Calling All Spirits: "The Ouija" a continuation from Part 2: My Childhood Neighbor Hood.

                    "We may be finished with the past, but the past is never finished with us."  

The makers of the first talking board asked the board what they should call it; the name "Ouija" came through and, when asked what that meant, the board replied,
                                                                                                "Good Luck."

Lol,  wow, a bit eerie, and intriguing as this expression of 'Wish' could go either way depending on the actual outcome.

Well, I personally have had several Ouija's in my time.  The first one back in 1970 as I coaxed my mother into letting me buy a talking board.  After all it was a "game" right? And it was sold in the game aisle, in the toy department.

A game for entertainment/fun?  Hmmmmm....Or.....a tool of the devil????  Or......could it be a "link" between the known & unknown.

No matter.  Once again curiosity peaked for this "Mystifying Oracle" and the inquisitiveness was too attractive to resist.

 So my mother allowed me to buy it, thinking too, that it was just a "harmless" game to keep me occupied.

Now that I had this mysterious oracle I needed an accomplice and I knew just who:  my cousin Juney.

She agreed as she was just as curious and fascinated with the "Supernatural."  And so began our obsession-sessions with the Ouija that would later predict a dire outcome; a terrible tragedy here in our city, the same year I bought my spirit board.

In the Summer of 1970 and usually after school we talked with the Ouija on a regular basis.  After some time the board seemed to respond immediately and eager, as we were to commute with it.

Now our Mayor at the time was "Max" Murningham whose daughter was a sophomore at one of the high schools here in Lansing.  She was 16, working at a local jewelry store with the owner/manager, an elderly woman.

It was almost closing time, and her older brother would be there soon to pick her up.  Suddenly a man walked in with a gun and demanded money.  The older woman refused, so he struck her on the head with the gun and when he did it went off!

Thinking he killed the woman he then abducted Miss Murningham.

Well of course our city was in shock, devasted, and now afraid.  How could something like this happen in our "quaint little Hamlet???"  Although everybody was optimistic that she would be found, "unharmed."

While the city was hopeful and waiting, I became more and more curious wanting to "know" what the mystic oracle thought.  Time to round up Juney and ask Ouija.  We went into her basement, lights on, placed the board on our laps; fingers on the mystic hand, the (planchette), and questioned if "IT" knew the whereabouts of the Mayor's daughter, or what had happened to her.

Slowly it began to glide smoothly and spelled: M-U-R-D-E-R.  Juney & I both gasped and looked at one another in disbelief!  "No way" we said out loud!  Then Ouija responded and move to "YES."

Frighten and excited we went to my mom and told her what the Ouija had predicted. Of course she didn't believe, and went on to say that the Mayor's daughter would be found "safe.  Plus not to "believe" what the board says, AND "maybe" we shouldn't play with it anymore.

Whatever...we left disappointed, puzzled, but still curious.  Could the spirit board "foretell" the future?  Or any event for that matter.

Nevertheless like most of the city we all waited in silent.  A few days passed, then it was a week before the Mayor's daughter was found, but sadly, she had indeed been MURDERED!

After that my cousin & I had decided that we should put the board to rest.  I don't know if it was out of Fear because the dire omen became true; or maybe it was just Fear not understanding how it could surmise such an ominous outcome.  Could It Be Evil???

So away we went to Juney's basement to conclude our last session with the Spirit board; to bid "IT, GOODBYE."
 As we spoke to it trying to make our intentions clear to stop communicating with it, the planchette kept gliding to, "NO, NO" over and over.  This went on for a few minutes...then it started going in circles faster and faster.  Suddenly for no reason at all it stopped!  We looked at each other scared and baffled.

We spoke to it.  It would NOT answer.  We tried to force the mystic hand to move...it wouldn't even budge!
It felt as if we were pushing, going against some magnetic field; akin to forcing two magnets together to touch.

Immediately the basement became very ominous...very quite...very still... then "We" became very aware...very afraid...

Then unexpectedly, without warning, the plastic circle, the eye of the planchette POPPED OFF!!!

Juney screamed, I yelled, and we both ran up the stairs, outside, leaving the board there on the bed in her basement.

Never again did we use that board!

 "For such an iconic thing that strikes both fear & wonder in American Culture, how can no one know where it came from?"


Factoid:  In 1891 patent was granted to Elijah Bond.

 Kennard Novelty were first producers of these Spirit Boards, back in the 19th century.

The following year the rights to Ouija were purchased to William Fuld, who started marketing it.

Then in 1966 The Parker Bros., purchased the rights to the Ouija.

 None were spiritualists really...just "keen" businessmen.

**Most people feel that these 'Spirit Boards' are authentic; are dangerous because malevolent spirits can be contacted, opening evil portals.

                                                           
"Ominous shadows the trees have cast; silhouettes without voice, without mask.
And yet they bespeak whispers, moans, in soothing serpentine tones."  ~Lucas J. Salazar
                                                                                                  "The Bench In The Woods."  2014


And so it may be.


~Lucas J. L. Salazar.