AN INVERNESSIAN IN AMERICA: 'Although I’m the biggest scaredy-cat, I'm still a sucker for the spooks' Diane Knox explores the Halloween goings at home in Inverness and across the pond
The spookiest weekend of the year is here. All Hallows’ Eve falls on Sunday, so be on your guard as the spirits come out to play, writes Diane Knox.
But seriously, the Americans go BIG on Halloween, However it was the Scottish migrants who first took fancy dress costumes across the pond –and the Americans just ramped it up to the next level!
Do you believe in ghosts and ghouls? I would like to say my paranoia of the paranormal wasn’t heavily influenced by certain ridiculously dramatised movies, but alas I am the biggest scaredy-cat, and films like Paranormal Activity and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre have left terrifying images embedded in my brain that I can’t shift. So, on Sunday, the lights will be on as the kids trick or treat in our neighbourhood.
But I’m a sucker for the spooks. My mum is a trained speech therapist, and she once did a work placement at Craig Dunain Hospital. I’m sure you’re familiar with it, but it was the old mental asylum that shut down in 2000. I remember as a teenager driving up to see the place and always being completely freaked out by it.
You’d hear tales of creepy, haunted occurrences, like the sound of footsteps, the unexplained banging of doors, creaking noises… all the makings of a frightful horror movie. I’m still fascinated by that place and just spent waaaay too long watching YouTube videos of ghostly apparitions seen in the wards.
When I first moved to Glasgow in October 2010 to start working at Clyde 1, one of my first outside broadcasts was at Glasgow’s oldest house, the Provand’s Lordship. For someone who was even scared to put Crimewatch on the telly, the thought of having to spend the wee hours in this old, creepy building filled my tummy with dread.
The house is divided into three floors and is crammed with old furniture and artwork dating back to the 1600s. It’s fascinatingly spooky as soon as you walk in the door. The second floor was the private room of the priest, and a long, rectangular table was set up.
The guide we were with sat us all down, fired up some sort of electrode spirit detectors, we closed our eyes and he attempted to summon the spirits.
I swear, I have NEVER felt anything like it – a breeze of air behind me and then a weird sensation on my right shoulder, like a light pressure. That was it for me – I was leaving that table!
The guide told me the ghost of a soldier was standing by me at that table, and his child wouldn’t leave my side. That kid didn’t stand a chance of keeping up as I legged it out the door and into my car. Great way to make a first impression at your new job. Sunday isn’t only Halloween, it’s my husband’s birthday.
So we plan to get the spooky festivities out of the way on Saturday (wait until you see our costumes…) and celebrate his 35 years with the pups, cake and American football – without a ghost in sight.
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