My own personal creepy Halloween Story

[maugorn]

So today was Halloween, and this morning, as I was reading some Neil Gaiman, I was reminded of a very spooky encounter I had once.

This happened back when I was still busking in Old Town Alexandria. I don't remember exactly what year it was, but, it came to pass that year that Halloween fell on a Saturday. I thought that would be a real good night to be out. It was. It was clear and not too cold, which was great. I decided rather than dressing up, that I would just go for a little creepy/cheeky decoration on my guitar case. I made a fake severed arm and leg, and had them protruding out from underneath it. The fake arm was clutching a broken flute. It was a snarky statement aimed at that damn flute player who always seemed to set up right across the street from me. Once I had a working amplifier he didn't do it so often. I don't remember if this was then yet. But a couple of my regulars saw it and snickered. And thankfully he didn't show, so I kind of had that block to myself that night.

So anyway, there I was playing away in my old spot right next to the Landini Brothers on King St. It being Halloween, I played a bunch of songs appropriate for the night, like "Love Potion #9", "Werewolves Of London", "Friend Of The Devil", and so forth. And every now and then, I'd spot someone in some costume, and I would try playing a song targeted specifically to them. (This, btw, was the genesis of my "Costume Party Guest Request Game" that I've done at some of my gigs near halloween) Every now and then, I'd time it right and every now and then someone would actually notice. It made the night extra fun for me.

Round about 11:30pm, things were both winding down and ramping up. The crowds were thinning, but becoming merrier. I had shifted myself further down the block to next to Armand's (now called Bugsys). In the center of the block it was easier to hear me, and I was closer to where all the action was. And the tips were starting to pick up. (I actually would make more after 11pm than I would most of the day on those Saturdays).

"But what about the creepy story?" you ask. Ok, here goes:

This woman walked by. She wasn't dressed up in costume, per se. She was in a black evening gown, a stunning classic number that you might have seen in some Hitchcock flick. She seemed to be in her late 30's, but I really couldn't tell how old she was. All I *could* tell was that the gentleman with her in preppy attire couldn't have been a day over 20. So, yeah, big age difference. The guy was kind of oblivious as they walked by, but I had her attention. She made him stop with a short tug on his arm, that reminded me of that move you make with a choke collar to stop a very big dog. I thought for sure that he'd be giving me the evil eye, they way most boyfriends did when a girlfriend payed too much attention to me on King St. So I prepared to be charming and disarming, but it wasn't necessary. He just stood there, kind of mannequin like, actually.
Anyway, she comes up to me and says:
"So, play me something"
"Anything in particular, or something for Halloween"
"Oh *definitely* something for Halloween"
"Ok, but I gotta tell you that I'm really not that good at 'Don't fear the Reaper'." (for some reason, EVERYONE was asking me to play that song that night. I don't know why. That just sort of happened sometimes.
But really. It's not a great song to play solo on acoustic guitar. I'd fumbled thru it once or twice earlier, but then decided no more.)
She laughed and said "I've heard you before. You're good. Play something OLD, like those Irish songs you like. You know any good ghost story songs from that time?"
I only had to blink before I knew what I should play.
"How about a Scottish ghost story song?"
"Perfect" she said.
So I started re-setting my capo and retuning my guitar and as I did, she asked:
"So, you gonna play it or what?"
"Patience, the guitar's gotta be tuned or you might not believe I know what I'm doing"
"Oh, yeah. Riiiiiight. Mr perfectionist. So, ok, impress me when you're ready." she said.

So I played "She Moves Thru The Faire".
And I put in everything I like to do to this song. I did my trick where I visualise the story as I sing it, and make the guitar into the "greek chorus" to the lyrics, strumming, picking, arpeggiating, accenting the lyrics with what I was playing- doing the best I could to bring the song into life in my head and then putting that back out.
The only thing I would have wished in that take would have been if I had been playing it on Dulcinea, my Rickenbacker (I wrote the instrumental specifically to play on a Rick someday). I can't remember if I had her yet, then.


My young love said to me
My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you
For your lack of kind
And she laid her hand on me
And this she did say
Oh it will not be long now
Until our wedding day

And then she turn from me
And she moved thru the faire
And fondly I watched her
Move here and move there
And then she turned homeward
Just one star awake
Like a swan in the evening
Moved across the lake

And the people were saying
Those two'll ne'er be wed
For one had a sorrow
That never got said
She went away from me
With her goods and her gear
And that was the last that
I saw of my dear

(Instrumental Verse)

Last night she came to me
My dead love came in
So softly she came
That her feet made no din
And she laid her hand on me
And this she did say
Oh it will not be long now
Until our wedding day


Ok, so here's the creepy part. During the my instrumental break, she starts to give the young man a hickey.
Ok, it looked like a hickey. It looked like she was making him bleed. And the young man sure looked like he was enjoying it, well, as much as drunken frat boy enjoyed anything after his tenth shot of something. He responded, but he also just stood there. At one point, he convulsed a bit. (I think he had an orgasm, or something like it)

So I finished the song and woman turned from her boy toy, and said "That was great. I LOVE what you did with it, especially that instrumental. Wow. Scary!"

"Glad you were listening." I said cheekily. She raised an eyebrow and looked kind of mad. So I put on a brave face and tried to save the moment, so at least I didn't blow my tip but then, thought -what the hell, and just openned my big mouth: "Um, I've got to tell you, tho, um, it was hard not to be distracted by the floor show there. I'm kind of worried. What if I'm next?"

This time she laughed.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. You're fine"
"What if I ask nice?"
"Nope. It'll stunt your growth. You keep playing sweetie. It's what you're supposed to do."
She patted me on the cheek, and yes, her hand was really cold. But that wasn't why I shivered.

She kind of cocked her head at the guy, who was dabbing his neck with a handkerchief (and it was then that I confirmed, that yes, he was in fact bleeding- and I shuddered again) and gave him a little look. He fished out his wallet and dropped a $20 into my guitar case.
So I asked "hey, are you sure about that?"
(I always did with over big tips, because *sometimes* they really didn't know, and I didn't want to be the reason someone couldn't get home)
The guy just kept quiet, and the lady said
"Hey, you're worth it, and he's not gonna need it."
And they left.

I was flattered, for sure. But I gotta admit, that I was looking over my shoulder the rest of the night, and awfully glad my housemate showed up to pick me up before the streets were totally empty.

Comments

Definitely creepy

[myarbor.livejournal.com]

Best Halloween story I've heard.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

!!!

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

wow. Yes, rather creepy, indeed :)

[mneme]

Woah! Creepy.

Coincidentally, I've been working on She Moves Through the Faire recently (as an insturmental piece, mostly, since it's one of the tunes they've been doing at the local harp meetup). I should probably learn it as a song at some point.