Episode 36: Your Urban Legends (with Eric Schneider)
/You sent them, we read them! In this episode of Spirits, we read out your creepy, vaguely horrifying, usually fascinating hometown urban legends and folklore. From Ouija board mishaps to creepy goat-legged ladies and grandpas who love scaring their grandkids, we had a blast sharing your stories with the world!
Julia recommends the gorgeous audio drama, The Far Meridian. Amanda recommends this week the work of Tana French! Find out more about this week’s myths: Donkey Lady, Bloody Bones, The Female Stranger, Devil’s Chair, The Jersey Devil, and Poinciana Woman.
If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, & Goodreads, and review us on iTunes to help new listeners find the show. You can support us on Patreon to unlock bonus audio content, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. To read up on us, listen to us on other podcasts, or send us a note, just head on over to SpiritsPodcast.com.
Our music is "Danger Storm" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Transcript
AM: Welcome to Spirits Podcast Episode 36: Your Urban Legends with Eric Schneider.
JS: Guys, I'm so excited about this. It's gonna be a lot of fun. You guys sent in some real good stuff. So, a few months ago, we asked you to send in your urban legends and hometown folklore, and you all showed up.
AM: You showed up.
JS: We got dozens of emails with great stories. So many that we had to share some of our favorites.
AM: Yeah. Yeah. We decided that we had to share the fun. So, we invited editor, Eric, to read some with us. And, as always happens when Eric is on the show, we got super, super silly. So, buckle up because you might hear your hometown story read to you by our very sultry voices. But, first --
JS: They're super sultry.
AM: -- housekeeping.
JS: Recommendation Corner first, Amanda?
AM: Yes.
JS: Okay. So, what have you been listening to/watching/reading this week?
AM: So, I've been reading Tana French Mysteries. She is like an Irish mystery novelist. I, just today, came back from vacation, which is great to see you, Julia, but very sad to be back from vacation.
JS: Yes.
AM: It was very, very relaxing. And there's nothing I love more than sitting by a pool reading a thriller or mystery novel, and Tana is my favorite. She is, like I said, Irish. There's lots of like great Irish slang. It's all like – it's called The Dublin Murder Squad, the series that I love. So, it's just like lady detectives often in Ireland solving very, very good mysteries. It's great writing. It's sometimes occult AF. Y'all would love it.
JS: Nice. That sounds amazing. And I am the most jealous that you got to spend all that time on vacation by the pool reading mystery novels.
AM: Sorry.
JS: I'm the most jealous person. Yeah. I understand. It's fine.
AM: But what have you been reading or listening to?
JS: So, this week, I want to recommend a new audio drama, which is produced by our good friend, Mischa Stanton of ars Paradoxica and Bright Sessions' fan.
AM: Hey.
JS: It is amazing. It is called The Far Meridian. And it is about a lighthouse keeper who wakes up each morning to find that her lighthouse has been transported somewhere new.
AM: It's such a good concept. I'm so jealous.
JS: It's so cool. The first two episodes are actually out right now. And they are like audio paintings. They're gorgeous.
AM: I would expect nothing less of Mischa. And, speaking of gorgeous, let's take some time to thank our wonderful patrons. Welcome to the newest members of our patrons squad: Mari, Phoebe, Emily, and Stephanie.
JS: And thank you to Ryan and Mary, who upgraded their pledges. Thanks guys.
AM: Thank you and, as always, to our supporting producer level patrons: LeeAnn, Shannon, Phil, Catherine, Kristina, MCF, Megan, Sara, Katie, Derek, and Debra.
JS: You creepy, yet wonderful fodder for Urban Legends.
AM: All right. Let's finish things up. We had so much fun with this episode. And we want to hear more of your stories. They are so addictive. Every time an email comes in, I text Julia like "Oh my god, I got a new one, came in. Let's read it together."
JS: They're really, really good.
AM: So, please send us more at SpiritsPodcast@gmail.com. That's our email. Or, you can submit one on our website SpiritsPodcast.com. Or, finally, message us anytime at Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. We are @SpiritsPodcast.
JS: Or, you can just chat with us on Twitter or Facebook. Or, you can hang out with us on Instagram @SpiritsPodcast, too. Sometimes, we hang out in live sessions. Sometimes, we just post photos of the drinks that were drinking that night. It's a lot of fun.
AM: Yeah. We're gonna have a new live stream soon. And $10 and $15 patrons can look out for an email shortly about this month's live stream.
JS: Hell yeah, they can. Quick, Amanda, what did we drink this week?
AM: It was dealer's choice. So, you had a gin and tonic. I had a homemade Manhattan because, you know, sometimes, you gotta treat yourself. And Eric – Eric was also sipping on some whiskey.
JS: You nailed it. Got every one.
AM: All right. Listeners, without further ado, enjoy Spirits Podcast Episode 36: Your Urban Legends with Eric Schneider.
Intro Music
AM: It's a Spirits team special. Hey.
JS: Did you want us to join in with you on that one? Because it seems like you did. But I didn't know what you're gonna say.
AM: No. Because only – A, only one of you can look at me right now.
JS: Okay.
AM: And, B, I am just very animated. I'm really tired.
JS: You are. And you're really like hyper right now.
AM: And I spent a lot of time in the Apple store today. So, I'm sorry.
JS: It's okay.
AM: What's up Eric?
E. Schneider: Hello. I'm here again.
JS: Yey.
E. Schneider: Third time champ.
AM: Third time champ. You're kind – you're part of the team, my dude. It's not even --
E. Schneider: I am, I am more episodes than any other guest.
AM: That's true.
JS: You can, you can brag about that. That's pretty dope.
AM: Yeah. It is funny that you know you are a part of the team and like when we sign emails and patreon stuff like the Spirits team, it means – it means the three of us. But you know, you're just our silent partner like enabling all of the audio stuff.
JS: You are Alfred Pennyworth in Batman and Robin.
E. Schneider: Until, until the episode showed up with me in them. And then I’m no --
JS: That's true.
E. Schneider: -- longer the silent partner.
AM: Yeah.
E. Schneider: My episodes aren’t the best.
JS: I appreciate when you're not silent. Shhhh. Yes, they are. It's okay. It’s okay.
AM: Tailypo remains my favorite episode.
E. Schneider: Tailypo is really good.
JS: Tailypo episode is the most convoluted episode we've ever done.
E. Schneider: It really is.
AM: Well, we have – we have lots of things to share with you today. Emails from the audience – from you. From listeners.
JS: Yes. We get to hear your urban legends this week, and it's going to be a lot of fun.
AM: I'm really, really pumped about it. Including one that's vaguely Taileybones-esque.
JS: Yes.
AM: So, we’ve – or Tailypo-esque.
E. Schneider: There you go.
JS: You gave – you gave it away.
AM: I did. Sorry. Okay. Julia, you seem really excited about yours. Do you wanna start?
JS: Yeah. Okay. So, my email is from a lady named Carrie. Thanks for taking the time to hear my hometown's mythical nonsense. Lol, I have this story for you. And I'd love for you to talk about it on episode if you can. I'd love to hear what y'all think especially while drinking. Good news. We are drinking.
AM: Good news, Kelly – Carrie. What's her name?
JS: Carrie.
AM: Carrie.
JS: Good. Good. Please remember our own people's names.
AM: I am literally drinking right now.
JS: I know. I know. Okay. So, to jump in and give a little background, I grew up in Southside of San Antonio, Texas. My father owns land and currently lives off a well-known street called Applewhite Road. It is really on the outskirts of San Antonio, but, but everyone who has grown up here knows the history of San Antonio. Before Applewhite Road expanded and the Toyota plant was placed there --
AM: I just pictured a like --
JS: Oh, god.
AM: -- a like a giant ganic fig tree with little Toyotas on it. I don't know why.
JS: Okay.
AM: But it just – it really sprung to mind. The Toyota plant. The Toyota plant.
JS: Oh, god. All right.
AM: Oh, god.
JS: So, the Toyota plant was – Eric just got there. Okay.
E. Schneider: It took me a minute. You had to resay – you had to resay. It took a second, but I put – I put it together, and it's, it’s pretty good.
AM: It's funny because I did no work in that – in that joke. Like I just – I just misheard something and a dumb came to mind, and, yeah, I appreciate that you appreciated it.
E. Schneider: Sure. Yeah.
JS: Guys there were like four paragraphs. Let me get through these.
AM: Okay.
JS: So, the Toyota plant was placed there and brought lots of job opportunities. It’s so much right now.
E. Schneider: A tree. Oh, this goof has become part of it.
AM: I'm so sorry, guys.
JS: So, the area used to be just a one lane road from San Antonio to Hill Country – to Hill Country. Later when it started to populate in the mid 1990s, the street expanded into a two lane Street and was still surrounded by lime trees.
E. Schneider: [Inaudible 7:10].
JS: Shut up. Both of you are so fucking much right now.
E. Schneider: I'm so sorry, Carrie. This is good bit.
AM: Carrie, your email is so good.
JS: It's so good and so detailed.
AM: Something, something about Eric being on the show with us just, just makes me the dumbest that I possibly be.
JS: Okay, guys. There were no --
E. Schneider: That's my girl.
JS: There were no lampposts. And, at night, it was completely pitch black. I remember, as a child, my father would avoid the street after dark. My mother, on the other hand, would purposely drive down the street at night to get fright out of us, which usually happened.
AM: Sounds like a good mom.
JS: Everyone used to call this one lane bridge, the Donkey Lady Bridge. It has been closed off for several years. They built a bigger, better bridge on the other side. The story has different variations of what happened, but this is what I have always been told. Somewhere between the 1930s and 1950s, there was a girl who was born deformed with donkey legs.
AM: Huh!
JS: Like you guys laughed for 20 goddamn minutes about a Toyota tree or Toyota plant, but you can't be weirded out by donkey legs? Come on.
E. Schneider: I like that I can kind of imagine that. That's like a fad.
JS: It sucks.
E. Schneider: A tree with a bunch of trees at it is a whole new image.
JS: I'm so done with you all.
E. Schneider: No. I mean that would be horrifying to see it real life. Undeniably horrifying to see in real life. I just feel like, mythologically, I've seen something, but I can't – I know how to process that image.
JS: Okay.
AM: Yeah. Or, like Mr. Tumnus, you know, goat legs --
JS: Okay. Okay.
AM: -- like goat person bottom half is a little bit different. Anyway. But we all know that I am horrified by, by parts being apportioned.
JS: Yes. Okay. So, this meaning she had the exact legs of a donkey with hooves, hair, and all. She used to wear long dresses to cover them to ensure that no one would find out.
AM: Yeah. Good plan.
JS: Her mother and father neglected her, because they were ashamed, of course. Well, not of course. I'm sorry. I don't mean of course.
AM: No. But like they were – they were shit. They were shit.
JS: Yeah,
AM: Like of course.
JS: Like, any good myth, the parents are usually shitty in the myth.
AM: Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
JS: Whether she was abandoned, I'm not sure. During school, she was bullied for her shyness, and kids soon found out she was born with donkey legs when pushing her to the ground and her dress coming up.
AM: Awww.
JS: The kids ran amok telling all their parents. And the gossip of her deformity traveled throughout the community. This little girl eventually grew up and had her own family. Back then deformity was not easily accepted and, so, years later, the people in the community went over to the lady's house and burned it to the ground with her and her two children inside. They say that she never forgave the community for what they did and how they treated her all those awful years. So, they say that she haunts the actual road and bridge of Applewhite. In other versions of the story, she was a normal woman and had two children. She was disfigured in the house fire and her children died in that fire. So, she haunts the area looking for their souls. It is said that this bridge and down the road of Applewhite Road, you can hear her chasing you and running after your car while driving. That's horrifying. You can hear hooves and donkey noises or huffing like a horse does. You can hear it keeping up with the side of your car while driving. She waits under the bridge and tries to scare off anyone who enters her territory. Very territorial donkeys.
AM: All right.
JS: Some people have also --
AM: Are they? Are they, Jules?
JS: I don't know. I'm just gonna say that.
AM: I'm pretty sure donkeys just like hang out in the – in the barnyard like sad that they aren't horses.
JS: But like if they had children, you know, like all mama animals are protective of their babies.
AM: All right. I know I just see donkeys alone like in the corner of the putting green.
JS: Whatever. Some people have also seen red eyes and a figure of her themselves, a normal looking woman with the legs of a donkey. Also, people have seen her deformed and disfigured from the said fire. I never understood why that particular road until five years ago. The city of San Antonio had built a travel park with trails in the back roads near Medina Lake. You can either mountain bike through the trails or they have walking/hiking trails, Applewhite Road crosses over that river at one point and you can see it on a map or if you Google it, the Donkey Lady Bridge. My sister and I went hiking through there when it first opened and we noticed about 15 to 20 minutes of walking on one trail that there was an old abandoned house that looked burnt.
AM: Nooooo!
JS: Why would you go there?
E. Schneider: Oh, no. No. Now, it's real.
JS: It was more like a shell. There are also several fireplaces just out by themselves. Like as if a house had one sit around them each. It was really creepy. I think maybe, if it's a true story, that could be the place. I'm not sure. But that is what I do know about the story or at least one version of it. Hope we all enjoyed the story. We did. It was terrifying.
E. Schneider: We did.
JS: There are more stories that are interesting around San Antonio. I thought this one was the most widely known in our area. Please let me know if you have any questions.
AM: Thank you.
JS: Yeah. No. That's adorable.
E. Schneider: Yeah
AM: That's such a specific, you know --
E. Schneider: Like adorable. Hold on. Let's back up till Julia say that was adorable.
JS: No. No. No. Like her email was adorable.
E. Schneider: Okay.
JS: The information was terrifying,
E. Schneider: I was like I --
AM: I was gonna say that like a uniquely horrifying image. And like, you know, like I don't want to be like body shaming of people, you know, in any way.
JS: The donkey legs?
E. Schneider: I don't think – I know – I don't think we have to be too concerned with any listeners with literal donkey legs.
JS: I don't think anyone’s gonna be like, “How dare you talk about that. I've had donkey legs my entire life.”
AM: So, Carrie, thank you so much for sending that in.
JS: Yeah. No. That was great.
E. Schneider: Speaking of like weird sounds, this is a legitimate thing that happened to me like two hours ago. I was at work and I was --
AM: Wooo.
JS: Exciting.
E. Schneider: -- using our – this is a – this is on the man on the street, a real legend. I was --
JS: Thank you.
E. Schneider: -- throwing something into our dumpster at work and the, the like compacts and stuff, because we're clearing out a room. And, I swear to God, I heard a voice that go like, “Hey, there,” from inside the trash compactor. And --
JS: Cool.
E. Schneider: -- I'm sure it was a box like just expanding weird and like scratching up against itself. But I, literally, was just like, “Hello,” and then I just closed the door like honestly.
JS: It's the ghost of Han Solo, who got stuck in that trash compactor.
AM: Oh, no.
E. Schneider: I was like – I’m like, “There's no way that like a person could be in there at all. There’s just not a possibility for it.” It’s like, “No, that's not possible.” I was like, “I'm just gonna go now. I'm all alone in this building. See you.”
AM: Wow. I'll often imagine possible scary things. I'm like, “Wow. What if – what if like, in those bushes over there, as I'm walking to the subway late at night, it had like eyes in them. And, and like I imagined them so vividly. Julia is giving me like a judgemental --
JS: What's wrong with your brain? What’s wrong with your brain?
E. Schneider: You know, I’m with Amanda. Yeah. I’m with Amanda on this. Sometimes, I will make – I mean this is a classic flash shark situation in which you convince yourself that a terrifying thing is there; a shark in the swimming pool, the girl from The Ring next to your bed, eyes in a bush. This is – I completely understand this situation.
JS: Do you guys just wanna make your lives more horrifying? Like my life is scary --
E. Schneider: No. I think we just have social anxiety.
JS: -- enough without me imagining like shit jumping out of the bushes.
AM: I just – I don't know. I just – the thought comes to me. I read too much fantasy, sci-fi, and horror as a kid I guess.
JS: Oh, my god. You guys are weirdos.
AM: I don't know.
JS: All right. Eric, do you want to read yours now?
E. Schneider: I would love to read mine. All righty, I am gonna read mine now. I'm a very bad public reader. But, through the magic of editing, you'll never know.
JS: That's okay. You heard mine
E. Schneider: Through the magic of editing, you didn't notice that one either.
AM: Yeah. Eric, you – you're truly the Batman of podcasting, where the better year – is that the right – like the better you do your job, the less people notice it.
E. Schneider: No. Batman’s --
JS: Well, it’s not what Batman is about.
E. Schneider: -- that – you always see Batman do his shit.
AM: But isn’t Batman just, just like silently waiting for a chance to like do good work?
E. Schneider: He should be, but he's not good at it.
JS: Yeah. That's why he dresses up as a bat.
AM: Oh, that’s true.
E. Schneider: Yeah. Yeah. But then he drives like a – but he drives like the Batmobile, which is like a big machine and like blow stuff up and --
JS: No. Eric, that's what I'm saying. He has no chill. Batman has no chill.
E. Schneider: Batman has no chill.
JS: He's like – he's very like, “I'll hide in the shadows until I beat all of you – like these 20 men down. And then, and then strap them up into lights and, so, the bat signal forms.” Like, no, he has no chill.
E. Schneider: Unlike the Spiderman podcasting. Because Spiderman --
JS: Okay.
E. Schneider: -- is really cool.
AM: All right. [Inaudible 15:50].
JS: Okay.
AM: He’s just like hanging out on the top of the building looking.
E. Schneider: There's, there's not an analogy there. It’s still just like Spiderman.
JS: I'm sorry, Eric. That's the most like white geek choice you could have possibly made.
E. Schneider: I know. But you know what? But you know what? He does all about web slinging. It’s real fun.
JS: Sure. Okay.
E. Schneider: It’s a lot of fun. All right. The next story comes to us from Ashton. And it is titled, Bloody Bones aka How my hillbilly grandfather entertained himself by terrifying small children. I haven't read any of these yet.
JS: The best email title.
E. Schneider: Julia and Amanda sifted through this. I don't know what’s about to happen at all.
JS: Yeah. I like – I didn't read a lot of them. Like I read maybe the first couple sentences of each of them just so we could get a feel of who should read them and whatnot. And, Eric, this one kind of stood out for me for you. So, go ahead.
AM: Yeah. We just saw the title. And we’re like, “Well.”
E. Schneider: I don't know what that’s about to say about me, but here we go. All right. My grandparents lived in a tiny town outside Ashland, Kentucky literally in the middle of the woods. Ashton also writes read this in my most Appalachian accent that I can manage, but I am definitely not even gonna try to, to butcher an accent like that.
AM: We do not blame you. It's okay.
E. Schneider: At night, we would hear where the crickets and the running water of the creek more commonly known as a crick. I would call it a crick as well. So, I get that.
JS: I would call it a creek, because you're a weirdo.
AM: Because we’re Yankees.
E. Schneider: No. That's a crick. So, the running water of the crick that cuts through their backyard. When we were about eight years old, my grandfather told my cousin and I the story of Bloody Bones. In the trees lives Bloody Bones. He wanders from hill to hill looking for small children that stay out past sundown. He likes to stay close to the water; rivers, lakes, ponds, puddles and cricks. You don't hear him coming. You won't see him running, because he stays in the trees or the water until he jumps on land on top of you to eat the flesh off your bones alive.
AM: Oooh.
E. Schneider: So, not great so far. He’s a very fast, scary thing.
AM: Silent.
E. Schneider: Yeah.
JS: I'm picturing a bloody skeleton, but I don't think that works if it is swimming in water. Like the blood would wash away.
E. Schneider: He also lives – but he also lives in the trees.
JS: I'm all about that though.
E. Schneider: So, he's all over the place.
AM: Yeah. I was – I was picturing a like hyena type thing. Like, like, you know, lost continent Australian type shit.
E. Schneider: But don't go looking for him either. During the day, he likes to keep hidden. If he sees you, he'll sit and wait. Keep your eyes off the tree line, because, if he’s spotted, he attacks. But, at night, nothing can keep you from the clutches of bloody bones. If he sees you, you're done for. Only a few have been able to escape him. I saw him once. He looks like a man, but he's not. He's about eight foot tall and three foot wide.
JS: That's a really specific dimension.
AM: It sounds like a refrigerator.
E. Schneider: Yeah. He's a real refrigerator man.
JS: Just like the refrigerator that got dropped on Randy Orton during the House of Horrors Match.
E. Schneider: Yes.
JS: That was a joke made specifically just for Eric.
E. Schneider: That's a joke just for the wrestling fans out there.
JS: There we go.
AM: Hey.
E. Schneider: He's bright red, because he's got no skin.
JS: Ooooh.
AM: Ooooh.
E. Schneider: His body. Oh, no. We’re getting worse. It’s about to get worse. His body is made up of the children he eats. The more kids he eats, the larger he gets. He's got a big mouth with long teeth as long – as sharp as razor blades. His fingers are long. And he's got claws for fingernails. You better be careful. I saw something rustling in the trees earlier. Bloody Bones is nearby.
AM: This is sounding more, more like a refrigerator as we go.
JS: I’m so terrified by this.
AM: Like a repository of flesh, big gaping mouth aka the door, and maybe there’s just like a knife rack on the side.
JS: I can't.
E. Schneider: Yeah. So, I think that's the whole thing, because I – here's the – here's the rest of what, what Ashton wrote. He said, “Not only was this story terrifying because there's a large naked skinless man on the loose --
JS: I mean clearly.
E. Schneider: -- that's going to eat, but my great grandmother lived in a trailer behind my grandparents house.
JS: Great.
E. Schneider: And, in order to get there, we had to cross the creek via a small bridge my grandfather made.
AM: Naturally.
E. Schneider: Also, the little dirt path – oh, what were you gonna say?
JS: Don't do that. Don't cross the creek. Don't do it.
E. Schneider: But they have – they have to to get there.
AM: But crossing water – like crossing running water is not a good idea.
JS: Not at night.
AM: Not a good idea.
JS: Don't do it at night. Fuck.
E. Schneider: That's a good point. The little dirt path they would cross was lined with trees. We'd always run home before the sun went down to avoid Bloody Bones.
JS: Oh, thank god.
E. Schneider: However, however, one night when we were about eight years old, we lost track of time and had to walk back to my grandparents house in the dark. My cousin and I held each other close and ran keeping our eyes on the ground with nothing but our flashlights for light. We were about 150 feet away from my grandparents house when we hear something drop out of the trees yelling. I don't know what's about to happen. We both dropped to the ground screaming and crying as we awaited our deaths by being eaten by Bloody Bones. We heard laughter and a light shine on us. It was my grandfather, who had climbed the tree earlier, waited for us, and jumped down to scare us for his own amusement.
JS: Your grandfather time is the fucking worse.
E. Schneider: This was the only time he had done this. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
AM: Wow. Grandpa committed to the bit. He climbed the tree.
E. Schneider: Yeah.
JS: Fucking god.
E. Schneider: Oh, god.
JS: Your grandfather sounds like the best/worst.
E. Schneider: Yeah. Also, if you want to learn more about Bloody Bones, there is a Wikipedia entrance – entry that you can all check.
JS: We will link in the show notes. Hell yeah.
AM: Awesome. Ashton, that was so good.
E. Schneider: Yeah.
AM: Total [Inaudible 21:32]. We love it.
JS: That's so --
E. Schneider: I had – I had no idea where that was going the whole time. And it just got worse and worse.
AM: And like a really effective deterrent against staying out after curfew.
JS: Yeah. You fucking deserve it if you stay out after curfew. No. I’m kidding. That’s --
E. Schneider: Eight, eight feet five by three.
JS: we don’t – we don’t victim blame Bloody bones victims.
AM: Listen, man, if he sees you, that's it. You're done. You're done for.
JS: This reminds me of --
E. Schneider: That’s – that is it.
JS: Have you guys seen the show Attack on Titan?
AM: No.
E. Schneider: Yes.
JS: The villains in that basically are just like skinless giants.
AM: Ahhh. Fine. Great.
JS: And that's --
E. Schneider: Yeah. They’re – no. They're very terrifying.
AM: Well, that's terrifying.
JS: Yep.
AM: And, so, now, I'm going to bring you a slightly less scary myth, but one with a lot cooler kind of potential historically.
E. Schneider: Whooo.
AM: So, this is from a friend of the show, our first patron ever, Catherine Addington.
JS: God bless you.
E. Schneider: You're telling me the last two don't have important historical importance --
JS: No, they do.
E. Schneider: -- to the world at large?
JS: They, for sure, do.
AM: I mean, if we – if we had a collective Flash Forward to the car growing plants of the future.
JS: Shut up.
AM: Listen, I'm not gonna stand in the way.
JS: You should – you should contact Rose Eveleth about that potential future.
AM: Fuck, yes. So, Catherine writes, One summer in high school, I worked at Gadsby's Tavern Museum. That's with a D. So, G, A, D, S, B, Y, Gadsby.
JS: Not the novel.
AM: Not, not the great.
E. Schneider: Not the great one.
JS: Thank you, guys. I'm glad you both made the same joke that I clearly missed.
AM: Hey, audio high five. Aka a bar in Alexandria, Virginia that George Washington used to have his birthday parties at. I wish I could have attended one of those. Like most colonial taverns, it had a bar or refectory, a ballroom, and a few rooms available for lodging. One of these is known as Room 8, a small blue-walled room with the window facing what is now City Hall as well as the local market, which has been there since 1749. Alexandria old as fuck. That was me editorializing it. So, nowadays, it's all flowers and artisanal breads and fresh produce, but, in colonial times, it mainly sold slaves and livestock. There's a candle in the window that helps block the view. From time to time, a ghost appears in this window. She wears a long black veil.
JS: They always do. They always fucking do.
AM: Sometimes, it’s a white veil.
JS: There's always veils. There's always long flowing dresses.
AM: It’s like – it’s like the sort of Bertha Mason and company are like long white dresses, but like the, the heads are like exposed.
JS: I'm just saying like, you know, the corporeal forms of spirits are never like in jeans and a T-shirt.
AM: Right. Monochromatic.
E. Schneider: This is a main – this is a problem I also have with ghosts. They're always old-timey people.
JS: I want some new-timey people, goddammit.
E. Schneider: I don't – I don't understand why there's – it's always – like you never see a ghost post the Civil War. And I – people – I'm 100% sure people died pass that.
JS: You know what my issue with ghost is too now that we're on a rant about ghosts?
AM: I really do want to know.
JS: So, ghosts are supposed to be all ego, right?
AM: Are they?
JS: Yes. A ghost is just the ego of a person when they die that's leftover.
E. Schneider: Right.
AM: So, like the part of them that wants something, something?
JS: Right.
AM: Okay.
JS: Like just the whole like lack of impulse control.
E. Schneider: Like Slimer, Slimer from Ghostbusters. All Slimer wants is pizza.
JS: Yes.
E. Schneider: Because the guy that used to be Slimer presumably just wanted pizza.
AM: What?
JS: Amanda, Amanda goes, “Excuse me?”
AM: Okay. Moving on.
JS: Amanda doesn't know the, the story and mythology behind Slimer from Ghostbusters
E. Schneider: Slimer is more of a Ghostbusters II, which I don't think we've watched yet as an audio extra.
AM: No, we haven’t.
JS: It's okay. So, my problem with ghosts is they’re supposed to be all ego. And then we have this fucking like bullshit baby boomer thing like, “Oh, well, you know, millennials are so conceited blah, blah, blah. They're all ego. Are we going to just be the generation of ghosts?”
AM: Oh. So, like post Civil War, all ghosts are now millennials.
JS: Yes.
AM: And, and we’re just like --
E. Schneider: So, you’re saying the – you’re saying that they just haven't --
AM: -- checking out the good dank memes and like figuring out, you know, what we're missing.
JS: Our ghosts are gonna be like internet ghosts that like come up through your computer and post danks from 20 years ago.
AM: Oh, no. That's it. No, no, no. No, no, no. That's it. It’s that our, our ego – like the thing that we need the most is not to miss out and to know what's happening. Like what's the latest thing? So, we are just like the ghost of like the end of the Tumblr dashboard as it loads to take – like to look at the next thing.
JS: That’s horrifying.
AM: I know.
JS: I love it.
AM: Only like we just – yeah. Like we're here for the unending stream of content and the other hashtag content on the internet.
JS: Oh, god.
E. Schneider: So, so, are you – are you essentially saying that there haven't been any new ghosts because no one's been egocentric enough for the last hundred and some years?
JS: No. I'm saying that is bullshit because, if that's true, our generation’s just be – gonna be like the generation of ghosts.
AM: All ghosts.
JS: We’re gonna have so many ghosts.
E. Schneider: But what does that – but what if that is the case?
JS: That would be amazing
E. Schneider: We haven’t started to die off yet. What if we just like inhabit the Earth as spirits forever as millennial ghosts?
JS: It's gonna be like Civil War ghosts.
AM: Yeah.
JS: Millennial ghosts.
AM: Yeah.
JS: That's just gonna be the way it goes.
AM: Because like the greatest generation, silent generation, boomers, they don't have fucking time to be a ghost. Like they – they're like here on Earth and have hard one, you know, like lights. And then it ends, and they're like, “Okay. Great. Thank, thank god it’s over.”
JS: And then they're mad at us.
E. Schneider: We should get back to the story.
JS: Yes, we should. I'm sorry.
AM: Oh, that's true. That's true.
JS: Amanda put down her phone. And let it go to sleep. That's how long we talked about ghosts.
E. Schneider: Oh, no.
AM: Anyway, this ghost is the female stranger, which is the cryptic name by which her famous grave identifies her.
JS: I was gonna say that's a really lazy name. But, since it's the name on the grave, it's way better.
AM: It’s also 1780s I think.
JS: Cool.
AM: So, you know --
JS: The female stranger.
AM: -- they were – they were a little bit, you know, less inventive in their lore. So, they say she died in this very room, Room 8, at the age of 23. The story goes that the female stranger arrived in Alexandria by ship in the throes of illness. Her male companion --
JS: I'm sorry. Pause. They know – they know how old she is, but they don't know her name. She's just the female stranger.
AM: Wait for it, Julia. Wait for it
JS: Okay. I'm sorry.
E. Schneider: Also, also, this is older times. That makes a lot of sense.
AM: We're like they were my 10 baptismal records, but it's just like spawn of like J dot whatever. Like it's – the person's name doesn't matter, but --
JS: That's bullshit right there.
AM: I know. I know. Okay. Just wait for it though. So, she arrived in Alexandria by ship in the throes of illness. Her male companion rented Room 8 and hired a doctor to care for her. The couple refused to reveal their identities to the doctor or --
JS: That's --
AM: -- to the local woman who tended to the stranger. Like her nursemaid I guess. And swore them all to secrecy regarding their presence. Word spread anyway, of course. They were mysterious foreigners at the city's most frequented establishment.
JS: That some secret royalty right there if I've ever heard a story before.
E. Schneider: That sounds like it. I was gonna say it’s the queen.
AM: Any other --
JS: Secret queen.
AM: Any other suggestions?
JS: A secret queen. Bastard – nope – bastard child of the Pope.
AM: Rumors abounded then and now. Perhaps the stranger was an English noblewoman who eloped with a British Army officer.
JS: Definitely.
AM: And she felt ill on the way. Perhaps, she was Theodosia Burr Alston, daughter of Aaron Burr.
JS: Oh, no. I fucking love Theodosia. I’m sure she said – she died.
AM: I know. But the, the – actually, so, she died at sea in a ship.
JS: Yeah. Also, wasn't she a little bit older than 23 when she disappeared? True?
AM: Yes.
JS: Okay.
AM: However, Catherine says here that people believe that the whole story about her being lost at sea is a cover up for having married a pirate, which is amazing.
JS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
AM: And then Catherine editorializes.
E. Schneider: Yeah, I know. This is better.
AM: It’s historically impossible, but I believe it anyway. So, do we. Headcanon accepted. Her illness took her fast. And, when the stranger died on October 14th, 1816, the man borrowed money from local businessman Lawrence Hill to bury her. Her headstone in nearby St. Paul's Episcopal tells us, “This stone is erected by her disconsolate husband in whose arms she sighed out her last breath and who, under God, did his utmost to soothe the cold dull hour of death.” It continues with a quote from Alexander Pope, "How loved, how honored once, avails me not, to whom related, or by whom begot a heap of dust remains of thee, ‘tis all thou that art, and all the proud shall be," which is kind of like ashes to ashes. Her male companion repaid Hill, the guy he borrowed money from, and skips town before Hill realized that the money was counterfeit.
JS: Sweet. I was gonna be like, “Where did he get the money from if he had to borrow it?”
AM: There you go. His debts were never repaid. Nor the identity of the couple discovered. But there is a happy ending. Local brewery Port City made a beer in her honor called Long Black Veil #spirits#out.
JS: That's the most dope story. Thank you so much, Catherine.
E. Schneider: That's [Inaudible 30:04].
AM: I totally accept that headcanon. Theodosia would totally be the like badass daughter of like a mom who's formally married to British Army officer and was like, “Fuck this,” and like went off and married a pirate. Fuck yes.
JS: Also, a pirate would give him counterfeit money and then bail out of town.
AM: Right. It's in character.
JS: Yeah.
AM: Amazing.
JS: Oh, god, that's so good.
E. Schneider: Okay. Our next story comes from Oliver, and it's titled Devil’s Chair.
JS: Yes. This is from our – it’s a reference to our Ghost of Orlando Episode I believe.
AM: Yes, episode 14, where there was a Devil's Chair in Florida.
E. Schneider: So, this person writes, hello, I just wanted to comment about Episode 14 when you guys and Matt were talking about the Devil's Chair. There's one somewhere in Vermont on Mount Philo. It could be a different mountain. I used to hike up there with my grandfather when I was little. We found a trail named after it and came across a large stone shaped like a chair. We all sat on it, of course. Afterwards the two cousins I was climbing with, both tripped on a wicked high trail. What?
JS: Like it's like real high up.
E. Schneider: Ooh.
JS: Yeah. Like they’re on a mountain, Eric.
E. Schneider: Yes. Yeah.
JS: The trail is super high up.
E. Schneider: Right. I got confused, because it was like wicked in the none like ghosty title Wicked.
AM: I guess you can only tell tales from greater Appalachia.
JS: Yeah.
AM: That's our takeaway here.
JS: Five years in Boston, then you can know a Wicked is like a fucking slang.
E. Schneider: Afterwards, the two cousins and I were climbing and both tripped on a wicked high trail. One almost fell, but caught himself on a tree. I just thought it was pretty wicked that you guys were talking about it after binging Spirits for about two days. It's honestly awesome.
JS: Oh, well, thank you Oliver.
AM: Awww. Thanks, Oliver.
JS: That's awesome. I'm glad your cousin caught himself a tree before he fell off that ledge.
E. Schneider: That's very good.
JS: That would have sucked otherwise. So, this one's from Deborah and the subject is Ouija Board Michael Long Island legend?
AM: I mean we're clicking on that email.
JS: She goes, hi, love the podcast. So, I'm not sure if this is an actual urban legend, but it did happen to me while I was in middle school. There was a --
AM: Now that it happened to you, it's, it's real.
JS: It's true. There was a group of girls that had a sleepover party. They decided to use a Ouija Board, and they contacted a spirit of a boy named Michael.
AM: Okay. Pause. Have you ever done that, Julia?
JS: I have played with a Ouija Board before. Yes.
AM: Okay. Eric.
E. Schneider: No.
AM: I think I have maybe once.
E. Schneider: I was – I was a – I was a good evangelical kid. And we weren't allowed to touch the tools of – touch – we weren't allowed to touch the tools of Satan.
AM: And, now look at you, you're producing a show somewhat about the tools of Satan.
E. Schneider: Yeah, to, to help people – to help people defend themselves from it. That's my main goal.
AM: Yes, yes, yes.
JS: Clearly. That is what our stories are about --
E. Schneider: Yeah.
JS: -- so you can defend yourself from Satan.
AM: Yes. Good.
JS: So, they decided to use a Ouija board. And they contacted the spirit of a boy named Michael. They asked the normal questions. Like how old were you when you died? How did you die, et cetera. So, after sleepover, the girls that were there were getting scratched all over their backs that – which left red marks.
AM: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
JS: No reason for this. So, they attribute it to Michael, because I guess something must have happened during the Ouija. I don't really remember because it was a long time ago. My friend came up to me freaking out saying she felt something on her back and asked me to look. I saw scratch marks on her back with no explanation. I was kind of freaked out. There was literally no explanation for the marks to be in the center of her back like that. Like I guess they were just out of reach --
AM: Yeah. Yeah.
JS: -- from where she could have --
AM: And, if they were all looking at each other, they couldn’t have just like scratched it surreptitiously.
JS: Yeah. Like I said, not sure if the story got around or has different names, but it's creepy. Deb, thank you, Deb.
AM: Thanks, Deb.
JS: I mean I feel like we had some creepy Ouija board stories when we were kids.
AM: I did Bloody Mary a bunch.
JS: We did do Bloody Mary. Yeah.
AM: That was the go-to.
E. Schneider: Oh, no. I never did Bloody Mary.
JS: Well, because you're a good evangelical child.
E. Schneider: No, because I was a scared little child.
JS: I mean that too.
E. Schneider: That would, that, that was –
AM: It was scary.
E. Schneider: Whoa. I ain't gonna go into a bathroom alone and say something in the mirror. No way.
AM: I know. Like, like mirrors. Like dramatic lighting.
E. Schneider: I still won't go to the bathroom in the dark with the door closed. Like I’ll – I will – I’ll go --
JS: Such a [Inaudible 34:12].
AM: I thought you were gonna say alone. And I was like, “Whoa.” Yeah. And hamper on your lifestyle.
E. Schneider: Like, like, in the moment, I will go – I won't turn on the light, but I couldn't close that door. If I close that door, then I'm in there with something.
JS: You trapped the ghost in with you.
AM: And, and, yeah, like one of the great pleasures of living alone is not needing to close the door.
JS: I'm trying to think. We definitely had a story that we would tell at, at sleepovers. I'm pretty sure it was like the thump, thump drag story.
AM: Oh, motherfucker.
JS: Yeah. Okay.
AM: Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god.
JS: I don't remember the details of that story, the thump, thump drag.
E. Schneider: Is this different from claw guy? Or, is this a different thing?
AM: No.
JS: What did you think it was?
AM: It was like a creature.
JS: Yeah. It was like a dude who murdered someone and then like had a weird leg maybe.
E. Schneider: Oh.
AM: Yeah. Or, like dragged the sack behind him.
JS: Or, was dragging something. Yeah. Like a sack of body parts or something. I don't remember.
E. Schneider: I don't know this one. I don't think I know that one.
AM: Or murder tools.
JS: Murder tools. Yep. It was just full of axes and shit.
AM: I'll do a short one from Helena. So, she said that this story has been told to her by her grandmother. And it's about a strange occurrence that happened to the grandmother when she was a child.
JS: Cool.
AM: So, first person here. So, early, when my grandmother was still a child, she would accompany her father into the woods, where he would drag wood trunks out of the deep forest with his horse sleigh. My grandmother would play in the woods by herself until her father was done with this work. Awesome 19th century. Like thanks for just having no childcare standards.
JS: At least, she wasn't doing the work herself.
AM: That's true. Yeah. Whenever, whenever I, I would like be lazy at home, my dad would be like, at your age, I was literally like --
JS: Laying bricks.
AM: -- like laying bricks, like carting them from thing to thing. My dad having moved piles of bricks just to have something to do. Anyway.
JS: That sounds right.
AM: So, her dad warned her that she shouldn't wander too far off and only go as far as she could hear the bells on the harnesses of the horses.
JS: Terrifying already.
AM: So, good. I love a good like five senses myth. Excellent job so far. One day, she was distracted by her game and wandered alone far into the forest. When she noticed that she wandered off, she strained her ears and tried to hear the ringing of the bells that she could not hear them.
JS: Holy shit.
AM: Her grandmother was very upset.
JS: No shit, Sherlock.
AM: Yeah. Yeah. It is extremely scary to get lost in the dark woods especially as a child or an adult. She looked for a way back when my grandma suddenly saw a strange glow. Her curiosity took over, and she went after it.
JS: Noooo.
AM: Grandma.
JS: It's literally the opposite thing that you should do.
AM: How did you live to be a grandma? She followed the weird light until she saw a big stone wall with an iron date in it. The strange structure in the middle of the woods glowed like the setting sun. And, even the space between the stones emitted a wonderful light. Awestruck, the grandmother passed the portal.
JS: That's heaven.
AM: Awestruck --
JS: Don't go there.
AM: -- my grandmother passed through the portal and, as soon as she set foot on the other side, she could hear the ringing bells again. So, like she time – she likes distance travel time or whatever.
JS: She fucking time traveled back to the sled.
E. Schneider: She warped.
AM: Or war – there. Warped is the word.
JS: She stargated back to the sled.
AM: I guess – I guess the word that I meant is traveled. Like so creepy.
JS: Yeah. That's fucking weird.
AM: Uh, so good. Thank you.
JS: So, this is from good friend of the podcast, Michael Schubert --
AM: Shubes.
JS: -- with an email titled OH, MY GOD I LOVE YOUR SHOW SO MUCH. HERE'S MY HOMETOWN LEGEND. All in caps because this Mike we're talking about here. So, it starts with, hey, guys. First off, huge fan. Absolutely love Spirits, and I adored you too on Potterless.
AM: Oh, yeah. Nice. Nice back door plug for his own podcast.
JS: We really got enough words. Okay.
AM: We, we love Potterless.
E. Schneider: Like, like he didn't trust us to do it. So, he’s like I will make sure it happens.
JS: He’s got it.
E. Schneider: Also --
AM: Listen.
E. Schneider: Also Eric Schneider appeared in Order of the Phoenix later this year.
AM: Oooh.
JS: I'm so excited, man. I'm taking the end of that I think. And I'm really stoked about it.
AM: I'm pumped.
JS: All right. So, he goes, anyway, here's my hometown legend, the Jersey Devil, because, of course, he's from Jersey.
AM: Yessss.
JS: The origin goes that the Jersey Devil was the child of a resident of the Pine Barrens, New Jersey named Deborah Leeds. She had 12 children and after finding out she was pregnant for the 13th time. Girl, slow down. Curse the child in frustration. Horrible idea. Crying that the child would be the devil. Well, obvi, it’s your 13th, and you cursed it. These are all Mike's own interjections by the way.
AM: Yeah. We see his all capped parent articles.
JS: On a dark and stormy night, of course, in 1735 – did New Jersey even exist – Mother Leeds gave birth, and the child was completely normal – da-da-daaa – at first.
AM: Ooh.
JS: It turned into a creature with hooves, a goat's head, bat wings, and a forked tail, which sounds horrifying.
AM: Some changeling shit.
JS: But, if you google search the images of the Jersey Devil, all the drawings make it look lame AF. The devil then killed the midwife, flew up the chimney, and escaped into the nearby forest. The lore was published in a newspaper in 1856. And the first sighting of the devil was published in 1887. Other encounters include Commodore Stephen Decatur seeing it while inspecting his cannonballs, who shot it with a cannonball to no effect.
E. Schneider: I like the idea of someone inspecting the cannonballs.
JS: It's very --
E. Schneider: Oh, you know what? This one’s – this one’s heavy and round,and so is this one.
JS: It's very military. I'm about it. Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother of Napoleon but who's taller, also claimed to have seen it in 1820, but the big year for sightings was in 1909.
AM: Wow. That's a long time.
JS: From January 16th to the 23rd, hundreds of articles were published about sightings all over the state. Reportings of creature attacking a trolley car, unidentifiable footprints in the snow, killing livestock, et cetera. Many reports cite people or policemen shooting the devil to no effort. It's like shooting at Superman. Why do you do that? You know it's not gonna work.
AM: I don't know. What else are you gonna do though? Just look?
E. Schneider: I mean it’s a devil. You gotta try something.
JS: I mean I guess. Eventually the Philadelphia Zoo offered a $10,000 reward for its capture, which led to a bunch of fakes. Like someone trying a kangaroo with artificial wings.
AM: I mean good try. Kangaroo’s is the fucking devilist shit.
JS: It's a solid choice. Yeah.
E. Schneider: Kangaroo – kangaroos have abs, and that's not cool.
JS: Kangaroos should not have abs, not visible ones at least.
AM: No one should. It's not fair
E. Schneider: Oh, it's so creepy.
JS: The best part about this legend is that it led to the name of the NHL team, the New Jersey Devils. When the Colorado Rockies – yes, the same name as Colorado’s now baseball team – relocated to --
AM: Like I never would have realized that.
JS: I know. Relocated to New Jersey, a fan poll decided that the name should be the New Jersey Devils, which is dope. So, proud of my homeland. Which of your legends has a major sports team named after it, huh? Anyway, keep doing what you're doing. I love you and your show so much. And I hope every episode of Potterless from here on out has you on it.
AM: I mean --
JS: Stay creepy, stay cool. Mike Schubert, your number one fan.
AM: We're available, Mike.
JS: We're always available, Mike.
AM: Thank you. Did you hear much about the Jersey Devil growing up on Long Island --
JS: Yes.
AM: -- which is like the other side of your New York City for those who are not around?
JS: Yes, for sure.
AM: I never did.
JS: Really?
AM: Yeah. And I knew it was a thing, but I never like heard the legend recounted.
JS: I think a really big deal too is that someone claimed to have a video of it maybe a couple years ago.
AM: Oh, really?
E. Schneider: I remember seeing this video. It was like – it was a year or two ago.
JS: Okay. Cool.
E. Schneider: And it’s – it – you just see something fly by. But like --
JS: And it looks like a goat a little bit.
E. Schneider: It looks like somebody that's actually attached like some wings to a goat and threw it in the air, because it doesn't – the wings don’t – the wings don't flap and it's only in like – the like shot for like maybe 20 frames. And it doesn't really move. It just stays up.
JS: And just it goes, hmmm.
E. Schneider: It's just, you know, floats through the air.
JS: Yeah. That’s a good one
AM: Good try goat.
JS: Okay. Our last one.
AM: Last one. So, this is all the way – speaking of kangaroos from down under for, from Rowan, our good friend. Eric's my old school friend from YouTube. So, he writes in, an urban legend I grew up hearing about in my hometown of Darwin, North Territory Australia was the Poinciana Woman, which I think I'm pronouncing correctly.
JS: He does put in a spelling --
AM: He does.
JS: -- thing, doesn’t he?
AM: Don't call me out here for getting it wrong despite the enunciation.
JS: Just making sure.
AM: I'm trying. I'm trying. Poinciana. The Poinciana Woman is a rape that haunts East Point, a peninsula which is part nature reserve, part military base covered in poinciana trees, which are covered in bright red bloom.
JS: Those seem like two very different things; nature preserve and military base.
AM: Well, probably an ex-military base that's turned to nature preserve or --
JS: Maybe.
AM: -- just happened to be both.
JS: Okay.
AM: I don't know. But, depending on who you ask, she was raped either by Japanese or Australian soldiers in World War II --
JS: Yikes.
AM: -- and hanged herself in the Poinciana tree when she discovered she was pregnant.
JS: Ooh, super not great.
AM: Starting real bummer, Rowan. I'm trusting you to get better, but let's see. So, she appears as a beautiful young Asian woman in white robes with red Poinciana flowers in her long hair.
JS: Cool.
AM: Her blood curdling screams can be heard last night as she rooms among the trees where she died.
JS: Not great.
AM: She stalks and lures men with her beauty before transforming into an undead hag with sharp wooden fingers she uses to rip them open.
JS: Sharps wooden fingers I'm all about.
AM: And feast on their guts.
JS: Yes.
AM: She will come to the rescue of any woman who is attacked on East Point.
JS: This is good.
AM: And will attack anyone who summons her by spinning around three times while saying her name.
JS: That's good.
AM: Teens attempt this frequently in Darwin as a right of passage.
JS: Goddammit.
AM: Come on, teens.
E. Schneider: Yeah, stop it, teens.
AM: East Point is also a popular spot for teens to go and make out in their cars.
JS: Don't do that.
AM: Teens, teens, come on.
JS: The story started with rape. Please don't do that.
AM: And there are so many better places to make out than cars. Like come on. So, one story in particular is when the Poinciana Woman is attacked, a couple who were getting frisky in their car. They locked the doors and sped off. But, when they got home, they discovered the long gashes of her wooden claws left in the car door.
JS: Oh, shit.
AM: Uh, love a good like physical evidence of a supernatural myth type thing.
JS: Is at the end of the story?
AM: It is.
JS: I'm gonna tell a story of when Jake and I ran into a ghost once.
AM: Oh, I remember the story.
JS: Okay. Good.
AM: Yes. Go.
E. Schneider: I didn't know this story.
JS: Yeah. Okay. Buckle in, Eric. So, Amanda and I did theater in high school. When we did Hell Week, which is the week leading up to a show, we would stay pretty late. Like you could stay at the school until like midnight.
AM: Yeah.
JS: It's midnight. So, it's not like I can bring Jake back to my place to, you know, hang out with him. So, we went around the corner to like, you know, make out a little bit in the backseat of his car. And it's kind of like a weird, foggy night.
AM: You're like on a – on a Suburban Street or in the school.
JS: We're on a Suburban Street.
AM: Okay.
JS: Kind of there's a dead end on one side, and then it's a regular Street, and we're kind of parked on the corner. And, so, we're making out in the back. I see kind of a shadow go by, because we're down the street from a lamppost. So, I can kind of see. And, so, I see a shadow go by. I kind of ignore it. Don't really say anything. And then I see another shadow go by. And I just like, “Jake, one second hold on.” So, I sit up and I look out the front of the car through the, the windshield.
AM: Windshield.
JS: And there is a dude with a dog, a big dog that looks like a German Shepherd or something.
AM: Okay.
JS: Standing in the middle of the street directly under the spotlight.
AM: So, like, like several cars away from you. Like car lanes away.
JS: Yeah. He's maybe --
AM: Not like right outside the car looking in.
JS: -- like 25 yards away from us.
AM: Okay. All right.
JS: And I hit Jake. I'm like, “We need to leave.” And, so, this dude, this figure, who was just a shadowy tall figure with a big dog next to him, stares us down as Jake gets into the front seat, puts the car in reverse, and just backs us off the street and down the other side.
AM: Wow.
JS: And that's how I almost got murdered/haunted.
AM: Did Jake have to get out of the car to get to the front seat?
JS: No.
AM: Okay.
JS: No. He just crawled through the front.
AM: Oh.
JS: That would have been terrible.
AM: Poor thing.
JS: Anyway. So, that's my urban legend story.
E. Schneider: Wow. Good.
AM: I – yeah.
JS: It's a pretty good one I think.
AM: And several of you also sent us like links to various things that are from your hometowns. So, we're gonna include this in the description for folks to check out. We love hearing these. We may do another one of these episodes in the future. But, in the meantime, we eat this shit up. So, like please send us --
JS: Yeah. Send us the stories.
AM: -- creepy stuff or, if your grandparents have stories, you know, that they – that they tell you all the time, it's, it's always fun to hear someone else's grandparents story, because it doesn't take as long as your actually grandparents.
JS: Yeah. Like how your grandma stargated through woods or almost pretended to murder you. Whatever works.
AM: Yeah. Or, just grandpa jumping out from trees to scare kids.
E. Schneider: That one’s crazy. Like there was a whole structure and stuff, and then she liked to warp around.
AM: I know. And it reminds us of our D&D campaign --
E. Schneider: It does.
AM: -- where we have recently seen a big castle appearing in the middle of the woods.
JS: Yeah.
AM: It's great.
JS: Shit.
AM: Ugh, so good.
JS: You guys rock.
AM: We love you.
JS: You guys are so creepy. We love it.
AM: So, thanks again, y'all. And, remember --
JS: Stay creepy.
AM: Stay cool.
E. Schneider: Stay safe.
JS: Thank you, Eric.
AM: Thanks, man.
Outro Music
AM: Spirits was created by Julia Schifini and me, Amanda McLoughlin. It's edited by Eric Schneider with music by Kevin MacLeod and visual design by Allyson Wakeman.
JS: Subscribe to Spirits on your preferred podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr @SpiritsPodcast.
AM: On our Patreon page, patreon.com/SpiritsPodcast, you can sign up for exclusive content like behind the scenes photos, audio extras, director's commentary, blooper reels, and beautiful recipe cards with custom drink and snack pairings.
JS: If you like the show, please share with your friends and leave us a review on iTunes. It really does help.
AM: Thank you so much for listening, till next time.
Transcriptionist: Rachelle Rose Bacharo
Editor: Krizia Casil