friday, 14 april

"You don't believe in me," observed the ghost. "I don't," said Scrooge. "What evidence would you have of my reality beyond that of your senses?" asked Marley, invitingly.
                                                        —A Christmas Carol

We showed up well equipped for our three-day vigil.

Our gear included several stationary thermometers, a digital thermal scanner, a Night Owl Night Vision monocular, a Nikon still camera, a Contax camera with infrared film (black-and-white and color), Cobra personal communicators (okay, walkie-talkies), a Palm IIIx for logging photo shots, a Sony VX1000 digital video camera, and a boom microphone and light kit for interviews. For surveillance, we had a Mackie 1604 audio mixer and lavalier microphones, two Toshiba IU-TK40 3-chip cameras, two Panasonic KS102 lipstick cameras, and a Panasonic WJM50 video mixer. We made sure that all electronic equipment had new batteries and that all recording devices and cameras were equipped with "virgin" tape/film.

We also brought two electromagnetic field (EMF) readers: the Dr. Gauss EMF reader (aka "the Pubfinder," for its habit of going off within the vicinity of a bar; apparently it can detect the "spirits" inside), and the Safe Technologies reader, which measures both extremely low frequencies (ELF) and very low frequencies (VLF).

Less high-tech ghosthunting equipment included various handy items such as thread, a Swiss Army knife, flashlights, chalk, marbles, a level, a tape measure, and so on. More prosaic gear included an air mattress, changes of clothes, bottles of Frappuccino, and Rice Krispie treats, our new tradition. (We agreed to continue our practice of eating Indian food while on an investigation, though this time we remembered to bring forks.)

We unloaded the gear, set up, and conducted our first interview. First, we tried to interview Chris at 5:30, but couldn't get the microphone to work. After he left and using a different microphone, we interviewed Kari.

 

Kari

"I've worked here since the end of September of last year. I haven't noticed anything unusual. I've heard...a few people here have gotten a cold feeling and like a feeling of dread and then they turn around and see someone walking past that door." She pointed to the door leading into the break room. "But then there's no one there. I've heard three people that's happened to. I'm really skeptical about the stories."

She then recounted the second version of the "change" story that we'd heard originally from Chris. "I guess one night when [Sarah Jane] was closing, she—there's people next door that share the basement but there was no one there and she heard change drop. Like over in the corner over there. So she had Ray come down and go look because there was no one down here. And he went over there and there was some change on the floor, which is kind of weird."

She continued, "Sometimes when I come down here and, when I get by myself I scare myself because I've heard everyone else…I scare myself all the time. But, so, I'm always ready but not expecting it to happen…the more you're down here by yourself, like the more time and the more kinda you start to psych yourself out…"

Investigator observations

Catherine: [I've] gone right past sleepy straight into stupid.
Sarah: Welcome to my world.

By Ohio

I felt uneasy in the place. Part of it was being tired and concerned about Catherine. The fluorescent lights and constant buzzing of the transformers were pretty irritating. Rattling pipes from the boiler and water. The banging made me jump the first time.

The elevator makes a strange intermittent grinding sound. Sounded like the motor was winding up and shutting down. Really an annoying noise.

At one point when I was the only one awake, I did feel a certain amount of anxiety when I walked the rounds. I kept thinking I saw something move. Well, I did—myself reflected in the plastic-sheeted reading lists hanging on the shelves.

By Sarah

Clean. The basement had the feeling of being very wide open, but at the same time felt a little claustrophobic because I couldn't see into the far corners. Although it seems like it should have been quiet because no one was down there, it was not.

By Catherine

I felt a little overwhelmed, like there's a lot to look at and I wasn't seeing everything. It's very bright and well lighted—cheerful, even—but I can't fight the urge to look behind things.

At 6:57 p.m., I went to get dinner. Given our advanced hunger, Taco Bell was the most likely candidate—close and not too much decision making required. Bad '70s music is everywhere. Tragedy. When the feeling's gone and you can't go on.

While doing the first rounds, at about 10:30 p.m., I noted in the log how loud the buzz in the back room is. That and that there's a powerful breeze in the main entrance upstairs.

The transformer boxes at the back of the building. Very loud and very annoying