In the corner of the room stood someone I recognized. Her costume was dazzling. She was dressed in a bright purple caftan and was wearing a silver turban with a large emerald in the center. The funny thing was that it happened to be her everyday attire. She recognized me at the same instant and came gliding over. “Ohhh, Marrrry Annn…”she crooned, rolling her tongue on my name. “Who are your handsome dates? Come now, tell Madame Zelda your names.”

Madame Zelda was a psychic who ran a little shop on the corner of 34th and Vine. She had been invited by the host to hold a seance in his study. She glanced at her watch. “Oh, come on kids! (she pronounced it “kits”) Let’s go have some fun. We’re starting a seance in five minutes.”

The Village Dudes, Mr. Magooo, Frankenfloozie, the Outhouse and I all crowded into the room. We sat down around a large, round table. Madame Zelda made a gesture with her hand and the host dimmed the lights. A lit candle was placed in the center of the table. “Will you join hands, please?” intoned Zelda. For a moment all was silent, then Zelda made a guttural sound in the back of her throat. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she started jerking. She opened her eyes, looked around and began speaking in a low-pitched voice. “I am Zolar, spirit guide,” he/she said. “Let us begin. Will the spirits show us a sign?” Just then the lights went out. the table started to move – at the same time there came a crack of thunder!! The wind whistled through the window…and the window was….CLOSED! “I want my mommy,” said Mr. Magoo. Zolar spoke again. “There is a spirit among us. If you are male, knock twice. If you are female, knock three times.” Directly in front of me two loud raps sounded on the table. I jolted so high my knee bumped into the table, knocking over the candle.

Next, a voice that seemed to come from directly over George the cop’s head whispered, “Car 54 where arrrrre you!” “Oh my God!” breathed George, “something just grabbed my hair. Arrrrrghhh!” He jumped up like a man with a hot poker in his britches and ran for the door. “Stop!” cried Zolar. Too late. He was gone. “Do NOT break the circle! Move together and join hands! commanded Zolar. “The departed one is trying to find his relative! Spirit, what is your name?” No answer. The spirit had moved again. It blew into Fred’s ear. “Lordy Lordy Lordy!” yelled Fred. Another whisper. “My name is Matthew,” it sighed. Outhouse spoke up. “Matt? Hey duuuuuuuude….over here!” Three loud raps sounded on the roof of the Outhouse. “Ummmmmm….I believe I just soiled myself,” he said. Then he, too,was up and out of the room.

Magoo let out a gasp as his glasses floated into the air. He looked at Frankenfloozie. “If that isn’t your hand on my shoulder I will scream with what little breath I have left,” he said weakly. She held up her hands in wonder. “Its Voodoo, Mr. Magoo. REAL voodoo!” A few other “signs” appeared. There were dancing lights near the window. Matt, the spirit, whispered a few more words and was gone.

Later, Fred walked me home. “So, do you think the seance was fake?” he asked. “Of course I do!” I smirked. “I don’t believe in ghosts!” Fred looked uncertain, then decided to agree with me. We said good-bye on my porch. As I turned to unlock the door, I noticed there were words written under my feet. I stepped back. They said I LOVE THAT VOODOO THAT YOU DO SO WELL. Funny thing was, they were written on the matt.

My friends have wanted to have a séance for quite some time, which I didn’t believe in, but being Halloween and all I decided to go along with their foolish game, so they arranged it for this Saturday evening at Tom’s house since his parents were going to be out.

Four of us arrived pretty well at the same time and as we entered Tom’s basement I couldn’t believe the efforts he’d made to have the place looking just like something in the movies. There were candles lit all around the room, black cloth on a round table, wherever he got that, five chairs, and black curtains up at the window. We all grinned at one another except Jane. She looked spooked already.

Tom sat down and was ready to start so we all joined him around the table but before he could say anything Mike piped up in a squeaky voice, “ITS VOODOO MR. MAGOO. REAL VOODOO!” and we all cracked up.

Tom wasn’t amused and let us know that if we weren’t going to be serious than we could go. As we all put on our solemn faces Tom started, calm and slowly, “Let’s all join hands, close our eyes, and put our minds towards the spirit world as I try to reach my Grandmother who we all loved while she was here with us.” I didn’t dare snicker because as I peeked they were all into it so I closed my eyes once more and continued listening to Tom.

“Grandma, are you there Grandma? It’s Tom and my friends. We all want to hear and see you one more time. Grandma can you here me? Please join us for awhile.”

I could sense something happening but I quickly chocked it up to my imagination getting into the game, but all of a sudden THE WIND WHISTLED THROUGH THE WINDOW and as I took a peak the curtains were blowing straight towards us. I closed my eyes, opened them again, “AND THE WINDOW IS…CLOSED,” I thought to myself, “Impossible!” Just then THE TABLE STARTED TO MOVE AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE CAME A CRACK OF THUNDER!

That did it. We all jumped and I JOLTED SO HIGH MY KNEE BUMPED INTO THE TABLE, KNOCKING OVER THE CANDLE. A hand reached over to quickly pick it up, but whose hand did it belong to? It didn’t look like any of ours. It was wrinkled and old looking. Jane started crying, “I think I WANT MY MOMMY!”

“Shut up!” I screamed at Jane as I tried to get a grip of myself but then I felt something. I could barely breathe as I looked at Tom beside me and said, “IF THAT ISN’T YOUR HAND ON MY SHOULDER I WILL SCREAM WITH WHAT LITTLE BREATH I HAVE LEFT.”

“Grandma!” Tom yelled excitedly, “You’re here. You came after all!”

“Oh gee,” I said to no one in particular, “UMMMMMM……..I BELIEVE I JUST SOILED MYSELF.” I couldn’t move and yet I had to slowly turn and see who or what Tom was looking at. There stood Grandma; at least it looked like her with the curly, white hair and all. She was even wearing one of her dresses. This was toooo much.. I tried smiling out of some kind of respect but all I could do was babble, “Oh, LORDY, LORDY, LORDY, give me strength.”

Jane was still crying for Mommy, George sat to stunned for anything, and Marsha had passed out on the floor.

Somehow I managed to scream at Tom to do something but all he did was bust out laughing. He laughed so hard he fell off his chair. I got up to belt him one because I thought he had lost it with the rest of us but as I got up, Grandma whipped of her wig, and there stood Tom’s older sister who had come home for a visit. I was so ticked off I couldn’t even feel relief and I certainly didn’t stop to figure out how they set everything up to work. I was out of there and needless to say, there will be NO more séances for me.