Haslams 10-30-05

HOME

What more is there to say for Haslams New and Used Bookstore?  It is a mecca of knowledge, filled with tempting tomes and beautiful books.  It also has some of the most well known ghosts in the Tampa Bay area, including the enigmatic spirit of Jack Kerorac whom we encountered in earlier investigations. 

This trip through the store, however, allowed the team to meet a new entity. One of the legends that belongs to the bookstore is that of the "mysterious shoulder tapper."  Multiple stories exist of individuals feeling a tap upon the shoulder only to turn around and find no one there.  Now the SPIRITS may have a ghost to put with that action.

This investigation started with the sensitives, who picked up a man in his early to mid 20's named Jonathan.  A product of the 1920s - 1930s era, this spirit is dapper as he applies hair tonic and sports a thin mustache.  While not related to the history of the store, he chooses to stay there.  He enjoys the books and he appreciates both the staff and customers in the area.  He also associates the books with his lost love, Sarah, for whom he waits.  To kill time, Jonathan walks the outskirts of the store, touching the books.  He also taps people on the shoulders (sometimes the base of a neck), plays with the cats, and gets annoyed when people read too slowly. 

An interesting aside occurred.  Jonathan was quite cooperative and continued his conversation by describing 4 other entities who were also at the store.  One is an older woman who comes between 12 – 2, and an entity who bothers the other entities (a ghost-bully of sorts).  There is a “Jack” or “Jackie” (presumably "Jack Keroac"), a little boy named Tommy, and a woman in a white dress.

The SPIRITS attempted additional communication with the entity by utilizing the EMF meter, combined with EVP and video recordings.   Jonathan appeared responsive to our requests, causing the meter to spike upon request and creating orb images in photographs in areas where we asked him to "stand."  However, there was a point where Jonathan told us that he was "needed elsewhere" and walked away.  Activity ceased at that point.

However, activity did increase in another part of the store: the metaphysical room.  Two SPIRITS members in the area caught the faint scent of perfume that flowed through the site.  One turned to get a picture at the point where the perfume originated and an orb appeared.  The entity in the room went by Lori, or a similar "L" name, but we got little more information about her.

Overall, Haslams continues to be a place worthy of study and interest.  I am hopeful that the SPIRITS will again have an opportunity to investigate the region -- and maybe meet more "corporally challenged" bibliophiles.

Brandy's pictures, digital:

After requesting the entity "pose" for the camera, this image appeared.  Out of a series of images, taken one after the other, this is the only one with orbs in it.  It's also the only picture taken at Haslams on my camera that had numerous orbs pictured.

Denise's images, digital:

Haslams

Brandy’s Report

10-30-05

Present:  Amy, Denise, Bobby, Chris, Cathy

2 cats, storeowners

camera man

The camera man was late in arriving.  The investigation was much more loosely controlled than usual.  We opened around 7:15 and the camera man arrived nearly 15 minutes later.  Camera equipment also interfered with my EMF meter; I ended up giving it to Denise.

In the children/art section:

Chris began to describe a young man, 20 – 25, who seems much older than he “looks” because of a hair tonic that he puts into his hair.  His name is Jonathan Anders or Andrews.  He is waiting for Sara.

He walks the outskirts of the store, touching the books.  He also taps people on the shoulders and gets annoyed when people read too slowly. 

He really wants 2 chairs to be put together.  He is waiting for Sarah.  He is thin, 140 pounds, with a mustache and a derby hat.  Remembers 1926 or 1936.  His is a native to St. Petersburg.  He used to be someplace else, but doesn’t like the bars and the noise.  He enjoys the books at Haslams.  He likes the people, and sometimes touches them on the base of the neck.   He is associated with the trolley cars. Sarah, his Sarah, also likes book.  He wants to wait for her to meet. 

He described up to 4 other entities who were also at the store.  One is an older woman who comes between 12 – 2.  There is an entity who bothers the other entities.  There is a “Jack” or “Jackie”.  There is a Tommy, a young kid, and a woman in a white dress.

Activity was also moving in the metaphysical room:  Lora, Loralei.  Several of the others reported getting orbs in this area.

Camera interview ended.  Media left.

Working with Chris:  Video interview

Johnathan, are you here?  Can you make this spike?  (EMF spikes)

Chris:  Come on Johnathan, make it spike (EMF spikes).

Chris:  He’s waiting for Sara:  She moved away.

He likes to bother the cats sometimes.  They lie together at one spot and he touches their tails.  Each one takes off in the opposite directions.

Brandy:  Can I get a picture of you?   Will you move into this area so I can get a picture of you?

Chris:  He says it’s strange, but he’ll do it.  Wants to know where the stand is to hold the camera.

(Brandy took 4 images; the first picture has 5 clear orbs on film.  The other 3 images, taken in succession, were clear of any orb images.  I honestly think that this is not a standard orb image).

Chris ended the interview saying that the entity was walking away – he was needed elsewhere.  Chris went into the metaphysical room because “something was happening there.”

We went back into the metaphysical section.  Here, the others reported activity.  I got nothing on camera or EVP.

Went back out, and Cathy and I went back to the metaphysical room.  Bobby joined us a short time later.  Cathy and I smelled perfume – Cathy first, then me.  I turned and took a picture behind me.  I got one orb image (and no others in that area).

EVP was null, as was video.

Overall, the investigation was more broken up and less coherent for me than I’d like.  However, I do believe that the two images and the perfume smell were three legitimate resources of activity.  The entities are gentle, kind, and interested in books, as per the indications of the other three investigations.

Haslams Bookstore October 30th, 2005

Reported by Cathy

Present were Brandy, Denise, Amy, Bobby, Chris and myself

and the owners of the store.

Walking into the store was like a kid getting to run free in a candy store, books

have always been a passion of mine and and apparently was still a passion of

some present energies for whatever reason that they chose the isles of the book

store to roam, my first impression when we started our walk through beginning in H-2

in the far back left corner was an elderly gentleman with a short sleeve bluish/gray

shirt and a sleeveless pullover sweater vest and polyester pants with a very small

off white and dark blue checkered pattern, before I saw him, I felt him as i was

taking digital temp readings, I had a consistent temp of 83 degrees and I felt

someone come up behind me and i could feel the air stir, I turned to see who

in the group had decided to also check the corner out, and i realized that I was

still alone. (or was I ?) I did another temp scan in the area of the cool spot and

I got a reading of 78 degrees, mind you now that five degrees isn't as cold as say

an alberta clipper going through, but enough of a difference that it could be felt on

the skin, more important to the fact is how it coincided with what I call my honeymoon

feeling ( the feeling of knowing when someone else has entered a room with you and

you can feel it before you see them) and also the subtle change in temp. even though

the air was off and I was'nt near any source of drafts. when I saw the man then I could'nt

help but notice he had an air of eccentricity, he was coming down the isle occasionally

touching the books here and there and seemed to be perusing the titles for a particular

book, he seemed to pay no notice that i knew he was there, but he also called out the

name tommy, and I felt this was someone who was close to him in some way, maybe

a grand or great grand son. after walking down more than a third of the length of the isle

he just was no longer there. as we continued through the other isles and rooms, the meta-

physical room ( ironically ) that we went to next had a young girl about 18 or 19 in a below

the knee off white full gauzy flowing summerdress and I felt she was barefoot and she preferred to go without her shoes even though I didn't see her feet, I got no specific impression of why she was there, only that she tended to roam through there on occasion, I got a very strong Impression of the name Lora-lei . we took digital pics and the area where denise also encountered her showed a well defined orb in the spot over her head where she indicated lora-lei to be then after she realized that I was also aware of her she suddenly left. we continued on in to the other rows of books and I realized that I had left my notebook and pen in the other room and went to retrieve it, as I came back through the metaphysical room I ran head on into a very cold spot, taking a dig. temp I got a reading of 68 degrees which i remind you again the base temp was consistant at 83 degrees, so a difference of 15 degrees was enough to make me goose bump all over, so like any self respecting ghost hunter who suddenly finds herself alone in a somewhat dark place occupied by energies of the non living, I got out of there quick! but on a lighter note I really enjoyed my experience at Haslams and felt somehow peacefully lulled by the fact that when our physical bodies pass, there is always a part of us that will continue to go on..............the end

_____

Location:            Haslam's

Date:                8/30/05

Notes from:            Bobby H.

Weather:            Overcast

Equipment:            Micro-cassette recorder, EMF Meter, Video Camera, and Digital Camera

Investigators:             Myself, Amy, Denise, Brandy, Chris, Cathy, and camera man

Temperature:            All temperature readings remained consistent

EMF:                No spikes on my EMF meter throughout entire investigation.

Photos:              Over 100 digital pictures were taken. Only picture of significance showed 2 orbs similar to the ones posted.

Video:                2 1/2 hours of video did not show any evidence of paranormal activity.

We started in the Children's / Arts area of the bookstore where I did not have any fluctuations on my EMF or thermometer. However, after about 20 or 30 minutes into the investigation, I believed what I saw, out of the corner of my eye, was a male with a red (and possibly black) shirt on ducking while scurrying from one aisle to another as if trying to hide from the investigators. Approximately, 10 minutes later I thought I saw the same figure peek his head up over the bookshelves and duck back down.  I did not notice this figure at all during the rest of the investigation.

We then moved the Metaphysical area of the bookstore. I several photographs in this section as Denise and Amy first reported feeling a presence. I was able to capture a photo of a blue orb, which was also consistent to the orb captured by other members.

Then, we walked over the to the eastern side of the store. After just a few minutes, Denise was speaking to Amy while the storeowner had approached.  I heard a whisper say, "Hello", thinking it was the owner who was politely acknowledging himself to us. I noted it vocally as I was recording on the voice recorder, as Denise looked at me puzzled. I asked Denise and the owner if they had said something. They did not. I was able to capture an EVP confirming the above.  Unfortunately, it did not come up as clear as I had heard it in my ear.

Due to the size of the store and the limited time we spent, I don't believe the investigation showed significant evidence of paranormal activity.  However, I feel that with more time and equipment, Haslam's may show proof to have more evidence than ever previously captured.

Perfume orb --->