Tea in Heaven

A girl walks out of her house in 1878 and into someone else’s life, and a grieving family chooses to believe their daughter just came home. We pick up the Watseka Wonder at the moment it turns from rumor to reunion: Lurancy Vennum arrives at the Roff home, and “Mary Roff” starts talking like she never died, recognizing objects, remembering childhood moments, and crashing into the brutal truth that time kept moving without her.

From there we sit with the questions that make this case so haunting: what does “proof” look like in a possession story, why do tiny remembered details hit harder than big claims, and what happens to a family when hope and fear share the same room. Mary’s comments about the afterlife push the conversation into spiritualism territory, touching on change, grief, and the unsettling idea of a plan we don’t fully control. I also share what it felt like to visit the Roff home in modern-day Watseka, Illinois, including why I want to go back with better equipment and a clearer plan for collecting evidence.

Then we step under the Porchlight with Tom Stewart of My Paranormal Story for firsthand paranormal encounters in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Tom takes us through Swan Point Cemetery, occult rumors around a pentagram-like tomb space, a gate that vanished overnight, and a terrifying Cemetery Street haunting that includes moving objects, a mirror tilting on its own, and an old man in a black hat seen by multiple witnesses. If you’re into paranormal podcasts, true haunting stories, ghost hunting tools, EVPs, and American supernatural history, this one hits both the legend and the lived experience.

Visit myparanormalpodcast.com for more of Tom's stories. You can also listen to his podcast on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 

If you need a fundraiser, check out his company https://www.funny4funds.com/

Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves history and the paranormal, and leave a rating and review so more listeners can find us.

Transcript

Personal Link To Watseka

Speaker 4 0:11

Welcome to Small Town Whispers, where history, folklore, and the paranormal collide. I'm Bethany Yucuis Borden, and I lived in Watseka, Illinois from 1988 to 1999. For over a decade, I walked the same streets, saw the same houses, and even had friends connected to the story we're about to dive into. This isn't just history for me. It's personal. Because now we're stepping into the stretch of this case that made the Watseka Wonder so famous in the first place. The year is 1878. It's February. Lurancy Vennum, after months of illness, strange episodes, and being confined by her own family, is about to leave her home and walk into another. The home of Asa and Anne Roff. Mary Roff had died on July 5th, 1865. And now, somehow, she's preparing to return. Not as she once was, but in the body of Lurancy Vennum, ready to be reunited with the family she left behind. After that quiet but unsettling tea at the Vennum home, Anne told Asa everything. And Asa, now 60 years old, hesitated. He remembered Mary's strength, the way her fits once overtook her. The idea of welcoming that back into his home wasn't a simple decision. But after much thought, he agreed. And just like that, the decision was made. February 11th, 1878, a Monday, Mary Roff came home again. And that's where we returned to the book Watseka, America's Most Extraordinary Case of Possession and Exorcism, on page 210. Ann said. It's been a long time.

Speaker 2 3:11

Too long. Nothing seems to have changed much. That picture over there, how I used to love it. Remember? And over there you still have that funny statue. She ran over to the table and picked up the porcelain figure of George Washington. Remember when that man had me do those things with this statue? Going out of the room and guessing what he did with it?

Speaker 4 3:31

Before Ann could reply, or even get over her surprise that the incident should even be remembered, Lurancy said, Oh, but somebody broke it. Look, one of the horse's feet is missing. Who did that? It was Charlie, Minerva said. He knocked it over with his coat sleeve one day and it fell to the floor. Then she added, You know Charlie, your brother? Of course I know my brother.

Speaker 2 3:55

My baby brother. How is he? Where is he? Oh Ma, I'm so anxious to see the boys again.

Speaker 4 4:02

Well, Joe and Fenn aren't here anymore, Minerva said. Joe married a girl from New Jersey, and he's living out there now. They have two little boys of their own. And Fenn, he got married too. There was a girl at his school in Ohio, and he married her and is living in Cincinnati. They have one baby, a boy.

Speaker 2 4:20

Little Fenn, Fenton is married? Oh Nervie, don't joke with me. Fenn ain't no more than nine or ten years old. Why, I'm much older than he is, and I'm only nineteen. Come on, Nervie. Tell me where Joe and Fen are.

Speaker 4 4:36

They are married men now, Mary, Ann said. They grew up and they went away to school and they got married. She had a puzzled expression on her face. But how could they, Ma? Little Fen and even Joe? Time moved on when your time stopped. You are only nineteen still. When you were here with us, you were nineteen. But where you were, there is no time. Joe and Fen got older. Indeed, we all got older. You've been lucky.

Speaker 2 5:05

You've stayed the same. I suppose so. But it's all so strange. I mean, to come home and not be changed at all, and yet everyone around me is changed. She sat down on the velvet sofa. And Frank and Charlie? Have they also gotten married since I was gone?

Speaker 4 5:23

I hope not, Anne laughed. Frank is but eighteen, and Charlie won't be sixteen till July. No, don't make your brothers any older than they are. As it is, they think they're important men in the world. They play music, said Minerva. They have their own dance band, and they play for parties and weddings and things. They're real good too. Frank plays trumpet and Charlie plays the piano and the violin.

Speaker 2 5:47

I used to play the piano. Ma, do you recall how Nervi and I would play the piano and Nervy would sing? You remember that? Anne asked. Of course I do. I used to play We are coming, Sister Mary. It was my favorite hymn, remember? Heavens, Minerva said.

Family Shock And Lost Years

Speaker 4 6:03

I hadn't thought about that song in years. I'd play it and you'd sing it, and we would have such a good time. Lurancy jumped up and looked into the front room. Ma, the piano ain't here anymore. What did you do with the piano? She went over to the far wall.

Speaker 2 6:19

It used to sit right here.

Speaker 4 6:20

What happened to it? It's in Charlie's room now, Anne replied. We thought it best to move it there when he started practicing so much. Anyway, he's been playing all those new waltz tunes, and they upset your father because the boys hold the girls when they dance.

Speaker 2 6:36

Is Pa becoming an old fuddy duddy? You know, where I've been, there is the most beautiful music. It don't sound as if it's being played on anything you ever heard before. But it's there. In fact, it's all around, and you don't get tired of it, neither. Harps? Asa suggested. Oh, Pa. Harps? You people on this side have some of the silliest notions. Harps. And they don't fly around with wings either.

Speaker 4 7:14

What is it like over there? Anne asked. You know, child, we are all so curious.

Speaker 2 7:20

Really? I wish I could explain it, Ma. I wish I could describe it the way you can understand it, but I don't think I can. It's so different.

Speaker 4 7:30

In what way? Asa sat in his favorite chair, ready to have Heaven explain to him. Asa, Ann said quickly, don't overtire the girl. She just got here, and I'm sure we're going to have lots of time.

Speaker 2 7:43

No, we're not, Ma. We don't have lots of time. What do you mean? I mean that I won't be here with you forever. But when this body is well and when the Venom girl's mind is well, I'll be leaving you again. After all, I only came here for as long as it was necessary to help her. As soon as they tell me she's healthy again, I'll have to go back over there.

Speaker 4 8:02

Oh Mary! Anne hadn't expected this. Not so soon anyway. But will you be with us for a bit? I mean, you aren't going to leave this very day or anything.

Speaker 2 8:13

No, Ma. She put her arm around the woman. I'll be here for a while longer. Don't ask me for how long, but it will be more than just a few days.

Speaker 4 8:21

Anyway she said, laughing and squeezing Ann's shoulders.

Speaker 2 8:27

Let's be happy that I came back at all. Let's not spoil it by worrying about the future. The present is the most important thing right now. The important thing is that I've been permitted to come back again. There aren't many people who've been given that special privilege. Really? It doesn't happen all the time.

Speaker 4 8:44

I know. But it would be so nice if you could stay forever.

Speaker 2 8:49

Ma, nothing is forever. If I've learned one thing over there, it's that nothing lasts over here forever. It's always changing, and you have to change with it. Those who don't change don't grow. They say that change is as much of living as breathing is. They told me that people are not supposed to fight changes. What kind of changes? Minerva asked. Changes of any kind. Of loved ones, of money, and even She smiled and kissed Ann's grey hair. Of getting old. It's all part of their plan.

Speaker 4 9:22

Whoever they are, said Asa.

Speaker 2 9:25

Yes, Pa. Whoever they are. I really can't tell you who they are, because I'm not sure myself. But I do know one thing. They have everything carefully worked out in advance. We have to follow their plans.

Speaker 4 9:40

And if we don't?

Speaker 2 9:41

Asa asked. Disaster, Pa. Personal disaster.

Speaker 4 9:46

Are you telling me we don't have any control over our own lives? Asa questioned further.

Speaker 2 9:52

We have control in the beginning. In the beginning? In the very beginning. Before we even come into this world. She smiled. I wish you could be over there for some of the lessons.

Speaker 4 10:04

I wish I could be too, he said. But I'd like to return to my own home each time school was dismissed for the day.

Speaker 2 10:10

Oh Pa. Over there, they say that before we decided to come back into this life, we already knew what we had to do and how we had to do it.

Speaker 4 10:20

Now you're preaching reincarnation, Asa said. We never taught you that. There was lots you didn't teach me, but I've had time to learn where I've been.

Speaker 2 10:29

We choose what we want to do. Minerva was uncertain what that meant. Yes. Before we return to Earth in a new body, we decide who our parents are to be so they can give us the proper start on the path we have to follow.

Heaven Talk And The Cost Of Change

Speaker 4 10:42

You mean I chose Ma and Pa before I was born? Minerva asked. Yes, you did. Like you chose the Vennums? It was out before Minerva had a chance to think what she was saying.

Speaker 2 10:55

I didn't choose the Venoms, that girl chose them. I chose Ma and Pa, just like you did. I would never have chosen those people for my folks. But the Vennum girl did. Obviously there was a reason she had to live with them, but something went wrong. That's the part I don't understand. I can't explain how things go wrong when it has been so perfectly set up in the beginning.

The Cook Meets Crazy Rancy

Speaker 4 11:18

I mean, why? If that girl hadn't taken sick, you wouldn't have been able to return to us. Perhaps your job wasn't quite finished when you left so suddenly. If there is a master plan to it all, your returning must be a part of it, Asa volunteered. Mrs. Roff, a voice called from the kitchen. Lurancy's expression changed instantly. Loozie! I forgot all about Lucy. She ran through the parlor doors into the hall and directly into the kitchen. She stopped. Instead of the African woman she had expected to embrace, she saw a tall, thin, blonde woman. Loozie? Hello. Where's Loozie? Her ma was right behind her. Loozie isn't with us anymore, Mary. She left here to go with her husband right after the war. Oh, but I so wanted to see Loozie. Lurancy's chin began to tremble. I have so much to tell her. She went away right after you did, Anne said softly. Her man came for her, and they were married. But then she moved to Canada. We still hear from her every now and then. She has three little babies of her own now.

Speaker 2 12:26

Three little Loozies I'd love to see her again and see the babies. Do you think we could go there one day before I leave and see her? Do you think we could do that, Ma? Oh, I'd really love it. There are so many things I have to tell her.

Speaker 4 12:39

We'll see. Maybe your pa could make some arrangements. But now I want you to meet Charlotte. The blonde woman extended her hand. Charlotte, this is my daughter Mary. You know, she said, looking the woman squarely in the face. The daughter I told you about? The one who has been away for so long. Pleased to meet you, Miss Mary, the woman said. Your ma has told me a lot about you. I hope we can be friends.

Speaker 2 13:06

Oh I'm sure we can. It's just that I was expecting to see my losie. I'm sorry if it sounds as if I'm disappointed at seeing you here instead. It's nothing personal, really.

Speaker 4 13:16

I know, the woman assured her. Your ma told me all about you and all about Loozie. I hope you are happy to be back here. Charlotte had heard all about Crazy Rancy from the other cooks and maids in town. She liked the roughs and the pay, but she was ready to leave if she needed to. She had seen the crazies in Germany, and she wanted no part of that. Your ma tells me you like stuffed chicken and dumplings, she said, trying to smile for the benefit of her employer. And I made them special for you tonight. Thank you.

Speaker 2 13:49

But please don't worry about me and food. I won't eat anything for a while. Not eat? The cook's voice rose.

Speaker 4 13:56

I made the dumplings just for you. No, thank you. I mean thank you.

Speaker 2 14:01

But I'm not eating any food at all. But you'll get sick and starve, the woman protested. I'll be alright. I go to heaven for my tea. And what is that supposed to mean? she said. That I get my nourishment in heaven. She smiled. You'll see. So please don't fuss about any special food for me. I mean it.

Brothers Reunion And A Tense Supper

Speaker 4 14:20

Nothing? The cook looked at this crazy girl and then back at Anne. I'm to fix nothing for her. Nothing at all. In the beginning, Anne said, let's just see what happens. You can set her plate at the table, and if she eats, fine. If she doesn't, that will be her affair. Alright, misses. You just let me know when I should start adding enough for one more person. The crazy Vennum girl could starve for all she cared. Just let me know. That's all I ask. I shall, Ann replied. You don't worry about it. I won't, Charlotte said. And she meant it. A little later, Lurancy was sitting in the parlor with Nervie and the Roffs. Frank and Charlie came through the door, put their books on the hallway table, brushed back their hair with spittle on their palms, and entered the room. Lurancy looked up, startled by the intruders. She rose halfway, was about to say something, and then turned to Ann. Ma, is this Frank and Charlie? Grown so big and tall. I never would have known you. Anne nodded. She rushed toward them and threw her arms around Frank and then around the younger boy. She kissed them on the cheeks and forehead. The boys pulled away, embarrassed at being hugged and kissed by crazy Rancy, and in front of their parents too. Oh Frank and Charlie, just think how wonderful it is to see you again. Minerva came to their rescue. Haven't they grown, Mary? I didn't think you'd recognize them. They shone up like weeds in a bean patch.

Speaker 2 15:50

And so handsome too. She put herself between them, linking arms. And I've so much to tell you both. Some of the things I've seen and the places I've been. Just think. It's been twelve years since I last saw you.

Speaker 4 16:04

And she pulled away to gaze at them again. Twelve years. Both Frank and Charlie wanted to say it hadn't been but about two months since they had last seen her, but Ann's wagging finger reminded them to keep from mentioning it. It's good to see you too, Mary, Frank said, looking at his mother for a sign of approval. Which he got. Yes, Mary, added Charlie. It's nice to have you home again. Been an awful long time.

Speaker 2 16:30

Too long. Much too long. But we'll make all that up, won't we? We have lots of time to talk before I go away again. Dear Frank, do you still like to watch the ants and the bees? Huh? I was just recalling with the folks how you used to spend so much time at the riverbank, watching the ants and trying to catch honeybees so they didn't sting you. And you, Charlie, oh you were such a little tyke then. None of the other boys wanted you to go fishing with them because you would throw stones and twigs in the river and scare away the fish. Do you recall that?

Speaker 4 17:04

Frank was amazed. Yes, he said quickly. I do remember looking at ants and insects while Joe and Fenn were fishing. That's great. Ma, that's really great that she would know a thing like that. She doesn't know it. She is remembering it. There's a difference. She felt she had to give them further instructions. This is your sister, your sister Mary who has been away for twelve years. You were both little shavers when she went away. I'm not surprised you don't remember her. But don't be surprised that she remembers you. Is that clear? Their father asked. Yes, sir, that's clear, they replied almost in unison. But Mary, if you've been away so long, then you must have a great deal to tell us. Frank was warming up to the idea of having someone who had been to heaven tell them all about it.

Speaker 2 17:54

Is it everything they say it is? Over there? Everything and more. But you folks have a lot of funny ideas about it that will have to be cleared up.

Speaker 4 18:03

Will you tell us about it? he asked. I mean really tell us. I'm dying to know. That's pretty good, put in Charlie. He's dying to know, and most people have to die to know. Do you get it, Ma? Frank said he was dying to know. I got it, said Anne sternly, but I didn't appreciate it. She rose from the sofa. I'm sure supper is on the table by now. Let's all wash our hands and then sit down to eat. We can talk later. She took Lurancy's arm and went into the dining room. Here, Mary, dear, you sit beside me. She pointed to a place setting, and Lurancy pulled out the chair and sat down. In a few minutes the others were at the table, hands washed and heads bowed. Oh father, Asa prayed, we thank thee for this food tonight, and we especially thank thee for bringing our daughter and sister Mary back to us. Even if it's only for a little while. We missed her, and we love her, and we welcome her back at our home and at our table. I'll admit that we don't understand what has happened or even why it's happened, but we thank thee for it. We thank thee and ask thee to let our happiness continue as long as possible. And Lord, he added, look after Lurancy Vennum. The boys opened their eyes to catch the girl's reaction. Rancy's head was bowed. Take care of her body, cleanse her mind, make her well and whole, and deliver her safely to her parents again. Thank you. Amen. He opened his eyes and raised his head. Now we can all eat.

Speaker 2 19:38

That was a very nice prayer, Pa. I'm sure it will do Lurancy a great deal of good. Wherever she is.

Introducing Tom Stewart

Speaker 4 19:47

When Chris and I stayed in the Roff home in Watseeka last October, I was under the impression that it was the house Mary lived in when she was alive. Later, I found out that Mary, in her own body, never lived at 300 East Sheridan. However, it is the house that Lurancy came to live in once Mary took over her body. The weird audio recordings I shared in episode 9 were from the room they believe Lurancy slept in. When we visited the house, I was there for leisure and not for an investigation. Even though I was open to anything happening, I was taking the audio recordings on my phone mainly to commemorate our experience and possibly to use for the podcast. We took a lot of pictures and videos because it is a gorgeous Victorian home. I do hope to go there again one day with more people, more equipment, and more of a plan to collect evidence and communicate. You can also visit his website, myparanormalstorypodcast.com. If you're like me and want to be like Tom when you grow up, grab his book, 10 Best Tools for Ghost Hunting, while you're on his website. Without further ado, let's step into the porchlight with Tom Stewart.

Speaker 1 21:18

Now, join me under the porchlight, the place where memories meet the present and voices from the past still linger in the dark. Tonight we listen not to the pages from a book, but to the people who have felt the unexplained and found the courage to share it. Welcome to Porchlight Whispers.

Speaker 3 21:43

I'm Bethany.

Speaker 21:44

Nice to meet you, Bethany. I'm Tom.

Speaker 4 21:47

Yeah, Tom, nice to meet you.

Speaker 21:49

Thank you for checking out the podcast.

Speaker 4 21:50

Thank you for putting it out there. It's so incredible to hear first hand accounts of this stuff.

Speaker 21:55

Yeah. Oh, well, thank you. It's fun telling my stories.

Speaker 4 21:58

And you're from Rhode Island.

Speaker 22:00

Still, I used to. I live in Massachusetts now.

Speaker 4 22:02

Oh, Massachusetts. Okay.

Speaker 22:04

Originally from Rhode Island, spent most of my life there, but I'm in I've been in Mass for about eight years now.

Speaker 4 22:08

It seems like New England is kind of a hot spot for activity. Have you found in growing up there? Like what were some of your early experiences like that?

Speaker 3 22:17

I think so.

Speaker 22:18

Well, I can remember just being a kid, and uh I mean I spent a lot of time in cemeteries. And anytime a house somebody said it was haunted, we would try to sneak into it. But also I just loved the history of New England and the area too. I just got really into all those different stories and legends and lore that happened all around the area, especially in Rhode Island. There's so many locations.

Speaker 4 22:39

So did anything particularly weird happen in the cemeteries?

Swan Point Cemetery And The Pentagram Tomb

Speaker 22:42

Oh gosh, yeah. So many things. There was a cemetery near me in Providence, Rhode Island called Swan Point Cemetery. Still there. Huge, huge, huge cemetery. And it's got graves going back to like the 1700s in it. But it's still a modern day cemetery. There's still people being buried there. That's how large it is. One of the interesting stories was there's a tomb called the Sprague Tomb, which uh was a former governor of Rhode Island. And his family was very involved in many of the bigger businesses and politics of Rhode Island, you know, back in like 1700, 1800s. And they have a huge tomb there with a lot of the family members are in it. And they were into a bit of uh black magic, witchcraft type stuff. And the way the tomb was designed on the top, the tomb was in a side of a hill, so it was underground. But if you went if you went around and up the hill to the top, it was all bushes and trees up on top. And it looked very innocent, but it was actually formed like a five-pointed star. There was five huge trees, and each tree trunk went up at one of the points of the star, so you could make a pentagram if you wanted to. And then around the outside of it was all like probably ten, twelve foot tall bushes. So the whole thing was like a cave. You could go in through the bushes into the middle where the tree trunks were, and it was just like a cave inside with the trees and the bushes all around you. And it was always cold in there, it was always dark in there, no matter what time of year or day it was. And you really could feel the difference when you went in there too. It just felt like you were in a different place all of a sudden when you went in there. They ended up cutting one of the trees down, because I guess they figured if they can't make the five-pointed star, then they can't do their little seances or cast their spells. And all the local people who were into this stuff would just somebody would just stand on the stump and meditate and become that fifth point. Things like that would happen. My friend who his older brother had a dog, and this dog was very, very loyal dog, very well trained. But when we would go into those bushes, that dog would refuse to come in there, no matter what. Whether his owner was calling him or not, that dog would not come, he would just run around barking on the outside, which was always pretty spooky.

Speaker 4 24:46

And that did not deter you from going in.

Speaker 24:49

No, you know what? I I had a I was a weird child, I guess, because things didn't scare me. Things made me curious. Uh, there was this other time, there were a lot of rumors and stories about the cemetery having a tunnel system underneath it. I was a little kid, I I bought into it. I still don't know to this day if it's real or not. But boy, you know, being the goony that I was, I always wanted to find these tunnels. I wanted to explore these tunnels so bad. My friends and I, we knew this cemetery like the back of our hand. We would ride our bikes through there all the time because it's it's one of those cemeteries that looks like a park. And then one day, while we were riding our bikes in this one section that we didn't go to very often, I noticed uh another tomb in the side of a hill. There was quite a few of them in this cemetery. But this one looked different than the others because this one had like a few different bushes in front of the door as opposed to on the sides of it. And I thought that was strange. So I stopped to investigate it, and on the other side of the bushes was like a big wooden door that would go into the tomb, but it also had a gate across it, just like a metal gate, and it had an old padlock on it, like one of those old-fashioned padlocks. I was like, oh, this has got to be an entrance to the tunnel. So my friend and I were doing everything we could to get this thing open. You know, we're hitting the the lock with some rocks and we're trying to pry it open, we can't get anywhere. And I remember looking down at my hands, and there's rust all over my hands from trying to pull on that gate and try to get that lock. So finally we decided, let's get on our bikes and just ride home and get some tools. We'll come back, we'll open this gate, and we'd go in there. So we go back, you know, we grab a duffel bag and we'd throw some screwdrivers and some like pry bars and ride all the way back to the cemetery, and then we go right back to the spot where the gate was, and the gate was gone. It wasn't there. The bushes were there, that hill was there, there was no longer a door there, there was no longer a gate. We were looking around, like, are we sure this is the right spot? And we're like, this is definitely the right spot. There's there's no other spot. We still had the rust on our hands, like we were pulling on some gate somewhere, and it was gone.

Speaker 3 26:48

Whoa.

Speaker 26:49

Yep, and we never found it ever again, and we searched day after day after school on the weekends. We're like, we gotta we gotta find it, and we kept going back to that same spot and it was never there again. It was like it gave us that one chance and we couldn't get in.

Speaker 4 27:03

Oh my gosh, that is crazy. As a young person, we're exploring cemeteries, and then I've listened to some of your podcasts, My Paranormal Story. I believe one of the first episodes you're talking about living on Cemetery Road.

Speaker 27:17

Cemetery Street, but yes.

Speaker 4 27:18

Street. Okay, cemetery street.

Speaker 27:21

Yep, this is a real street in Providence, Rhode Island.

Speaker 4 27:24

You you weren't looking for that. It just like I wasn't looking for.

The Gate That Vanished Overnight

Haunted Bedroom On Cemetery Street

Speaker 27:27

This was much later in life. I was probably in my younger 30s. A friend of mine lived in a house with some roommates, and the house was on Cemetery Street. It was literally across the street from a cemetery. Once I moved in, things started to happen to me in the bedroom upstairs that I was in. I would grab my clothes, go take a shower, come back into my bedroom, and all the bureaus, all the drawers on my bureau would be pulled out. Oh and both closet doors would be open, and I would never have left it that way. For me to have opened all four drawers, there's no need for that. You know, you you get what you need and you go.

Speaker 3 28:00

Exactly.

Speaker 28:01

Um, so little things like that were like, well, that's weird. So I came home from work one day, I go into my bedroom, and uh I had two autographed baseballs. I had them in protective cubes, so it's not like they can roll. And I had them on the back of my bureau right up against the wall, and I came home from work one day, and both baseballs had been moved to the front of the bureau. You know, those little things they started to add up a little bit, and then two things that were really startling happened. The first one was it was probably about 1-2 in the morning. I'm on my computer playing video games or whatever, and to my right, I had a mirror on legs, like a shovel mirror. It's like an oval mirror, and it's got two legs that come down to feet. You know, the mirror pivots, you know, like that. So as I'm sitting there at my computer, out of the corner of my eye, I can see the mirror all of a sudden start moving to the point where it's just about horizontal. And I'm just saying to myself, what is going on? So I go to lift it back up, and I remember thinking this to myself, this is I've seen this horror movie. I'm gonna look in the mirror and there's gonna be something frightening standing behind me. I slowly put it back up and I could tell it was still very tight, it wasn't loose, and I put it back up, but it wasn't a horror movie, there was nothing in the mirror. But that mirror still moved by itself. Probably one of the scariest experiences I've had. A few nights later, a week later, something like that, I'm laying in bed and I feel something sit down on my bed. My roommate, her cat, used to love to come into my bedroom, but then whatever it was that was on my bed, it wasn't the cat because I felt it kind of crawl up the bed. And before I knew it, it was sitting on my chest. And when I opened my eyes, it was this old guy in like a black hat, old-time black hat, looked like a black lake suit jacket, and he was swinging at me, trying to punch me. Nothing was hitting me, but whatever was on top of me, I could feel it on my chest, and I could see him swinging, so I jumped out of bed, turned on the light, and there was nothing there.

Speaker 3 29:56

Oh my god.

Speaker 29:57

There was no cat, there was no old guy, there was nothing, and I was like, whoa. When I asked my roommate for her to describe what she had seen in that room, she described the old man exactly. She told me that she would wake up in the middle of the night for no reason, and he'd be staring her right in the face.

Speaker 4 30:13

Oh my god.

Speaker 30:14

Two weeks later, more confirmation. I come home from work one day, my friend he's sitting in the living room, and there's a guy in the living room, I don't know who he is, but he's about our age. My friend introduces me to him and says, Hey, this is so-and-so, so-and-so, this is Tom. He's like, uh, he's like, Tom is uh upstairs in your old bedroom. He used to live there at one time too as a roommate. And like the first thing he says to me is, Oh, have you seen the old man yet?

Speaker 2 30:35

Oh my god.

Investigation Advice From Tom

Speaker 30:37

I just feel like there was a spirit in that house that didn't want people there. When I did research on that area, the closest I could come was there was a man who owned a lot of that land where all these houses are now today, including the cemetery. The city wanted that land so that they could turn it into certain things, and he refused, and they ended up taking it by eminent domain from him. Oh. And so I guess there are some people who believe that he is haunting all the people who live on that property now. So it may not just be the one house I was in, it could be other houses too.

Speaker 4 31:10

The small town whispers team, we are interested in doing some porch light on-site segments. So we want to travel, start traveling a little bit. And I wondered, since you have so much experience, if you have any advice for us as we go into locations and try to gather information.

Speaker 31:27

I always tell people to approach with kindness, approach with you know politeness, and uh you'll get good results that way if you're investigating.

Speaker 3 31:36

I like that. Wow.

Speaker 4 31:37

Well, you're kind of living my dream, and um, you're truly an inspiration to keep going. Do you still do paranormal investigations?

Speaker 31:45

Not as much as I used to. I might go out two or three times a year at the most nowadays, which is good because then I get to have another episode for my podcast when it happens to Yeah, so they're continuing to come out, right?

Speaker 4 31:56

You're continuing to keep them coming. For anybody listening, you've got to go either to my paranormal storypodcast.com, listen to his stories. He's got pictures and EVPs on his blog section. You can find all the episodes on YouTube, Spotify, Apple. And in addition, I mean, I know you're a comedian too. Do you have anything comedy-wise coming up?

Speaker 32:18

I know I do a lot of uh fundraisers this time of year. I have a company, funnyforfunds.com, that I work with, and we do comedy shows to raise money for charities, youth sports leagues, PTOs, scouts, you know, whatever parents have to do fundraisers for their kids' stuff, so we do comedy shows with them.

Speaker 3 32:34

Thank you again so much. And um, I hope I hope you have a great night, great rest of the week.

Speaker 32:40

Thank you. You too, and I appreciate you inviting me on.

Speaker 3 32:43

Absolutely. Thanks again.

Speaker 1 32:46

That was this week's edition of Porchlight Whispers. Do you have an experience of your own to tell? We want to hear your stories. Share your experience and let your small town whispers become part of ours.

Speaker 4 33:03

And with that, the porchlight dims, but the whispers stay with us. Join us again next time when another voice steps into the light. If this show resonates with you, hit follow, share it with a friend who loves true history and the paranormal, and leave a rating and review. It really helps us get discovered. If you'd like to support the show, feel free to send a little something the following ways: Venmo, Bethany-Borden-1, PayPal, Bethany Borden 865, Cash App, Money Sign Small Town Whispers. Or you can go to buzzsprout.com slash 253 9508 slash support. These are all listed at the end of each episode description. This podcast does take a lot of time and energy, and any little bit would help. Please share your stories with us at Porchlight Whispers at gmail.com or send a message on the Small Town Whispers Facebook page. Did you know we're on YouTube? I dare you to put it on at bedtime. Don't forget to tell a friend or family member about the show. And mostly, thank you for simply listening. It means the world.