I have spent most of the weekend in the city once again. Participating in a workshop on breathing, dinner with a friend, and taking in a show. This morning at 10:45am I was walking through the bus terminal, waiting to board a bus to Flesherton. In the middle of this busy place I noticed a small fenced off area. Inside this area was a 3ft by 2ft cage. Not surprisingly, my curiousity was instantly peaked. The cage contained a metal bowl, a plastic container (holding water), and several broken bits of what looked like bread. What kind of animal are they intending to catch? Was is for pigeons? I seem to recall seeing pigeons fly aimlessly about various high ceilinged buildings, are they trapped? I stood for a time pondering, and secretly wanting to see some animal waddle up, ready for dinner.
I wander over to the nearby cafe, and grab a bottle of juice for my trip. The following conversation transpired.
me: (pointing) What is the cage for? Pigeons maybe?
cashier: (matter of factly) Oh, The ghost.
me: The ghost?
cashier: Yes, there is a ghost that haunts the place. They put food in there, then they gonna capture it and take it out of the building.
me: (smiling) What do ghosts like to eat?
cashier: (smiling) I don't know.
me: (looking at the empty cage) No luck yet, eh?
cashier: (shaking his head) No.
me: Maybe they should try lobster, if I was a ghost I would eat lobster.
cashier: (laughing) Yes, that might work.
me: Is that a religious thing?
cashier: I think so.
I paid for my juice and sat down to wait for my bus. I was reminded of one of my favourite Tori Amos songs called "Happy Phantom", which starts "And if I die today I'll be the Happy Phantom". She talks about all of the things she would do and places she would haunt if she were a ghost. These include, chasing nuns out in the yard, going to the opera for free, running naked through the streets. I've often contemplated my own "places of haunting" list. There are the typical and romantic haunts, old churches, creepy victorian houses, graveyards (where famous writers are buried), and an enchanted garden. And then there are the more exciting venues, the Louvre in Paris, Charleston House (where Virginia Woolf hung out with the Bloomsbury Group), an ancient library in England full of all of the great works literature, or maybe a famous artist's painting studio. I spose it may not be up to us, but it's fun to contemplate. I must say, the Toronto Bus Station would definitely not be one of my picks. Is it possible that the ghost is indecisive on his/her destination? Maybe they figure a bus station provides unlimited access to various places accross Canada? Or maybe, like me they just like people watching?
Yes, that must be it.
"Every day we're getting closer
The sun is getting dim
Will we pay for who we been?"
This is for Shuku... I'd really like to know more about the tofu-eating Japanese fox-spirits!
Are they normally caught?
:)
i absolutely love that song - and i decided to listen it while i read. ;) "woo hoo, the time is getting closer..."
Posted by: stef on February 17, 2004 09:05 PMI would definitely haunt a theatre. Wouldn't be able to resist tormenting actors! I once worked in a theatre where the ghosts flipped the seats up and down and banged on the platforms under our feet.
Posted by: frog on February 16, 2004 03:52 PMI was in Brasil a couple of years ago for my cousin's wedding. On a walk down the street from our hotel, there was a plate of food on the sidewalk, sort of half in a doorstep. One of our Brasilian guides said that it was food set out to appease the spirits of dead ancestors. I saw repeatedly while I was in Brasil, and it was the eeriest thing -- made the hair on the back of my neck stand up -- but not once did I see a cage. Maybe the difference is in the desire to catch the ghost, rather than to make it happy?
Posted by: Stacey on February 16, 2004 11:52 AMThis is definitely one of my favorite Tori Amos songs. Another is the one in which she puts her new boots on and puts her hands in her father's glove...
Posted by: clotilde on February 16, 2004 09:36 AMooh, i love tori amos! but i haven't ever managed to stomach that particular song.
Posted by: j on February 16, 2004 07:28 AMIt's 'piqued' but 'peaked' works -just- as well. Interest goes up = peaked!
And hmm...maybe they're catching a kitsune (Japanese fox spirit), and if so? They've got the wrong food. As I recall, -those- love fried tofu.
Lovely to read about something non-crappy; this morning's been just hideous. Thank you.
Posted by: Shuku on February 16, 2004 04:05 AMKit Pearson's novel was called "Awake and Dreaming". I knew I'd remember.
Posted by: Brenda on February 15, 2004 09:30 PMHow timely that I come across this blog. I just watched Ghost yesterday with hubby.
Posted by: Heather on February 15, 2004 07:18 PMIt reminds me of that movie, City of Angels. All of the angels live in libraries. That's what I think I'll haunt.
Posted by: Chantelle on February 15, 2004 06:55 PMHaving been in the bus depot myself on Friday this week, and always feeling it to be a bit of a desolate place, I sympathized with the experience. Have you read the Kit Pearson, (young adult) novel about a ghost who haunts the ferry between the mainland and Vancouver Island? It was my daughter's and mine's favorite book for quite a while.
Bren
I'm going to have to check out the bus station myself. Hmmm! But, I'd like to know how they can tell when the ghost has been caught?
Posted by: Poppy on February 15, 2004 05:19 PMMelisa,
That is a very good point. Maybe the cage is to keep living people and animals out.
hmmmnnn.
Posted by: keri on February 15, 2004 04:43 PMIn Margaret Atwood's book on writing she mentions the practice of putting out food to attract (and release) ghosts. I was surprised to read that she believes it works (her family rid themselves of an unwanted invisible visitor in her childhood). Who knew.
As for the bus station, the cage part seems a little over the top. I would like to think if I was a ghost that I could fit between the bars! Unless of course too many ghost trappers have been leaving out snacks. :-)
Couldn't it also refer to the fact that my interest went to a higher level? Reached a plateau so to speak?
"peaked"
*giggling*
Posted by: keri on February 15, 2004 03:49 PMoh how perfect! i must admit that i always enjoy reading your diary..but this particular entry really made by bleak day...somewhere between the silly ghost and the tori...it made me smile! thanks!
xoxo
p.s. i think if i were to haunt a place i'd haunt a big park...quiet, beautiful and lots of people to watch!
sorry, sorry, sorry but I just can't help myself... it's 'piqued' not 'peaked'...
:)
I think ghosts are breatharians.
Posted by: eliane on February 15, 2004 03:12 PM