Time passed quickly and before I knew it I was driving out to East Jackson for my first experience in a seance, so help me God.
I turned on to East Boulevard and drove for approximately 2 miles. In Jackson, that distance from the main road puts you in the boonies. I momentarily considered turning around, but then, I was still young and brave, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I pressed on. After another quarter of a mile, I came upon a small yellow bungalow with several cars parked nearby. I checked the address on the mailbox. I had arrived. Looking to my left and right I noticed that the next closest house on either side was several hundred yards from this one. We were in the sticks.
The inside front door to the house was open, so I headed in that direction. As I neared the small porch of the house the screen door swung open and an attractive middle-aged woman greeted me.
“You must be Ray, Welcome.”
“Thanks for having me. “I answered.
“Glad to see you could make it.” Sandy said from inside the house.
It was greeting and meeting time. The lady who met me at the door was Betty, her husband Ray reminded me of my dad, then there Was Gary, an elementary school principal, His wife Kathy, an older woman whom I immediately liked named Norma, and then Jeanie and Doug a middle-aged couple. What the heck was going on? I was the youngest person there by a long shot, and everyone seemed so normal. Doug had retired from Consumer’s Energy, Ray was a retired police officer. Jeanie was a retired paralegal from a law firm that was one of my IBM accounts. In all, they were everyone’s mom and dad, Grandma or grandpa or coworkers. Where were the weird folks I had envisioned?
People were taking their seats in the circle of straight-back chairs that circled the living room of the house.
“Norma is the séance leader,” Sandy said. We alternate male, female starting at her right. I Took a seat between Betty and Kathy. Everyone was taking off their shoes and placing them under their chairs. I followed suit. The question on my face must have been obvious Sandy leaned over.
“It’s to get a better grounding.”
I nodded like I understood exactly what she was saying, though I honestly didn’t have a clue. Thank God for clean socks.
Everyone scooted around a bit in their chairs trying to get comfortable. Betty came in with a tray full of glasses filled with water, each person took one so I did, too. I took a sip from my glass and looked for a place to set it.
“No, don’t drink it now, place it under your chair and drink it afterward.” Sandy said “The spirit energy will ionize the water and it will refresh you.” I found a place under my chair next to my shoes and placed the glass there. Everyone else did likewise and soon we were all sitting comfortably waiting for the show to begin. I was suddenly very cold though the temperature was warm. Betty turned the lights off and the room became as black as night. I literally couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. I began to get nervous.
“Let’s all say our prayers,” Norma began. She recited a prayer thanking spirit for guiding their group and asked a blessing on the ‘service” which I assumed she meant the séance. One my one each person in counter-clockwise fashion, asked a blessing on themselves, others, and the “Service.”
I followed Norma’s lead and thanked spirit whomever that was for guiding me to the group and asked a blessing on myself and the service. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, I felt better after saying my prayers. When everyone was finished, we simply sat there, and I mean sat there, not doing or saying anything for what seemed to be an eternity but was really only about 5 minutes. I had kept my eyes closed but during this brief break, I opened them. It was darker than I remembered. What next? I wondered.
Almost on cue, Norma began talking about people, “I Call Doctor, Watson, Lillian Glazer all of my guides and any other spirits of truth or light that may wish to be recognized. ” When it came to my turn to call, I asked for my deceased brother Jim, my friend, Fred Kansik, and the spirit of the man at the house. It pleased me when Kathy asked softly “Have you sat in séance before?” she seemed surprised that I had not. Cha Ching, I must be doing something right, I thought.
Without further conversation, Norma began singing the Christian Hymn, “In the Garden.” Everyone joined in. This hymn was one of my favorites and I knew the words well. I joined in. We began singing the second verse. About halfway through, Norma coughed a deep cough, cleared her throat loudly and sat straight up in her chair.
“Good evening Friends, this is Doctor Watson. I say welcome to our guest, and hope that you will become a member of our group.”
OK Howdy Doody, who the heck was Doctor Watson? Why was Norma talking? Funny, I thought. I hadn’t heard her talk much, but the voice didn’t sound much like her. This voice was deep and raspy.
Doctor Watson talked on for perhaps 15 minutes about world affairs and things we could expect to see in the next few weeks. Finally, he cleared his throat again and said, “Until we meet again.”
Betty rose and walked down a nearby hall where she turned on a light which only reflected a soft light into the living-room. Norma stirred and leaned forward. Betty Reached under Norma’s chair and handed her the water glass. Norma drank deeply, draining the glass.
I followed everyone’s lead. The water tasted funny but good. I drank it all and as promised I did feel better.
I replaced my shoes like everyone else and prepared to leave.
“Got time for coffee?” It was Norma.
“If you’re going, I’ll be there. I have some questions.”
“I’ll bet you do,’ Norma said with a laugh. “Meet us at the Clock.”
The Clock Restaurant was back down East Boulevard at Michigan Avenue
“I’ll see you there,” I said, bidding my adieus to Betty and Ray for having me, and then headed to the Clock.
The Clock Restaurant was a traditional family-style restaurant, with breakfast served 24 hours a day and reasonable pricing. I took a seat at the head of a ’large-group’ table and waited for the others to arrive.
When everyone arrived, Norma took a seat to my right, laughing and talking, and breaking out a smoke. She lit her cigarette, blew out the match and apologized.
“Hope it doesn’t bother you, It’s my one real weakness.
The truth be told, I hated cigarette smoke. I’m a reformed smoker, and I understood her addiction.
“It’ll be alright,” I answered.
Norma took a deep drag and held it for a long time before slowly exhaling, she then snuffed out the cigarette and ordered coffee and pie.
A bit of dessert sounded like a good idea, so I ordered coffee and carrot cake.
“Nice to have you with us tonight. What did you think?”
I shrugged. “I guess I didn’t understand it enough to have an opinion. I did enjoy it. It seems like something I’m supposed to do.”
Norma laughed. “Oh, you’re supposed to do it, alright. You don’t choose it. It chooses you.’
“So, who’s Doctor Watson?”
Norma explained that Doctor Watson was one of her spirit guides and was her trance control meaning that when she went into trance, Doctor Watson would use her body, or physical instrument as she called it, to communicate spiritual insights to the members of the group.
The cake and pie were gone, there had been several fill-ups on the coffee, and I felt like had the slightest inkling of an understanding of what had just taken place. Norma was patient and answered many of my questions. I wondered how something like this could have existed on the planet for so long, and in spite of my extensive research into religion, I had never heard of it.
“So how do I get rid of the spirit in the house?”
“Simply ask it to leave. Offer reassurance that you will continue to investigate and promise that you will call for him when you have something concrete to report.
“That’s it? It’s as easy as that?”
“It is. If you have any problems give me a call. Don’t let it lay. Any info you can offer him will speed his departure.”
Well. Saints be praised, I thought. As soon as I got home, I called Linda.