Scaring Myself

Scaring Myself

I like to scare myself.

If there are any television programs about haunted houses, I will watch them. If a movie comes out that deals with the paranormal, I will go to see the film. It is not until some time after seeing the program or movie that my imagination runs wild.

I still remember the night I saw the original Friday the 13th in the movie theatre. Although I found the movie entertainingly frightening, the full effect of the film did not hit me until later that evening.

My boyfriend and I went out for a few drinks afterward. The restroom at this establishment was in a hallway not visible from the bar. Naturally, after a few beers, I needed to use the restroom. I did not give the movie a second thought until I stepped into the hallway. I had mental images of the crazed killer jumping out at any second. I realize how absurd it would be for a homicidal maniac to be in the bathroom of a bar, but I was young and it made sense at the time.

Although years have passed since that night, my imagination still scares me after seeing horror films. One year I decided to watch a week of horror movies to celebrate Halloween. On Sunday evening a watched a film about a man who gave his fiancé an antique ring for their engagement. After the woman accepted the ring, she began to have paranormal experiences. In one scene, she was driving her car and a ghost appeared in the passenger seat.

Two nights after watching this film, I was driving home after covering a council meeting for a local newspaper. It was about 10:00 PM and I was traveling on a country back road when this specific scene came to mind. Needless to say, I could not speed so the last mile of the trip was tense.

I enjoy watching horror films at home but they do put me on edge. I am relatively calm in the beginning of the film. As the movie progress, I begin to feel uneasy. I pull the window shades down. If the phone rings, I jump out of my seat. If the dogs are sleeping, I wake them up so they can be scared too.

One year, my boyfriend and I went to the Halloween event at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.. I was my idea to go for a fun Halloween activity. I was apprehensive through the entire tour. If I could have run through the exhibit, I would have. When the people in front of us would walk slowly, I had to restrain myself from yelling at them to hurry up.

When I see a horror film in a movie theatre, I have developed certain techniques to avoid viewing the more frightening scenes of the movie. Instead of doing the obvious “hands over the eyes” routine, I pretend to look for something in my purse, adjust my clothing or stretch in such a way to avoid seeing the screen.

I like to be scared. It is fun and enhances my self-esteem. Well, that is what I tell myself so I do not feel totally stupid.