I Digress #11 - The Ringing Pay Phone

I went to the airport with a friend to pick up one of her friends. The flight was delayed so we had an hour and a half to sit and wait at the gate. We sat and "people watched" and made up entire life stories of strangers who were passing by in the airport. I wish I could remember the stories, they were GOOD! haha We sat across from a loooong row of pay phones and because we were bored, we would try to ease drop on peoples calls. Since we only heard one side of the conversations, we would pretend to be the other person and whisper to each other what we imagined they were saying. We would giggle when the conversations seemed to match up.

At one point, no one was at any of the phone booths and soon one of the lone phones started ringing. We were saying, "That's so random, who would call a pay phone in a busy airport?" I stared at the ringing phone with growing curiosity. People walked by it and stared too, probably wondering the same thing. I joked around like I should go answer it. My friend, Marilee, said "Fine.. go answer it." I caught wind of the challenge in her voice, so I hopped up walked towards the ringing phone. I figured that since it had been ringing for so long it would probably hang up before I got to it. I kinda hoped it would because I didn't know what I would do if I answered it.

It didn't stop ringing.....

I looked back at my friend and she smiled with daring eyes which gave me a boost of self confidence. I picked up the phone and said with a smile, "Southwest Airlines, How may I help you today?" I was laughing on the inside until the voice on the other end of the phone said something that made my heart STOP!!!!


A girls voice said, "I need to speak with Stacy Householder, please." The color drained out of my face... the adrenaline started pumping and I squealed, "WHAT!!!???? WHO IS THIS!!!???" I turned to my friend who sat there looking confused and concerned! The voice said, "Stacy??" Again, I screamed into the phone.. "WHO IS THIS!!??" She said, "Oh my GOSH Stacy, calm down, it's your cousin, Lisa."

Befuddled even MORE I screamed, "LISA!??! WHAT!?? HOW DID....... I DON'T GET IT... How did you find me??!? Do you know that you're calling a super busy AIRPORT and I just HAPPENED to answer the ringing pay phone on a DARE??!??" Now it was HER turn to sound confused... She had no idea! She said, "Are you serious!? That is sooo weird!!"

Again I turned back to my friend sitting there, my eyes incredulous. I said, "IT'S FOR ME!!!!" She rolled her eyes, convinced I was kidding. She was SURE that the phone had stopped ringing just short of me picking it up and that I was making this all up... because, let's be honest here... These sort of surreal moments just don't happen!! I tried to convince her with my facial expressions, but it didn't work.

I turned back to my airport phone call.. "Lisa, how on EARTH did you find me here!? I'm freaking out!!" She laughed and said that she had called my house looking for me and my dad gave her that number. HUH!?! Then it hit me! OHHHHH!!!! Yes, it all made sense now! Once I got to the airport, I called my dad to to get a phone number. (pre-cell phone days) I didn't tell him where I was. When Lisa called for me, he pulled that number off the caller ID and gave it to her saying, "I don't know where she is, but she just called from this number." Weiiiiiiird!!!!! ANYONE could've answered, or NO ONE could've answered, and it just so happened that I answered it on a DARE and it was for ME!! *insert twilight music here*

Soooo, If ever you're in a busy crowded place and some random phone starts ringing, ANSWER IT!! It just may be for YOU!!!!!!! :)

I Digress #10 - My Ghostly Encounter

This is one of my MOST embarrassing moments to this day!! Yet at the same time, I can't help but laugh uncontrollably!! :) I really don't know if I can depict what happened. The story is better told in person! But I'll give it a try. :)

Back in 1998, my sister, Trina and I and a few of our friends took 2 weeks off to travel!! We flew to Chicago and my oldest brother, Shawn, who lived there at the time took us around to see the sites like Sears Tower and Navy Pier. We rode the GIGANTIC Ferris Wheel, I almost didn't get on, but after some coaxing from everyone, I climbed aboard. I'm terrified of heights but it moved slow enough and I really enjoyed seeing the city lights of Chicago!! Our main purpose of the trip was to see the Church History sites in Upstate New York and surrounding areas. Our friend, Rinda, served her mission in Upstate New York and knew most of the sites and tours by heart which was a HUGE advantage for us. We saw so many amazing things!!

One night, after a very LONG day of visiting the sites and hours of endless driving, we stopped off at one of Rinda's favorite family's from her mission. A sweet family that had a basement for us to crash in. We were so exhausted. I don't remember being so tired in all my life!! They had a HUGE basement with a pool table. They were so kind to have laid out sleeping bags for us all in a row. I chose the corner because it had the only small mattress and I had a bad back. As I was getting into bed, I saw some spider resting on their webs near where my head would be. Um.. believe it or not, I was too tired to squash them, so I just flipped around so my feet would get bit instead of my FACE!! The friendly hostess told us she'd make us some breakfast in the morning and we could have showers if we wanted. YAY!! :) She turned out the lights and it was darker than DARK down in that basement!! You couldn't see a single thing! Just the way I like it! :)

We were all sawing logs in no time! ZzZzzzZzzzZzzzZZzzzz

A few hours later, my deep sleep was abruptly interrupted when someone grabbed the back of my shirt and clenched it!!! My eyes IMMEDIATELY flew opened and I froze with a fear so paralyzing that I've yet to match that same level of fear since! The reason for my intense fear was because I knew I was in the corner with my back almost touching the wall. There was absolutely NO SPACE for someone to fit behind me to grab my shirt!! The only other option was that it was a GHOST!!!!!! My eyes were opened so wide I thought they'd pop out!! It was so dark that I couldn't see ANYTHING! There was an eerie feeling with nothing but the rapid pounding of my heart filling the air!!

I was paralyzed for several minutes as the hand still clenched the back of my shirt and tugged every once in a while. I mustered up every ounce of courage I could and I slowly reached behind me to touch the hand.. that process took at least 2 minutes!! I PANICKED when I touched the icy cold hand and the ghost seemed to panic too because it yelped in the high voice of a little child and pulled away as abruptly as it originally latched on!! My fears were confirmed!! It was a little girl ghost!! Immediately, I was fear stricken again!! I clenched my fists to my eyes and breathed in and out with fury as this living nightmare played out!!

I was trembling and I tried to call out to my sister who was on the other side of me in her sleeping bag. Only faint whispers would come out at first. I kept trying. *whisper* "Trinaaa... TRina...." The whisper got louder the more I forced it out of my lungs! She couldn't hear my fearful whispers because she was in a very deep sleep as were the other 2 girls next to her! I took a rattly deep breath and tried to speak her name, but nothing audible came. I began thinking, "Oh my gosh, how am I supposed to wake up and inform my sister and my friends of the ghostly intruder we had in our midsts when I'm too afraid to even MOVE and I have NO VOICE!!!?" I imagined the ghost child wandering the room and that creeped me out even more!

Once again I took a shaky deep breath and screamed.. "TRINAAAA!!" It was barely audible so I did it again.. This time it WORKED!! She stirred in her sleeping bag as I lay paralyzed with fear next to her. I said it again. "Triiiinnnaaaa!!" She said very grumpily.. "WHAT!?" (she used to get grumpy when she was tired!) I spoke softly, "Is there anyone around me!!" She was like, "What??" Again.. "Is there anyone around me!!" It was more of a demand than a question. She was irritated now. "You're dreaming! Go back to sleep!" I squealed with urgency, "Tu-tu-turn on the li-lights!!... Tu-turn the li-lights on!!"

She could tell I was terrified, but she was still grumpy as all get out! She mumbled things under her breath as she crawled out of bed and felt around the spacious pitch-black room for a light switch. I heard a loud *THUD* and a moan and I knew immediately that she found the pool table. :)

The whole time she was searching in the pitch-black room, I was chanting, "Turn the lights on, turn the lights on!" It was coming out very quickly now that I had found my voice finally! By now the other girls were awake and listening to my fear-strickened voice. They were now also asking what was wrong! A minute later Trina was successful in finding the light switch and she turned it on. All 3 girls groaned at the pain they now felt in their eyes from the brightness of the lights above! I still had my eyes glued shut with my clenched fists over them.

My sister said impatiently, "What!! What is it Stacy!!?" I spoke softly.. "Is there anyone around me!!" I had such urgency in my voice. She said, "What are you talking about?!" I repeated, "Is there anyone AROUND ME!!" She sounded exasperated when she said, "Stacy, open your eyes! There's no one there!!" It took me a full minute to have the courage to open my eyes. But when I did, I looked around confused and disoriented. I had completely forgotten that I turned around to face the other way because of the spiders and that my back faced my SISTER and NOT THE WALL!!

As I told them my terrifying experience, we all began laughing. My sister had been dreaming and in her dream she grabbed onto "something" firmly which just so happened to be ME!! She was still dreaming minutes later when I gained the courage to reach back and touch her cold hand. I told her she yelped like a little girl which convinced me that there was a young ghost child roaming the basement!! We laughed louder now and I was afraid we'd wake the sleeping family upstairs. As we shut off the lights and settled back into our deep sleeps, I giggled off and on for 45 minutes from the pure embarrassment and RELIEF of what had taken place.

The next morning as we woke.. we looked at each other and laughed again. I wished it had been a DREAM!! How embarrassing to make such a ENORMOUS SCENE from something so silly and innocent! As I went to shower, the girls ate breakfast and told our host that "Stacy thought your house was haunted!!" I could hear giggles all the way into the bathroom as they relayed my "terrifying" experience. Ugh! I was so embarrassed!

I turned the shower on to drown out their taunting giggles, but before climbing in, decided to use the bathroom first. Just when I didn't think my heart could take any more frights.. I saw the door knob turning and before I could say that I was in there, the door was opened and in walked the teenage daughter who lived there. And there I was in my birthday suit sitting there helpless and vulnerable!!! We both froze in horror. Her seeing a very unexpected naked stranger in her bathroom, and me seeing a wide eyed, mouth gaping stranger staring at me!! She apologized and slammed the door shut!! Defeated, with no pride left me in what so ever... I sighed long and deep.

If I wasn't embarrassed enough from the events during the night, I certainly had cause to be NOW!! I took the fastest shower in history with the intention to pack up and leave that house immediately! I was SO humiliated! When I reluctantly came around the corner into the kitchen.. It was silent and 7 people stared at me with wide smiles. Some of them being friends and the rest strangers... the silence lasted only a couple seconds before the whole house started roaring with laughter once again at all of my encounters at this house... this house that I will NEVER VISIT EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The end.


:)