVENLY SIGNS, AFFORDED MERE MORTALS. SO WHENEVER SHE HAD WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE "A GHOSTLY ENCOUNTER," IT WAS AN AFFIRMATION THE BIG GUY HAD SENT AN ENVOY, TO REMIND HER OF THE DIMENSIONS OF LIFE AND IMMORTALITY. THE ONLY TIME MY FATHER EVER USED "CHRIST" AS A BECKONING CALL, IN OUR HOUSE, WAS WHEN HE'D POUND THE FLESHY TIP OF A FINGER, WITH A HAMMER, TRYING TO HANG ONE OF MERLE'S PICTURES. SO I GREW UP IN A HALF AND HALF RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENT, THAT WAS NEVER IMPOSING YET NEVER IN DOUBT EITHER. GHOSTS WEREN'T SEEN AS A DEVIATION TO RELIGIOUS TEACHING. "THE HOLY GHOST," WAS OKAY, SO WHY WEREN'T ALL THE OTHERS EXPERIENCED ALONG LIFE'S CURIOUS PATH?

     TO MY MOTHER'S CREDIT, SHE NEVER PASSED ON ANY INNER FEARS SHE MAY HAVE SECRETLY HARBORED ABOUT GHOSTS, AND NEVER ONCE MADE ANY OFF-HAND COMMENTS, ABOUT BEING FEARFUL OF THOSE SHE HAD ENCOUNTERED.....LIKE HER DECEASED MOTHER SITTING ON THE END OF HER BED.....AND HER RECENTLY LOST FATHER, STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF THE APARTMENT, WITH A PEACEFUL LOOK ON HIS FACE. SO I GREW UP WITH AN ALMOST BENIGN FEELING ABOUT THE ALLEGED SPIRIT-KIND, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHAT I PICKED UP IN THE MOVIES, ABOUT NASTY GHOSTS, I'VE LASTED THIS FAR IN MY LIFE WITH A DECENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARANORMAL.

     SO IN THAT LOFT OF THE OLD MCGIBBON HOUSE, WHICH WAS A CONTENTING PLACE GENERALLY, IN THE SPIRIT OF A FINE AND UPSTANDING FAMILY, AS THE MCGIBBON'S WERE GENERALLY KNOWN (HE WAS A FORMER MP AND MEMBER OF THE 122ND MUSKOKA BATTALION), I WASN'T AT ALL SHOCKED TO HEAR KNOCKS ON THE UPSTAIR'S DOOR, OR THE SOUND OF A FOOTFALL COMING UP, OR DESCENDING, WITHOUT ANY MORTAL ATTACHMENT. I GRADUALLY GOT USED TO THE INHERENT FEELING IT THAT SPACIOUS ATTIC, I WASN'T ALONE IN THE ROOM, OR THE HOUSE ITSELF. I'M SURE YOU CAN RELATE, TO A TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCE, YOU FELT UNEASY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU, BUT NOTHING TANGIBLE TO AFFIRM THE SUSPICION THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE INTERLOPER, INVISIBLE TO THE EYE. THIS IS WHAT I CONTENDED WITH, FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, BUT I NEVER FELT IT WAS AN Y INCONVENIENCE OR A BURDEN, EXCEPT ON THOSE OCCASIONS WHEN IT TURNED THE LIGHTS OUT WHILE I WAS STILL WORKING, OR MET ME, AS A CLEAR VAPOR ON THE BACK STAIRCASE. IT DID AND I SKIPPED A COUPLE OF HEART BEATS. AS FOR THE WORK OF A YOUNG WRITER, I FELT THAT SPIRITUAL INTERVENTION COULD ONLY HELP THE CAUSE, AND WITHOUT ACTUALLY INVITING THEM TO HELP ME WRITE, I CERTAINLY DIDN'T DISMISS THEIR SENSORY CONTRIBUTIONS.....WHATEVER THAT MIGHT HAVE REPRESENTED THAT DAY OR NIGHT, SITTING AT MY TYPEWRITER, OCCASIONALLY LOOKING OUT AT THE PARK;S BANDSHELL OVER THE FOUR SEASONS.

     IF I HAD ANY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PERIOD, IT WAS THE FACT I WAS TOO EASILY DISTRACTED, BY THEM AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING A BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND RUNNING A DEMANDING ANTIQUE BUSINESS, THAT DEPENDED ON MY ABILITY TO TAKE FURNITURE IN THE ROUGH, AND REFINISH THEM IN THE BASEMENT OF THE SAME HOUSE. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED IN THE LOFT, READY TO WRITE, I WAS OFTEN TOO TIRED TO WORK FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. THEN THERE WAS THE WHOLE GIRLFRIEND THING, AND BREAK-UP STUFF, THAT PUT ME IN THE KIND OF FUNK THAT EVEN THE SPIRITS COULDN'T UNDO. I'D WAKE UP, WITH MY HEAD RESTING ON MY SMITH-CORONA, WONDERING WHERE I WAS,….. AND IF IT WAS TRULY WONDERLAND, WHERE THE HELL WAS ALICE?" I DRANK WAY TOO MUCH FOR MY OWN GOOD, AND I DON'T THINK THE RESIDENT GHOSTS LIKED ME TURNING THEIR HAUNT INTO A BOOZE PARLOR.

     I HAVE NEVER DOUBTED GHOSTS OR THE SPIRIT-KINDS'INHERENT RIGHT TO WANDER THE EARTH AT THEIR, OR  GOD'S WILL. I HAVE NEVER ADOPTED A "THEY DON'T EXIST" ATTITUDE ABOUT ANYTHING, FROM UFO POTENTIALS, TO BIG FOOT. AND I DO BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN THIS WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH WHAT IS AVAILABLE, SEEN AND UNSEEN, THAT HAS ALLOWED ME THE HUMAN PERAMETER OF PERCEPTION, TO RECEIVE MESSAGES FROM THOSE WHO HAVE CROSSED. I'M NOT A MEDIUM AND I DON'T HOST GHOST WALKS FOR PROFIT. I HAVE NEVER PURPOSELY CONJURED UP SPIRITS FOR MY HOME ENTERTAINMENT, EXCEPT THE FOOLING-AROUND TIMES WITH OUT BOYS, USING A OUIJI BOARD. I DON'T BURN SAGE OR RELY ON ANY ICONS TO CONNECT ME TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT JUST HAPPENS, THAT I GET CURIOUS MESSAGES, AND SEE THE OCCASIONAL GHOST ON MY PATHWAY FROM HERE TO THERE. IT'S THE REASON I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AN UNAPPRECIATIVE GUEST, IN A STILL SPIRITUALLY OCCUPIED DWELLING-PLACE, BY TRYING TO HAVE THEM EXORCISED, OR IN ANY OTHER WAY, SENT PACKING FROM THEIR HOMESTEAD. SO I'VE JUST LIVED THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, AND NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY MY COMPANIONS I CAN FEEL, IF I CAN'T ACTUALLY SEE THEM.

     WHEN I WRITE THESE BLOGS ABOUT MUSKOKA FOLKLORE, AND THE PERCEIVED PARANORMAL, I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL YOU MY BELIEFS FOR PROFIT. I MAY TRY TO COERCE YOU INTO EXAMINING YOUR OWN PAST, AND EXPERIENCES, THAT MAY HAVE HAD A  SMIDGEON OF SPICE FROM THE PARANORMAL; BUT CERTAINLY, THERE IS NO PROFIT TO ME, OR BOOK TO UNLOAD AS AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE. I CAN TELL YOU, THAT AS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, SINCE THE LATE 1970'S, I HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVERSE TO GETTING HELP WHEN OFFERED. I WAS A LITTLE SLOW TO CATCH ON, IN THE MCGIBBON LOFT, BUT I SOON DROPPED MY GUARD, AND LET INSPIRATION FLOW WHEN AND WHEREVER IT PRESENTED. WHILE I HAD SO MUCH INSPIRATION AFFORDED ME, IN THAT BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, WITH THE AMAZING VIEW OF THE HISTORIC MEMORIAL PARK, AND MAINSTREET, IT DIDN'T HURT AT ALL, TO ALLOW THE ESSENCE AND PRESENCE IN THE OLD DWELLING, TO FLAVOR MY WORK TO TASTE.

     I WROTE TWO SMALL BOOKS OF SHORTS STORIES, WHILE WORKING IN THAT LOFT ABOVE THE TOWN; "MEMORIES AND IMAGES," WITH WELL KNOWN MUSKOKA PHOTOGRAPHER, TIM DUVERNET, AND "THE LEGEND OF TALL PINES," CO-WRITTEN WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, HARRIETT STRIPP. WHEN I RE-READ THE STORIES TODAY, I CAN FEEL THE TEXTURES AND SMELL…., THE OLD-WOOD AROMA OF THAT ATTIC ROOM, AND YES, GET A LITTLE SHIVER THINKING ABOUT THE SPECIAL COMPANY I USED TO KEEP.

      I DON'T LIVE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE ANY MORE. THERE ARE STRANGE ENTITIES THAT WE'VE BROUGHT INTO THE HOUSE, BY MISADVENTURE, ATTACHED TO SOME OF THE ANTIQUES WE HAVE USED FOR DECORATION. NOTHING MALEVOLENT. JUST PESKY. NOW I'M ONLY HAUNTED BY THE BEAUTY OF THIS BIRCH HOLLOW SETTING, LOOKING OUT OVER "THE BOG," OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WETLAND.....MUCH LIKE THE KIND OF MYSTERIOUS ENGLISH MOOR, SHERLOCK HOLMES MIGHT HAVE EXPLORED, LOOKING TO SOLVE THE BASKERVILLE CASE, WITH HIS SIDEKICK, THE GOOD MR. WATSON. AS FOR MY ENDURING BELIEF IN THE ABILITY OF THE OTHER SIDE, TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE LIVING......I'M AS STALWART IN MY BELIEF, AS MY MOTHER WAS, WHEN SHE TOLD ME ABOUT VISITING WITH HER DECEASED MOTHER AND FATHER.....AND BEING PLEASANTLY CONTENTED BY THE EXPERIENCE. I THINK WE FEAR GHOSTS BECAUSE OF HOLLYWOOD'S PORTRAYAL, AND AUTHORS WHO HAVE ATTACHED GRISLY EVENTS TO THEIR FICTIONAL APPEARANCES. SCIENCE IS EVEN TURNING TO THE POTENTIALS OF THE PARANORMAL, TO EXPLAIN THOSE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES, WITH THE TUNNEL AND THE GREAT WHITE LIGHT, TO DETERMINE WHAT MANIFESTATION OF ENERGY AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE BODY, CAUSES THESE VISIONS......OR ACTUAL BODILY SENSATIONS. MAYBE ONE DAY, ADMITTING YOU "SAW A GHOST," WILL BE AS ACCEPTED, AMONGST THE GENERAL POPULATION, AS REPORTING A FRIENDLY VISIT WITH A ROGUE RELATIVE. IT'S NOT AS SCARY OR WILDLY STRANGE AS SOME THINK. I THINK IT'S PART OF THE SCIENCE OF EVERYDAY LIFE.....AND DEATH. I BELIEVE WE WILL LOOK BACK, UPON OUR DOUBTS AND DENIALS, AS BEING A PRIMITIVE PERIOD OF THOUGHT, JUST LIKE IT IS HARD FOR US TODAY, TO WONDER WHAT COMMUNICATION WAS LIKE BEFORE A CORD-FREE PHONE. IMAGINE THAT FOR GOSH SAKES?

 .

THE KNOCKS ON THE APARTMENT DOOR - AND THE ORBS IN THE DOORWAY

THE FRIENDLY HAUNTING OF A DEAR OLD HOUSE

    AFTER WE CLOSED OUR FAMILY BUSINESS, KNOWN THEN AS "OLD MILL," IN EARLY 1980, DUE TO THE FACT MY FATHER AND MOTHER BOUGHT INTO A LUMBER COMPANY, AND I TOOK A WRITING GIG WITH THE MUSKOKA LAKES-GEORGIAN BAY BEACON, IN MACTIER AND PARRY SOUND RESPECTFULLY, I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE INTO THEIR VACATED SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT, IN THE FORMER MCGIBBON HOUSE, ON BRACEBRIDGE'S MANITOBA STREET.

    I HAD TO GIVE UP ACCESS TO THE LOFT, WHERE I HAD ENJOYED MY WRITING JAGS SINCE THE FALL OF 1977. A NEW BUSINESS LOCATED DOWN STAIRS BY THIS POINT, AND I WAS LIMITED IN MY MOVEMENTS TO THE FRONT STAIRWAY, THE BALCONEY BELOW THE LOFT, AND MY NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT, ON THE WING OF THE FORMER DOCTOR'S. IT WAS A COMFORTABLE ONE BEDROOM UNIT BUT IT WAS BRIGHT AND A REASONABLE PLACE TO SET UP A TYPEWRITER FOR OFF-TIME PROJECTS. THE ONLY REAL PROBLEM, AT THIS STAGE, WAS THAT I WAS DOING SO MUCH WRITING DURING THE WEEK, TO FILL THE PAPERS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF MUSKOKA PUBLICATIONS, I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH AMBITION WHEN I GOT HOME. IT ALSO COINCIDED WITH A PERIOD OF MY LIFE, WHICH INVOLVED UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNTS OF BOOZE BEING CONSUMED, AND AFTER WEARING OUT OUR WELCOME AT THE LOCAL WATERING HOLES, MY APARTMENT BECAME THE PERFECT "PRESS CLUB ANNEX," WHERE I ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE A SCRUM OF EITHER WRITING CHUMS OR BLOKES FROM OUR HOCKEY CLUB, THE HERALD-GAZETTE RINK RATS.

     WHEN I DID HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO SPEND AT MY HISTORIC LITTLE SMITH CORONA PORTABLE, I FARED PRETTY WELL ON THE WHOLE, BUT NOTHING LIKE WHAT HAD COME THROUGH MY FINGERS ONE FLOOR UP, IN THOSE FLEDGLING FIRST DAYS OF EXPERIMENTAL WRITING. THE SECOND FLOOR HOWEVER, WAS WEIRD WITH THE ACTIONS OF FORCES UNKNOWN; VERSUS WHAT. ONLY ONE FLOOR ABOVE, HAD BEEN SPIRITFUL PRODDING AND SUBTLE INSPIRATIONS. THE PARANORMAL ACTIONS OF THE SECOND FLOOR INVOLVED A LOT OF KNOCKS AND THUDS FROM SOURCES UNKNOWN, WHICH ADMITTEDLY, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, CAUSED SOME SUBSTANTIAL SLEEP DISTURBANCES. BUT IT WAS THE TWISTING OF THE DOOR KNOB THAT REALLY IMPRESSED UPON ME, WHAT KIND OF HAUNT WE WERE LIVING IN. I CAN REMEMBER ONE OCCASION, WHEN I OPENED MY DOOR AT THE SAME TIME AS MY NEIGHBOR, BOTH WITH SURPRISED LOOKS ON OUR FACES. "SO WHAT DID YOU WANT," CHERIE ASKED ME, OVERLAPPING MY INQUIRY OF EXACTLY THE SAME THING! IT HAPPENED ALMOST NIGHTLY SOME WEEKS, AND AFTER AWHILE, WE JUST ACCEPTED THE INTRUSIONS AS COMMONPLACE REALITIES, OF LIVING IN THIS ENCHANTED OLD BUILDING.

     AS I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT MANY TIMES BEFORE, BUT REQUIRES MENTION ONCE AGAIN, IN THE DOORWAY, WHERE I HAD ONCE WITNESSED A COLD VAPOR, ACTUALLY WALKING THROUGH IT, MY ADOPTED CAT, "ANIMAL" WOULD JUMP OFF THE COUCH EVERY NIGHT AT AROUND 7:30, AND POSITION HIMSELF ON THE FLOOR BY THE BATHROOM. HE WOULD SIT THERE FOR TEN MINUTES OR SO, ALWAYS LOOKING UP AT THE TOP OF THE DOOR FRAME, AS IF THERE WAS SOMETHING VISIBLE TO HIM. AFTER WEEKS OF WATCHING THIS UNFOLD, I DECIDED TO EMPLOY AND CAMERA AND FLASH UNIT, IN AN ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE AN ORB OR WHATEVER THE CAT WAS SEEING. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING MYSELF, BUT I THOUGHT A CAMERA LENS MIGHT. AND IT DID. I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS WITH THE FLASH AND AS MANY  WITHOUT, USING A MOTOR WIND.  ON ONLY ONE FRAME, CAN A MISTY OUTLINE BE SEEN, AS IF A SMALL ORB. I HAD THE LENS OF THE CAMERA EXAMINED, AND THE NEGATIVE, TO SEE IF THE MISTY IMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY CAMERA FAILURE. I USED OUR PHOTO TECHNICIANS OVER AT THE HERALD-GAZETTE, AND I WAS ASSURED IT WASN'T A PROBLEM WITH THE EQUIPMENT. I'VE PUBLISHED THE IMAGE A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN REFUTED. THE PICTURE SHOWS ANIMAL STARING UP FROM THE FLOOR, AND THE WHITE VAPOR HOVERING ABOVE. THIS NIGHTLY OCCURRENCE ONLY STOPPED WHEN WE MOVED OUT OF THE OLD HOUSE.

     THERE WERE QUIET NIGHTS WHEN I WOULD CLEARLY HEAR THE LARGE FRONT DOOR OPENING, AND CLOSING, WONDERING IF THE OWNER OF THE SHOP BELOW HAD RETURNED TO DO SOME EXTRA WORK. THEN I WOULD HEAR THE HEAVY FOOTSTEPS UP THE STAIRWAY, LEADING IN TWO FLIGHTS, TO OUR SECOND FLOOR APARTMENTS, OF WHICH THERE WERE TWO. THE STEPS WOULD CEASE ON THE LANDING, OUTSIDE MY DOOR, AND THERE WOULD BE A SUBSEQUENT RAP, AS IF I HAD A VISITOR. BUT THE OUTSIDE DOOR WAS ALWAYS LOCKED. SOMETIMES THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD TURN, AND EVEN IF THE LOCK WASN'T ON, IT NEVER TURNED FAR ENOUGH TO SPRING IT OPEN. I HELD MY BREATH ON THESE OCCASIONS AND I WILL ADMIT GRABBING UP MY HOCKEY STICK, IN CASE THIS INTRUDER HAD ROBBERY AS A MOTIVE. "ROBBERS DON'T KNOCK FIRST, TED," REMINDED MY WRITING COLLEAGUE. SOMETIMES, I WOULD EVEN HEAR THE FOOTSTEPS DOWN THE STAIRS, AND THE OUTSIDE DOOR OPENING AGAIN. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I'D GO RUNNING TO MY FRONT WINDOW, TO SEE WHO WAS EXITING THE BUILDING. NO ONE WAS THERE.

     THE MOST CURIOUS OF THESE EVENTS, WAS WHEN, ON ONE HOT SUMMER NIGHT, I WAS SITTING OUT ON THE SMALL BALCONEY, CHERIE AND I SHARED, WHICH WAS AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, SITUATED BETWEEN OUR TWO APARTMENTS. IT WAS ACCESSED THROUGH THE HALL. I COULD LOOK THROUGH THE DOOR TO THE BALCONEY, AND SEE THE ENTRANCES TO BOTH OUR APARTMENTS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD THE SAME FOOTSTEPS COMING UP THE STAIRS, AND THEN THE RAPPING BEGAN. TWO SERIES OF THREE KNOCKS. I LOOKED OUT, AND COULD ALSO HEAR A TURNING OF THE DOOR KNOB, BUT AS GOD WAS MY WITNESS, THERE WAS NARY A VAPOR HAUNTING THAT LANDING AT THAT MOMENT. MAYBE IT WAS A MANIFESTATION OF AN OLD BUILDING SETTLING INTO THE LANDSCAPE, DEEPER AND DEEPER EACH YEAR. BUT ITS TIMELY INTRUSIONS WERE A LOT HARDER TO EXPLAIN.

     I HAVE HAD MANY YEARS OF RECURRING DREAMS ABOUT THE MCGIBBON HOUSE BUT IT IS ALWAYS AN AMALGAMATION OF FEATURES, I'VE FOUND IN THE OTHER HOUSES IN WHICH WE HAVE LIVED, INCLUDING THE FAMILY COTTAGE ON LAKE ROSSEAU, THAT NEVER SEEMED WELCOMING TO  ME. OBVIOUSLY, SUZANNE'S GRANDPARENTS, ON HER FATHER'S SIDE, DIDN'T CARE FOR ME, AND WHENEVER I WENT TO THE SECOND FLOOR, I SENSED THEM CLOSE BEHIND, WHISPERING……"WHY DON'T YOU JUST STAY DOWN STAIRS YOU BUM." ACTUALLY, WHAT IS FUNNY, IS THAT I USED TO RECORD MY HISTORICAL FEATURES STORES, FOR CHAY FM, IN BARRIE, UP IN THE MASTER BEDROOM, BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY PLACE QUIET ENOUGH TO DO SO. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES THE TAPE RECORDER WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT ITSELF OFF, OR AN UPSTAIRS DOOR, SHUT WITH A LOUD BANG, JUST AS I WAS FINISHING WITH A PERFECT ERROR FREE RECORDING. "IT'S JUST THE WIND CAUSING THAT. CLOSE THE WINDOWS," SUZANNE WOULD YELL UP TO ME, AFTER HEARING THE BANK AND THE SUBSEQUENT CURSES. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF QUALITIES AND QUANTITIES IN MY NIGHTMARES FROM A HALF DOZEN HAUNTED PLACES IN WHICH I LIVED AND WORKED. I WASN'T NEARLY AS TIMID ABOUT THE OCCUPIED DIGS, AS I AM ABOUT THE NIGHTMARES WHICH SEEM FAR TOO REAL IN MY OPINION. I GUESS I'M A HAUNTED HUMAN BEING.

     THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY, FOR THIS BLOG ON PLACES I'VE DWELLED-IN, OVER THE PAST THIRTY-FIVE YEARS. PLEASE JOIN FRED SHULZ AND I AGAIN, FOR MORE BELIEVE-IT-OR NOT MUSKOKA MOMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT AUTUMN SEASON, AND WE'LL HUDDLE BY THE HEARTH, IN WARM KINSHIP, WITH SOME GOOD STORIES AND FINE PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHARE. SEE YOU AGAIN, SOON.