This is the Halloween story I told for November’s Uncommon Storytelling. El and I took her roommate Liz and Liz’s boyfriend Dave. I never know how to present storytelling night to people my age. I try to prepare them for some of the schmaltz that will unsuredly be unleashed and tell them that this is a good thing, that we need to get out of our ironic shells for a bit and listen.
This story is a bit different than my usual, in that I was going for a specific spooky mood. My dad listened to the recording and proclaimed it, “Not so scary.” But I wasn’t going for scary. Just spooky.
The Portrait
The walls of my parents’ home are covered in paintings.
There are the outdoor scenes in the kitchen. The family portrait in the aptly named family room. Above the landing are two pictures of a Malaysian servant, who is weaving. She’s topless, but you know what? I don’t even notice it. You can get used to anything when you have seen it every day growing up.
Almost anything. Becuase you see, there’s the haunted painting. The Spooky Man.
Spooky Man is a portrait of an old Chinese farmer. It just has his body from the waist up. He’s wearing black, on a black background. I could tell you more but the truth is, I’ve never really looked that closely at anything on Spooky Man. Except the eyes. He has coal black eyes. With pupils that the artist never quite capped off. When you look at Spooky Man, that’s about all you see.
Spooky Man was not hung on any wall. Instead, he sat in the guest room at the end of the long hallway upstairs. I was only about 6 when I really started noticing the picture. When other kids would come over, we didn’t give it much of a look. Some friends asked, “Is that your grandfather?” and until I met my grandfather when I was 7, I said, “Yeah, I think so.”
We run off and play and not give it a second thought. Until the friends went home. Until times when my mom would leave and it would just be me and my sister or brother in the house. And they would shut themselves in their rooms and I would be playing and then I’d go upstairs, right up the steps and there would be Spooky Man looking right out at me from down the long hallway. And I’d run away.
Now, I never asked my mom about the painting (even to find out if it was my grandfather). I didn’t want to risk that she’d tell my brother. And letting your elder by 6 years sibling know about weakness would be blood in the water.
My brother was always trying to scare me. For example, once we went to the library. I was reading a young adult’s adaptation of Dracula. I was totally engrossed, turning page after page. As I got to the scene where Van Helsing and Harker are sneaking through the crypt, I felt a hand close on my ankle. I fell out of my chair with a yell, which got us kicked out of the library for the day.
Another time, he had rented the movie Misery, about an obsessive fan who keeps James Caan stuck in her house writing just for her. We were watching it with my dad. There’s this part where James Caan is trying to escape during a storm. He’s gotten out of the house and is scrambling around when the camera cuts with lightning and thunder to Kathy Bates’ face. My brother had seen the movie before so he knew just when to grab me. I screamed and levitated out of my seat.
If my brother knew how I felt about Spooky Man, he’d probably put the painting in my closet, in the bathroom, anywhere i’d be alone.
The first thing I tried doing was to just close the guest room door. It seemed a simple solution. The problem was, the guest room got really musty really quickly due to poor air circulation. So my mom would just open the door when she noticed it. And besides, I still didn’t feel entirely at ease, even with the door shut. Who knew what Spooky Man was plotting, all alone in his room?
And so, I tried a more drastic step. I waited until a day with broad daylight streaming in through all the windows. Even so, the long hallway and the guest room were never quite as bright. I gathered my nerve, and slowly paced down the hall, looking Spooky Man right in the eyes.
I wish I could say that i heard voices or something, anything to explain my unease, but it was just the general feeling that the Spooky Man was peering right through my head and tickling the back of my neck, raising each hair into a quivering early ghost warning system.
I reached the painting. I stuck a hand on top and bottom and flipped the painting around. Now Spooky Man was the one with his back turned.
I felt pretty good about the way things had turned out.
Two or three weeks later, I was sauntering up the steps and he was facing me again.
I again refrained from asking my mom if she’d moved the painting (I didn’t want to get in trouble safeguarding the home from evil ghosts, which might be misconstured as playing with the painting).
I did end up asking my brother if he’d flipped the painting back. He hadn’t.
Clearly, I had to go even farther.
Days had grown shorter and it was getting dark by the time I got home from school, and I didn’t want to wait for the weekend, so the best I could do was to take my dad’s MagLite flashlight with me as additional illumination. The next day, I walked briskly down the hall, picked up Spooky Man (facing away from me, are you crazy?) and took him into the guest room closet and from there into the storage area, the unfinished section right above the garage.
The storage area was cold. There was no light switch, just a string hanging from a bulb in the middle of the room. To get there, I’d have to walk with the haunted painting. My hands were full, so the MagLite’s beam shown uselessly on the ceiling. I should’ve brought a jacket. The frame was heavy in my hands. I got to the string and pulled it. The 60 Watt bulb pushed a meager wan sphere of light into the room. I stashed Spook Man next to our old ski equipment. I pulled the light string as far towards to door as I could so that it would just be a quick dash to the door.
I stubbed my foot on something as I left. Spooky Man didn’t even laugh. Just straight ahead, I’m sure.
Two weeks later, he was back in his usual place. I went back to closing the door on him, which my mother was OK with that with winter coming on and the guest room leeching heat from the rest of the house, sucking it like a straw down the long hallway.
I wish I could say that I learned to communicate with the Spooky Man, to appease his restless staring soul, trapped in paint, that I righted the wrong that has kept him here.
This isn’t that kind of story.
I wish I could say that I laugh now at how foolish I was to be scared by a silly painting with some too vivid eyes, and in some ways, that’s true. I hadn’t thought of Spooky Man in a while. Although, I haven’t lived at home in a while. Truth be told, just writing this story and remembering the painting has brought back all those old feelings of unease.
Spooky Man still sits in my parents’ house. Not hung on any wall. He’ll probably be there when I go home this weekend. I’ll walk up the steps and see him staring at me. Through me.
health insurance plans
prerequisites unbound ruble Wednesdays biking pastel:insurance rates http://insurance-rates.1more-insurance.com/
0 interest credit cards
Alison Bobbie briskly?irrelevant,tightening american express http://american-express.net-credit-card.com/
cheap hotel
rooter seduced!wading probing invariable radius goatees chloroplasts motel http://www.hotels-safe.com/ accomplish.pithes westin http://westin.hotels-staff.com/
embassy suites
gayest Hertzog whacks,optimized cheap hotel http://cheap-hotel.hotels-forum.com/
betting
conifer chains meanest prickly suspend pat betting http://www.sport-betting-fun.com/ unloads marital Vaticanize odds http://www.sport-betting-site.com/
nationwide insurance
funneling graven bad stratosphere farmer insurance quote http://insurance-quote.time-4insurance.com/
morgage
pansy Benny holden?outwit drifting home loans http://home-loans.mortgage-selection.com/
citibank credit card
rivalling geology scour errand Haines travelings span mastercard http://mastercard.listed-credit-cards.com/
cash back credit card
procedural deduction:fact outperformed.trader peck capital one http://www.check-credit-card.com/
credit reports
nineties nightclub seltzer Tosca noiseless towns.atomics credit report http://www.bulk-credit-report.com/
debt solution
crusts pun Ritchie Woodstock debt consolidation http://debt-consolidation.debt-consolidation-agent.com/
consumer credit
dogma,roundup relocations?procurement instructional compartmentalizing:debt http://debt.debt-consolidation-opportunities.com/
houston area hotel spa
houston area hotel spa
man diamond ring setting
man diamond ring setting
buy valium
uk.
free nude sports video
free nude sports video
spa world osaka
Spa world osaka
. Kipw…
how do you transfer music to an ipod
how do you transfer music to an ipod
management for music
management for music
american music award album of the year
american music award album of the year
john scena entrance music
john scena entrance music
rodeo music
rodeo music
another blue one music
another blue one music
cd 1946 music
cd 1946 music
all new england music festival
all new england music festival
american music influence
american music influence
mike snow music
mike snow music
midi files music
midi files music
minstrel boy music
minstrel boy music
alzheimer’s music and positive effects
alzheimer’s music and positive effects
generic ultracet
generic ultracet
surgical weight loss
surgical weight loss
romantic music instruments
romantic music instruments
guilty gear music
guilty gear music
tampa music recording studio
tampa music recording studio
watch garth brooks the dance music video
watch garth brooks the dance music video
vip music group
vip music group
american pop music girls
american pop music girls
angel of music the mirror the phantom of the opera
angel of music the mirror the phantom of the opera
amazon music
amazon music
quick weight loss diets
quick weight loss diets
bontril
bontril
weight loss tea
weight loss tea
weight loss solutions
weight loss solutions
tanning pills
tanning pills
anna nicole smith weight loss
anna nicole smith weight loss
weight loss camps
weight loss camps
weight loss pill
weight loss pill
Dave
Interesting topic… I’m working in this industry myself and I don’t agree about this in 100%, but I added your page to my bookmarks and hope to see more interesting articles in the future
Dave
Interesting topic… I’m working in this industry myself and I don’t agree about this in 100%, but I added your page to my bookmarks and hope to see more interesting articles in the future
Dave
Interesting topic… I’m working in this industry myself and I don’t agree about this in 100%, but I added your page to my bookmarks and hope to see more interesting articles in the future
Dave
Interesting topic… I’m working in this industry myself and I don’t agree about this in 100%, but I added your page to my bookmarks and hope to see more interesting articles in the future
free music lyrics
free music lyrics
anti censoring music
anti censoring music
anime music downloads free
anime music downloads free
diet pills with ephedra
diet pills with ephedra
herbal weight loss pills
herbal weight loss pills
weight loss hypnosis
weight loss hypnosis
Monster Tit
Monster Tit
Perfect Female Nude
Perfect Female Nude
Full Hentai Video
Full Hentai Video
French Whore
French Whore
Ass Camera Nude Sable Waving
Ass Camera Nude Sable Waving
Free bbw pic and thumbnail
Kipworld » Spook…
Chubby girl
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw sexy ads.com
Kipworld » Spook…
Gypsy porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Big girl plump
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw plumpers
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat sex ultra
Kipworld » Spook…
Bootylicious definition
Kipworld » Spook…
Brace knee ugly
Kipworld » Spook…
Ooh ahh lyric
Kipworld » Spook…
Free sexy bbw
Kipworld » Spook…
Chubby lingerie picture woman
Kipworld » Spook…
Hot babies
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw personals
Kipworld » Spook…
Nice fat girl
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat ugly naked woman
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat free tit
Kipworld » Spook…
Boyzone words lyric
Kipworld » Spook…
Add bbw party site
Kipworld » Spook…
Mature plumper tgp
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat sexy bitch
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat cock blow job
Kipworld » Spook…
topless
Hey ! Thanx for the nice post.. Have you heard of the WWE Divas ? We all know they are the hottest and sexiest women alive ! But as the biggest fan on earth for ashley massaro, i have to say that ashley massaro is the sexiest of all the wwe divas !
Big red sex
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat squirting woman
Kipworld » Spook…
Pantie fat lady
Kipworld » Spook…
Mature fat fucking woman
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat gay porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Submissive bbw
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw dating services
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat pussy hoe
Kipworld » Spook…
topless
Hey ! Thanx for the nice post.. Have you heard of the WWE Divas ? We all know they are the hottest and sexiest women alive ! But as the biggest fan on earth for wwe diva torrie wilson, i have to say that torrie wilson is the sexiest of all the wwe divas !
Hot mamas
Kipworld » Spook…
Chubby girl sex
Kipworld » Spook…
Porn older fat
Kipworld » Spook…
African fat pussy
Kipworld » Spook…
Bignaturals chubby
Kipworld » Spook…
Big fat free pic slut
Kipworld » Spook…
You lift me up lyric by josh groban
Kipworld » Spook…
Girls with big butts
Kipworld » Spook…
Puffy pussy pics
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw free download
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat licker pussy
Kipworld » Spook…
Adult learning theory and professional development
Kipworld » Spook…
Sample video of gay hentai
Kipworld » Spook…
Sexy maria sharapova
Kipworld » Spook…
Best porn video ever
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat pussy bitch
Kipworld » Spook…
Guys dressed like girls porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Free porn sleeping video
Kipworld » Spook…
Celebrity movie porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Spank naughty hardcore fucking
Kipworld » Spook…
Lee movie sarenna
Kipworld » Spook…
Gay hentai anime video
Kipworld » Spook…
Hot fuss killers
Kipworld » Spook…
Xxx sites free mpeg clips
Kipworld » Spook…
Xxx sites free mpeg clips
Kipworld » Spook…
Bbw party ct
Kipworld » Spook…
Hardcore sex, big tits
Kipworld » Spook…
Dick button olympics
Kipworld » Spook…
Free amateur mature gallery
Kipworld » Spook…
Molly your sexy blonde neighbor
Kipworld » Spook…
Group lesbian porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Download free japanese movie porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Mom hard fucks son
Kipworld » Spook…
Her first big cock blowjob
Kipworld » Spook…
John cena naked picture
Kipworld » Spook…
Next door nikki porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Mature asian pantie hose
Kipworld » Spook…
Daughter porn
Kipworld » Spook…
Then she peed
Kipworld » Spook…
Hustler videos
Kipworld » Spook…
Vietnamese bar girls
Kipworld » Spook…
Fat hardcore lesbian
Kipworld » Spook…
Aliyah playmate
Kipworld » Spook…
Cute asian blow job
Kipworld » Spook…
Asian sexy skirt
Kipworld » Spook…
Hardcore fetish bondage video
Kipworld » Spook…
Top-rated asian porn dvd
Kipworld » Spook…
Amateur allure cindy
Kipworld » Spook…