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Tony/Michael still isn’t there so I grab some photos of the carnival. The sky today is really stormy and I’m trying to catch just the right shot and light. I wander on down and get some great shots of the Old Burying Point Cemetery again. I’m so drawn to that place for some reason. My heart squeezes when I’m in there and I have to touch my tree. It’s a beautiful ancient tree. That’s it in the photo below this post. The bark is so rough …. and warm. I could stay with it all day but I tear myself away. I do have Salem to do after all. This cemetery is so old that the original passenger that came over on the Mayflower is buried here. Jeeeesus!

So I do tear myself away and off I go. I’m hearing a lady selling ghost tours over a PA system loud. Give me a break. Lots of ghosts are going to show up for that I bet! She’s got a huge booth with flashing lights sitting way up high. Kinda kills it don’t you think? Kinda makes me want to kick her ass……..

Now I wander into the Salem Wax Museum. The wax figures are cool and the stories are interesting. All about the witch trials. I’m reading some very unsettling things like for instance, that a lot of people were thrown in jail accused of being witches, which we all know but what I did not know is that when they were being kept in jail, they were being charged for their food, clothing or anything else that they might have a need for. The sad thing was that when they were released (not everyone was convicted), if they did not have the money to pay what they owed for their keep, they were not let out! Some people died in jail simply because they could not pay their way out! They were never convicted of witchcraft but they died in jail for being poor! No wonder Salem has spent all these years trying to do right by these people! The Wax Museum was eye-opening …. and tragic.

Okay, out in the air again. Off to see Michael …. and he’s there! I guess I’ve seen him without his mask before because I recognize him. I talk to him. He’s personable. I tell him about Halloween’s Unseen. I feel really strange in this moment. If you had told me back in the 1970s and 1980s that I’d be talking to Michael Myers/Tony Moran about something personal I’ve accomplished that had something to do with Halloween …. and he was liking it, well, I would have said, “You are crazy!” He lets me take his picture and charges $10 for his autograph. Shit! Oh well, everyone’s gots to get theirs! I like Tony Moran, he’s nice to me and he’s going to check out my web site! (right)

Okay, let’s see. I think I’ll go to the Salem Witch Museum. Off I go. I’m alone! For some reason I’ve been reminded of this a lot on this trip. While I’m in Salem, I just go hither and yon doing what I please, when I please but on this trip I do feel lonely. Maybe next year someone will go with me. (right)

Now, the Salem Witch Museum. In I go and I’m seated …. on the floor. Now I’m in pretty good shape, Lord, I walk miles, but I do have flaky hips. But I buck up and sit on the floor like everything is cool but I’m not liking it. Now an interesting thing occurs here on the floor. We sit on the floor and begin to twirl around. I don’t mean the floor twirls, we twirl around and around and around! The show is set up in the “Castle” in a circle. We follow these sets around the room that light up and guide us through the witch hysteria. It’s very interesting and I love the creepy music. It’s all very interesting and I don’t know why I worried about sitting on the floor. I was never still and not there long at all! Then we are released …. directly into the gift shop only to be held captive there until the second half of the show. Can you say, “Ka-ching - capitalism?” OMG Salem …. and I did not buy anything! Then off we go to the next part of the show. This one’s cool. It defines the “witch.” The mid-wife beginnings, flying around the night sky on broom sticks (give me a break) and the gentle witches of Wicca. Then there’s a huge board explaining “witch hunts” over the years which we’ve all been a part of. Hee! And out and it was good. Actually, this is the first time I’ve taken the museum tours in Salem and I’ve not been disappointed.

It’s dark now in Salem and very cold. I’m heading back to my room. As I’m going to my room, one of the guests a few doors down stops to flirt with me. I’ve seen him before. Big ol’ biker dude with long hair, spooky eye contacts and Halloween skulls braided into his beard. My kind of guy! I actually took a picture of him at last year’s Halloween Ball and I told him so. He’s intrigued, his wife’s not.

I’m now in my room on this hateful bed. I have a beautiful view with lovely fall trees outside my window. I can see the Salem Common, the Salem Witch Museum, the Roger Conant statue but there’s those damned concession stands! And what runs concession stands? From 7:00 am until midnight all I hear are damned generators! It’s constant and, of course, each little stand has it’s own generator! Between this gawd-awful bed and the constant groan of those cursed machines, I’m going to lose my mind! I’ll just go take a bath …. always a solution! If I drank, I’d drink. Shit.

Also too, I had a bit of a run in with Frankenstein on this very afternoon during my walk through Salem. Ho, hum, just a typical day on the Pedestrian Mall!

Look see! There goes the Bronze Witch! Oops, no, she can’t walk, she’s a statue, but there she is. I love her to death!

I had a wonderful romp with the squirrels in the Howard Street cemetery along my way. Don’t they have an interesting place to live?! They seem to be looking at me right in the eyes which makes for fabulous photos as you can see. Always, with the camera ready!

What a fun day this is. All these wonderful monsters and wild animals greeting me as I make my way back to my hotel. And now I am back to my room, I enter, glare at the bed. Gawd, I’m exhausted and these boots are killing me! Being beautiful is hard work! I’d like to go do another harbor tour but I’ve got to go rest and that’s just what I do. The streets are quiet again tonight in Salem but this will be the last time for several nights now. Watch out, Halloween weekend is almost upon us! I now go run a luxurious bubble bath and decide just what adventure will I have next!

On this day I set out to take photos of the beautiful mansions on Chestnut Street. My purpose? To look for Coffin Doors. Yes, you heard that right - Coffin Doors! In the old days, there were no funeral homes to take care of everything when someone died. The families had all the death festivities at home. The front door or Coffin Door was really a normal door and a third. They were really a 3-part door big enough to make it easier to remove the coffin and the body out of the house for burial. Here’s a photo I took of said door-type. Sort of creepy don’t you think?

Anyway I go back to Red’s for breakfast. Looking cool again. This day … a silver glittered tunic with black capris underneath, purple and black stripped socks to my knees and ankle-high black suede boots. Today, a little different reaction from people. They are looking but it’s not really friendly. From the women, they slide their eyes up and down me and then it’s kind of a “Why didn’t I think of that?” attitude. The guys ARE talking to ME! How strange. They don’t talk to me in Houston at all. It’s all looks …. it’s the clothes. I’m always the same person. I’m always Janet!

Some of the attention I’m getting is kind of scary. I am alone after all and I’m walking all over this busy town taking pictures with an expensive camera or two. I’m being careful. I spy some house builders up ahead, one of them stopping to look at me a little to long, a little too hard. I turn around and walk the other way. I spy another guy walking towards me. I don’t like his looks. I step out into the street and put a couple of parked cars between us. If he grabs me, I’ll bite his balls off. I ain’t kidding either! Teeth = balls, that’s the ticket!

I then make my way around to a cemetery by the old Salem jail. I can’t get in this one and I don’t feel exactly comfortable here. I don’t know why, it’s just that something gives me the creeps here. I’ll be on my way thank you very much! But before I go, I snap some photos of the houses here and guess what?! One of these photos gets featured in the Salem Tourist Guide 2011 and that’s it there on the left! Good gawd, who would have ever thought that would happen!

I now wind my way around to the Witch House, my favorite house here in Salem. I do love the Witch House! It looks like a witch house but guess what? There’s never been a witch in it! It’s all hype. One of the judges of the witch trials owned it and lived there but there were never any witches there. Well now that sounds kind of dumb. There were no witches at the witch trials either! I’m a dumb ass. Anywho, I go inside for my first time and spend quite some time and get lots of pictures. The guy that works there likes what I’m wearing and we joke about me dropping glitter in the Witch House. At least I’m leaving something he can remember me by. I make a point to move some of the artifacts a little out of place here and there. Mark my territory I guess you’d call it. I haven’t been called a witch my whole life for nothing, right? Right! Now there’s been a witch in the Witch House …… kidding!!

Speaking of the Witch House, check this photo out that I took in the Witch House. Am I going crazy or does that look like the image of a witch’s face in the artifact? Do you see it?”

As I’m walking back to the Hawthorne, I see this guy with long hair, a black duster coat with a shovel thrown over his shoulder. My kind of guy! As I walk by him, he falls in next to me and starts walking with me all the way down the Pedestrian Mall. Turns out he’s a Salem tour guide and asks what I’m doing tonight and why don’t I come to the ghost tour. I say I just might do that as I notice that he’s got just about every other tooth missing. On second thought ………. As we are walking and talking, I mention to him where I’m from and that I have a friend who has a popular ghost tour in Galveston, Texas that does very well. I mention that there are a lot of ghosts in Galveston what with the 1900 Hurricane and all and the guy reminds me that a lot of people have died in Salem over the years as well and loses interest in me and kind of wanders off. Can you say competition? Too funny! At least our guy in Galveston has all his teeth!!!

I have made a discovery … a realization really. I decided on this trip to dress the part every day. Here in Salem you can dress festively gothic and walk through the streets and feel right at home. I am dressing the way I really want to actually …. and I’m attracting so much attention! This is so cool! Last year I wore regular shirt, jeans, T-shirts, leggings, comfortable shoes and I was just one of the crowd, a “tourist.” Today I wore a black sweater with beads on it, black short capri leggings with black and orange stripped socks peeking out from knee-high pirate-like suede boots and a black sweater duster. My hair is bushy, long to my waist and bright red. Nails = long and black. I’m walking and people are looking at me, talking to me, centering me out like I’m a celebrity almost. Well, I’ll be damned. I really think these people think I’m part of Salem, maybe even live and work here. When I was in the Old Burying Point cemetery, people stopped me to ask me questions about the cemetery. They think I work here. Now I understand a lot of things. It doesn’t really matter how old you are, if you “look cool,” well, you’re cool! I love Salem. I can stretch my wings here. I dress how I really want to dress. I look like I feel! I go to a restaurant for breakfast, “Red’s,” and I feel so comfortable that I take big ol’ bites of my food and don’t care if anyone is watching me eat!!!

It’s night, in my room finally. What a super busy day I had! When I left Red’s, I walked, took some video, shopped …. bought a cape! I love Salem!! Watched my favorite witch statue in a window (it’s raining) and jumped on the Trolley for a spin around Salem. I’m thinking I should go back to my room, I’m tired but shit no! My Trolley ticket is good just for today, so I take a ride out to the dock on Salem Harbor and jump on the Salem Ferry and ride all the way to Boston and back! I don’t know what it is about Salem. I’m just good at it! The Ferry ride is FUN! The weather is bad so the ride is rough and I love it! It feels like I’m riding on a bucking horse. It’s not really putting me to sleep like some of the other passengers I see around me. I’m not sleepy but I’m loving it. The movement is so relaxing and fun. I look around and there are a couple of guys nodding off. One is completely asleep with his mouth hanging open rocking and keeping time with the movement. The Captain of the Ferry makes a comment about my black nails. See I told you! It was sort of peculiar I know but just as soon as I got off the Ferry in Boston, I turned right around and got back on the Ferry to head back to Salem. Didn’t really have a desire to explore Boston all by myself. Makes a mental note, **Do Boston!**

Now we are coming to the dock in Salem at sunset. I could not ask for a better place to be at this moment! Oh, Boston is a beautiful city as well. I did get some beautiful photos of Boston as we approached it from the water …. and you’ll see them! The ride back is wonderful with the setting sun. As I go along, I look at the ancient islands passing by here and there. I’ve seen the tops of these islands in pictures on the internet over the years and I am once again awestruck that I’m actually seeing them up close, literally riding by right next to them. They are rocky and craggy and have a story to tell. They give off a feeling of spookiness …… well, what did you expect?

Back. What a wonderful trip! I want popcorn and a horror movie. Don’t like bloody slasher movies. Fooled everyone, right? You’d think I would like them, right? Don’t. The popcorn dude is playing with me. Flirting, a little sexual suggestion. Man, what clothes will do! Stay away from Kettle Corn, it sucks! The popcorn dude gives me a huge serving in a big ol’ bag. Much more than the stupid little containers he’s selling. He even ties my bag of popcorn with a twist tie. Helps me with carrying it I guess. He tells me to enjoy my scary movie and includes that the only thing scary in his life is his marriage. Damn, these clothes! And the guy was Irish. A beautiful Irish accent he had!

Back at the hotel. Walk through the lobby …. snooty …. nighty night! And they don’t have the pumpkins up yet. How long shall I have to wait?

Airports = people watching. I can do it for hours. I wait well. My Dad worked for Braniff for 36 years. He began working for Braniff right out of the Marines after World War II. He was cleaning airplanes. When he retired, he was Manager, Ramp and Operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Of course, it wasn’t called Bush back in the 80s. My EX-husband gave my Dad a cigarette lighter with HMFIC engraved on it. HMFIC = Head Mother Fucker In Charge. You better believe it. My Dad was an Aries. Enough said.

I’m worried about having enough money to get home. No worries - I have Jason……. and the TWC (Unemployment Commission) it seems. Since I’ve been unemployed, the struggling has been horrendous. I’ve worried about this Salem trip every since I got laid off. So, of course, guess what happened? Well, the unemployment money ran out a couple of weeks ago and as luck would have it, my emergency funds from the Government came through while I am here in Salem! They actually made an emergency deposit. Holy shit! I guess I was supposed to get to Salem and I can get home too ………. well, early ………. for a job interview that came up the very night before I left for Salem. I feel compelled to leave early, NOT happy about that! (Note: By the way, I got the job!)

Okay, back to my purpose here! I am on the airplane flying my old ass to Salem! Boy, I’ve waited for this for a long time. It’s been a long, hard, worrisome wait what with the unemployment and all but here I am finally. I’m peering out the airplane window as we speak! Question: Why on earth when you have an airplane full of adults would the movie be “Toy Story 3?” How many of these Continental flights are full of children I ask? Especially this early in the day on a week day? Who makes these decisions? Who says, “Well, since there’s hardly any children on our flights at this time, let’s play a children’s movie.” Now that I think of it, a lot of decisions made in our country make about as much sense! The guy sitting next to me was wondering what the movie would be …… surprise!

So here I squirm. I remind myself of the kid, “Are we there yet?” I must have checked my watch 50 times. 3 hours ….. 2 hours ….. I’m worried about having to pee. I drank water at the airport. Do you do that? Sit and worry about having to pee? We all do it, don’t we, especially in an airplane. I have the fear of getting locked in the airplane restroom because I did when I was small. I flew a lot, got locked in once but it scarred me for life. I keep looking at the guy next to me. He’s on the aisle seat. I’m sizing him up to ask him if he’ll let me out so I can go pee. This goes on for quite sometime. I see others getting up and going. I envy them. I think about their empty bladders and how long before they will have to pee again. Fuck, I’m obsessing. I hate that.

Here comes the flight attendants with their goodies. Ah, just what I need, a full can of Coke! Um, drank that down. My pants are getting tighter. Maybe I’ll take a nap. I love turbulence! It makes me feel like I’m being rocked like a baby. I fall asleep - twice! I wake up, look at my watch. The stupid movie is still on. Hmmmmm. Pull out my book, read a page and the guy next to me stretches, yawns, looks back towards the restrooms, gets his ass up and walks back there. Here’s my chance! I tear, scrape and lurch my ass back there as fast as I possibly can. The restrooms are full but I don’t care. I’m waiting my ass right here. I get to go for cripes sake!

All the way to Salem from the airport, my driver bitches, moans and groans about how terrible it is here in Salem …… corruption, unemployment. How people including he have these expensive degrees and huge student loans and can’t find work. He’s driving a taxi for crap’s sake! He told me about a person who has requested a refund on their degree. “Here, you can have the degree, I want my tuition money back. I promise I won’t remember anything you taught me!” I asked him if that can be done and he said it is being looked at by the legal people. Wow! I’ve never heard of that …….. BUT back to me, you know, ME! Everything is about me! I’m on vacation here, spending my money here, I want to look at beautiful Salem now. I’m here! I’m sorry if it’s corrupt and struggling but the fact is, I came here to get away from all that shit so shut the fuck up and let me have my fun! Love you, driver, but you’re distracting me. Don’t I sound selfish?!

Okay, arrive at the Hawthorne Hotel, not checked in yet, not 3:00 pm so I take a lovely walk around the Salem Common. First photo taken, check! God, I’m happy to be here. I can just stand in one place and be happy!

I go back to the Hawthorne and get checked in and go to my room, make a call or two and then I venture back out. I want to have a Tarot card reading and that’s just what I’ll do.

Well, the reading. It’s my first night in Salem and I’m in search of a real psychic by God! So there I find one in a room next to a pizza place. Hmmmm. The room is made up to look all spooky and shit. I have my reading and I must admit I walked away at least somewhat convinced. It’s a racket for sure but the lady did surprise me. At the beginning, she only had eyes for the $5 bill I had in my hand which was my change from paying for the reading. I watched her eyes follow my hand as I took the $5 bill and slowly bent down and stuck it in my purse. She was not letting it out of her sight! Actually, before hitting my purse, I jerked my hand with the $5 quickly to the left and then to the right just so I could watch her eyes dart this way and that following that fiver! Hee! Okay, I’ll quit fucking with her. But alas, the reading. She began by asking me questions that were designed to get all the information she would need so she could look like she was psychic. Shit, I’ve wasted my money I’m thinking. She basically repeated everything back to me I just said and was sitting with her eyes closed holding my phone acting as if “something” was coming from “somewhere.” Then towards the end she said something very curious. She picked up something about Jason that there was no way she could have known. I jumped on it because if it was true, I was pissed. It was something he wasn’t supposed to be doing! She got nervous because it was something that I wasn’t supposed to know! She apologized looking as if she had suddenly stepped in something. Shit. She actually did something! She also picked up on an illness he has. Geez. And the reading was supposed to be about me! She asked for my email address to keep in touch. Maybe she’s trying to make me feel better. I never heard from her. And the $5 bill? She got it!!!!

Tonight, walking through the streets of Salem in the dark. The streets are deserted. Lovely … I’m happy. I stand in the dark in front of an ancient church next to the Witch House. It is very dark here, cold and yet I just stand there looking up at the church, really feeling the history here. I know I should be scared here alone in the dark, 1,600 miles from home, staring at this old church where 2 unfortunate souls, caught in the witch hysteria of 1692, were excommunicated from here and later executed by hanging. That happened here, right here where I’m standing …. in the dark, in the cold. Oh Salem, how you do make me feel!!!

So I turn away and walk back to the Hawthorne Hotel. Day 1 is over and I’m already feeling tearful, for you see, I’m already worrying about having to leave Salem in a week from now. I will now be tearful for the remainder of the trip. I’m such a dork!