Sunday, February 1, 2009

Haunted Theater

My sister Fire Eagle called yesterday to ask if Doug and I would do something that would leave us feeling a bit altered. We agreed to go see a movie with her and her husband John. She knew of a really vintage theater in Enumclaw, Washington, where it cost only $6.00 to get in the door and by the time a couple paid for popcorn and soda the entire date would cost a grand total of only $20.

So we went to see Inkheart – that just released movie where Brendan Fraser plays the doting father who learns, quite by accident he has a “silver tongue.” Meaning: when he reads books, the characters come to life and they kidnap his wife, leaving him to raise their young daughter all alone, even while he is forever running away from any of an array of strange characters who want back inside the books from whence they came.

I loved the move, even while the antique-theater did not have surround sound. In fact, outside, where we paid for our tickets at the box office, the theater owner took our cash before dashing upstairs to start the movie himself.

The very first moment I walked into the theater's entrance and smelled the buttery popcorn, I heard the word: “Haunted” play out from inside my head.

After sitting down and taking in all the nostalgia from the stage that must have been built in the early 1900’s the movie started. Somewhere mid-way through the feature, I felt a wind pass behind me, as though another customer had ran down the row of seats behind me, nearly touching the back of my head except nobody was running and I couldn’t see who could possibly have created the wind.

“Did you feel that?” I asked my husband, Doug.

“Feel what.”

“Wind. Right behind us.”

“Oh yeah.” He said, but he dismissed it as though he felt no concern.

“But you did not see anybody running behind us, did you!”

In fact, the row behind us was completely empty, as was the row behind that. Patrons sat in distant seats, scattered throughout the theater.

Later on, as the movie was about ¾ over, I began to smell cigarette smoke, as though someone sitting three rows behind had lit a cigarette.

“Do you smell that?” I asked Doug, while looking around the theater and then asked my sister after he confirmed it: “Whose smoking in here?”

My sister smelled it too and yet, after the movie, we talked about how Washington laws forbid smoking in public . . . and we realized when the theater was built people ALWAYS smoked indoors.

NEWS FLASH: UPDATE! Just got news that Pentacle Magazine is going to publish my BATTY article. {Yay.} Also see this next issue of newWitch. I believe my besom article appears in that copy!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope you asked the theatre owner, about his unpaid performers.

Hibiscus Moon said...

I love reading your blog. I probably encounter occurances like this all the time and don't take the time to notice them...or don't want to. I'm a fraidy-cat.

SunTiger said...

Arawn ~ more like non-paying customers. I swear that was weird!

HibiscusMoon ~ Why thank you, m'love! What's to be uh-scared about? Nobody's ever died by the ghost sitting next to 'em inside a theater (so much as I know).

Nadette said...

the only time I ever kinda encountered a ghost I know it didn't want me (well us i was with a couple people) tresspassing...which we kinda where. Anyways I hope this encounter was friendlier then mine lol. I hope that movie is good, because I really enjoyed the book and i am interested in seeing the movie. Anyways hope you are well :D
~Aeshe

TheLubeFaerie said...

What a cool experience! I spent the weekend reading about local ghostly appearances.We have some pretty cool stories around here.

Fijufic said...

I sense these things too and usually keep my mouth shut or will say jokingly that this place is haunted.

It usually doesn't bother me as I have come to accept the energy. I let them be and usually they let me be.

Some just like to hang around and enjoy everyone's company.

I have a difficult time expressing this to most people but my family is aware that I still have my childhood ability to sense these things and as you know I stay in close contact with my inner child.

Cheers on the publication...

I would love to see a movie in an old theater.

Bobby

SunTiger said...

Æshe ~ do tell what happened with your ghostly encounter!

TheLubeFaerie ~ Even the new theater in Auburn is haunted. Reportedly, they bought all of their projectors, etc., USED (and suspect that's where the haunting began; with the equipment). You'll have to blog about your haunting experiences!

Fijufic ~ all it takes to stay connected with the inner child is HONESTY (with self and others). You rock.

jadedj said...

I wonder if they were patrons or employees.

I can honestly say that I've never experience anything physical such as that...the breeze I mean. I have felt a presence mentally on occasion.

About the movie...Does the guy have to quit reading because of the things that happen? That would be terrible.

SunTiger said...

jadedj ~ He merely must not read aloud (he can read quietly, to himself, just not to his daughter or others). His gift or curse is the "silver-tongue." :D

becomingkate said...

I'd like to see that movie!
About the smoking presence - I can picture a couple arguing in the theatre, a woman running out, and a man lighting up a smoke. Maybe they never got back together after that, so he keeps coming back to look for her.
I would love to write stories about that kind of thing.

SunTiger said...

BecomingKate ~ WHY DON'T YOU? (Write stories.) Imagination is so necessary for happiness these days. I hope you share your wonderful creativity with the whole world.

OTHER WEBSITES MAINTAINED BY SUNTIGER

People Blessed From Visiting Since 2/22/09

Hail And Welcome!