9/29/2005 - To Begin the Begin

Here we go... Of course its time for the "a little about me" section. I have been pursuing the Haunted Attraction dream for quite a long time now. Actually back to the time I was about 9 years old. My first haunt? My little brother who was 5 at the time was playing in our basement. The back part of the basement was a seperate room with no door seperating the two rooms. This is where the furnace and plumbing was and it usually was quite dark and forboding. I remember glancing a few times nervously at the darkened doorway myself as I played with my 'Guns of Naverone' playset. Anyway... he was sittin' on the floor minding his own business. We had a door that lead down to the back part of the basement, it was seperate from our stairs that lead down from the inside of the house. This was an exterior storm cellar door. I knew he was down there... I opened that exterior door so slowly as to not make a sound. I then crept down the steps to the back part of the basement. I could see him kneeling on the floor; acting out saving the universe with Eagle-eye GI Joe.

My first dilemma... Do I scream like a banshee, make loud crashing noises, and leap from the back room with the hopes of my little brother immediately soiling himself? Or... do I take a more subtle approach? A psychological terror if you will...

I spied a large pickle jar. My first prop! I picked it up and placed it over my mouth. And lightly, ever so lightly, I laughed an evil laugh. "Eh eh eh eh eh eeeeeeh"

My brother turned toward the doorway, all color had left his face, his eyes were as big as saucers, he squeezed "Eagle-eye" so hard that Joe's head popped off and rolled across the floor. Joe's lifeless body landed next to his head as my brother let out what I can only describe as a 'human dog whistle' kind of shriek and scrambled on all fours for the steps and he was gone! I shot up the back stairs and slammed the doors closed as my brother broke out the back door of our house and stopped. He looked at me, looked at the house. Looked at me, looked at the house. Needless to say I started laughing so hard that I gave it away that I was the evil laugh.

But.... I was hooked. I vowed right then at 9 years old that I would scare people some day, legally mind you, but scare them I would. Welcome to my journey as I try to make this dream a reality. Some 30 years later... but the dream is like a zombie, it just won't die! More coming soon!...