I once almost saw a ghost.

When gearing up to do our first project for the 2012 Summer Diary series, I realized that I didn't have any film canisters from the supply list. Not one single canister in my house. So, I texted friends. And then someone suggested I go to the local newspaper to see if they had any. GREAT idea! I work at the newspaper & there are photos & cameras all over that place. There would, hopefully, also be a canister or two. There's even a darkroom in the building that was once used ages ago.

Pazely, my almost-8-year-old, accompanied me. We pulled up to my place of employment, after only a 42 second drive from home. (I love my commute!) I pulled out my key & unlocked the door to the News-Blade, established in 1900. Nobody else was there, so we were alone to rummage through things.

Well, after searching shelf after shelf & nook after nook, we couldn't find anything there either!!! 

Except that, all of a sudden, I remembered that darkroom. I tried explaining to Pazely what a darkroom was. I couldn't show her what it was because the room, was, well...dark. The doorway was blocked by black tarps too. I am not sure when the last time was that somebody even walked into that room. I've worked there 2 1/2 years & have never seen anybody go in there. We searched & searched for a flashlight & couldn't find one of those either. And then I had a brilliant idea. There were cameras EVERYWHERE. So, I picked one up, flipped on the flash, pulled back the tarp doorway & started flashing into the room to see if I could spot anything worth our hunt. Except that, it started reminding me of a horror movie. I could only register the objects in the room for a split second at a time, with not enough light to invade the whole room & get a good idea of what the heck in the world was in there. I got too spooked after several flashes & put the camera down. I was certain some insane guy with a clown mask was about to jump in front of the camera, & I just couldn't have that. 

Oh, & to top it all off, I suddenly remembered that someone told me a relative of theirs once saw a ghost in this building. 

Finally, my sweet, lovely little child-person found a flashlight! It was high on a shelf & I stretched to reach it. It was a green flashlight shaped like an "L". I think it was a military flashlight. Anyway, I turned it on & ventured back into the darkroom. Ah! I could see! But I held my free hand up above my head & in front of my face in case any spiders or webs were to get in the way. You know, so I could quickly karate chop them to pieces if need be. There was a thick layer of dust everywhere, & really cool old equipment, & everything was vintage with a capital V. Pazely clutched my arm, frightened, & kept asking things like, "Did someone die in here?" (No, but I'm sure there's a creepy clown in that corner over there.) 

And then I spotted it! A box full of empty film canisters. Jackpot. I grabbed the three ziploc bags full & got out of there lickety-split. And then I went back & got Pazely.

After we made it into daylight I realized I didn't NEED all three bags of canisters. So, we had to go back in that room & return two of the bags. Pazely bravely piped up, "I'll do it! Give me the bags & the flashlight, mom!" Wow, she was being so brave. But as she grabbed the bags, she also grabbed my arm & tugged me along.

The next few things happened so quickly...

•We walked into the room.

•Pazely screamed.

•So I screamed.

•We dropped the bags. 

•And ran.

I laughed so hard I couldn't stop.

And Pazely thought it was the best adventure ever.

So, that's just a fun little backstory to yesterday's Alka-Seltzer Rocket project.

I love me a good backstory.

♥

(*The photo up top was NOT taken by me, but directs to THIS link.)