The Great Beyond

In Which Spines Tingle and Flesh Creeps

What was it that made me stay in my seat when the REAL portrait of Dorian Gray sprang onto the screen that day many years ago at a Saturday matinée? I fought my impulse to jump up and run out..but I didn't. Why??

Why is it possible to bring up THOUSANDS of computer websites under "ghosts", "paranormal", "haunting", "spirits" and on and on. Try sites entitled "American  Ghost Society", "The Unexplained.com", or "Paranormals United" some time. See how many sites come up and how many links.

What gene(if gene it is) has caused humankind to be fascinated by the supernatural through the ages??Could it be some primordial fear left over from the time when EVERYTHING was "the unknown"?? When every shadow caused us to shrink more deeply into the cave that was our home.

Why do some of us (including me) enjoy the tingly feeling that creeps slowly down our spine and the prickly feeling that our skin is subjected to  when we are presented with "the unknown"??

So serious is this to some people that they spend great sums of money to buy all sorts of exotic equipment to detect paranormal phenomena: there is the EMF Listener, so sensitive that it can locate sources of paranormal activity. An Audi Gaussmeter will permit one to procure an auditory "picture" of the ambient electromagnetic field. No one should go ghosthunting without a Digital Sound Level Meter, which measures the intensity of sounds from any source. There are plenty more.

Aficionados of the supernatural will will not miss a Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. on cable TV to watch "Ghost Hunters." This is a group that uses the equipment listed above in the attempt to detect ghosts for various "customers" who are convinced that they are harboring the supernatural. The expression "don't leave your day job" comes to mind because I have watched the program faithfully for four months and have yet to see a ghost or even a moving orb!