Listener Stories: Vol. 93
Stories:
1: On the Rocks Follow-Up - Christina (she/they)
2: Ghostly picture evidence that the Whaley House is truly haunted - Rachel (she/her)
3: THE WHALEY HOUSE: My brother definitely saw Yankee Jim - Listener Tale - Macie
4: Little Green Ghost girl (with pic) and Rope Burns - Morgan
5: Full apparition at Whaley house - Mary (she/her)
6: My Whaley House Story - Julia
Story 1 Photo 1
Story 1 Photo 2 (enhanced)
Story 1 Photo 3
Story 2 Photo 1
Story 2 Photo 2 (enhanced)
Story 4 (enhanced)
Story 5 (enhanced)
Story 6
Happy July! It's hot AF and our livers are bigger than they look! Tune in this month for some Whaley House themed stories chosen by Clam Boleyn herself. We're reliving our ghost hunt and On the Rocks tour and freaking out at all the ghostly photos y'all sent in. Come join us while we look back as we move forward to our brand new tour, which we're definitely not terrified about and currently still writing... and that's why we drink!
Transcript
[intro music]
Christine Schiefer: It's hot AF.
Em Schulz: Uh-heh.
Christine Schiefer: It's 98? Degrees in Cincinnati right now.
Em Schulz: It is, wherever you are, it is not as bad here, but, umm, it's still hot. It's just not humid or...
Christine Schiefer: Sweltering.
Em Schulz: Yucky. Or at least by nightfall it gets a little better. Umm.
Christine Schiefer: Well, I wanna say that because we haven't, uh, announced anything yet, and we haven't... We don't... Nobody knows when we're recording this. I will say Em and I and... Em and Eva and I just hung out recently. Umm, and we had a lot of leftover alcohol from our hangout session, which is, I think our livers are bigger than they look, you know what I mean? Umm, is that a thing? Maybe not.
Em Schulz: Mine was just as big as I thought it was.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. So we had a lot of leftover alcohol and, uh, a lot of iced tea alcohols. So I'm drinking in your honor today a hard iced tea, Em.
Em Schulz: Okay, well that's nice. Is it a Twisted Tea? Or is it an Arizona Tea? Or what is the...
Christine Schiefer: It's the Rhinegeist, Rhinegeist Tea, uh, Rhinegeist Half & Half. It's very delicious.
Em Schulz: Mmm. Mmm. Well...
Christine Schiefer: And it's caffeinated, which is probably a terrible idea, it's 4:00 PM, but I, I mean, I'm never gonna drink these again 'cause I can only drink them like before 2:00 PM if I wanna sleep that night. Umm, so it's gonna take me probably two years to get rid of these, but.
Em Schulz: Does it actually taste like tea? And is it enjoyable like tea?
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm. It actually does taste quite sweet. Like sweet tea. Yeah.
Em Schulz: Oh, okay. That's nice.
Christine Schiefer: You probably wouldn't like it. Like it would probably have a weird aftertaste, but to me it tastes like, like the Arizona ones taste like tea to me.
Em Schulz: Really?
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: I wanna believe everybody. But every time I've taken a sip of something and people said...
Christine Schiefer: No, you would notice. You would notice. Like, it's not like...
Em Schulz: I... Well, my virgin palette. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Secret. Yeah. It's just, it's just, like, compared to just straight alcohol, it's very good. But, umm.
Em Schulz: Okay. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Uh, but yeah, it's uh, officially July when you... Everybody hears this. So happy July. Happy month seven, uh, officially.
Christine Schiefer: We're more than halfway.
Em Schulz: More than halfway.
Christine Schiefer: Well, we're just starting the second half of the year.
Em Schulz: Yes. And, umm, I'm assuming it's only worse for you temperature-wise than it currently is as, as we record this. So sorry to Christine and anyone living nearby.
Christine Schiefer: Thanks. Anybody living nearby me 'cause you'll probably smell me from very far away. [laughter] Good apology. That's very necessary. Umm.
Em Schulz: Eva and I were just saying, uh, while we were with you that it has... We have not showered that much, uh, [laughter] the way that we were... I mean, I was taking like two showers a day. It was just so muggy.
Christine Schiefer: I'm very fortunate that my car now has that thing where, because it's like a hybrid or whatever, where it's when it's plugged in you can like start it remotely and like let the air conditioning run for a few minutes. That is a new evolution for me.
Em Schulz: A godsent maybe.
Christine Schiefer: But it is really, uh, delightful, so.
Em Schulz: Uh, well, happy July and uh, are you doing anything in July that you're excited about?
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, oh, I'm touring for "Beach Too Sandy". I was gonna bring this stuff on the regular show...
Em Schulz: Waa!
Christine Schiefer: But we are touring and guess what show has sold the least amount of tickets, Em?
Em Schulz: Hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Cincinnati.
Em Schulz: Wow. What a kick in the he...
Christine Schiefer: It hurts.
Em Schulz: Kick in the face.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, it hurts. Uh, so we're, we're trying to get the word out. So if you, uh, if you're, you know, and wanna come see us live, it's a really fun show. We read one-star reviews of your town, and we are going on tour multiple weeks in cin... In July. So help me.
Em Schulz: I, I wonder if it's not as popular in Cincinnati because you are locals of Cincinnati and so people feel like they almost like could run into you and get a free show anytime, you know? And they're like...
Christine Schiefer: Right, 'cause I'm gonna stop and do an hour and a half, or just on the sidewalk.
Em Schulz: But like, you'd be like, "Oh, well I- I might just run into them at the grocery store. I wonder if I could, if I could get a meet and greet anyway." I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: I feel like, like 40 people of our closest loved ones and friends maybe just assume that they get free tickets and we're like, "No, just go buy them because I'm not... "
Em Schulz: Mmh, understood.
Christine Schiefer: "I don't have enough free tickets to give you if we're not gonna do a show." Uh, so.
Em Schulz: That's like my mom and all of her 900 acquaintances, they all assume that I will help them out.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, yeah exactly.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Yeah. Well, how was your first shows? Because you just did your first, your first leg.
Christine Schiefer: Well, we did. Seattle and Portland were both sold out. That was really fun. Umm, and it just, I don't think I've ever... I mean it's, it's just very fun to do, like, a very low key. 'cause ours is more like production value and like, you know, our shows are like very, uh, involved and, and awesome and like, just require a lot of prep. I feel like these ones we just kinda show up, walk in with our laptop and like, that's it.
Em Schulz: But you know what? Portland and Seattle since the beginning of our touring, your touring history, they have never once fucking missed.
Christine Schiefer: Never missed.
Em Schulz: Portland and Seattle...
Christine Schiefer: Never missed.
Em Schulz: Literally are always two of our best cities.
Christine Schiefer: Nailing every time.
Em Schulz: They are always loud. I think it's 'cause they're just a bunch of silly little queer people.
Christine Schiefer: I guess so.
Em Schulz: I can't imagine anybody else living in either city, so.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, they really just, uh, they really just tell it like it is and they don't hold back. And I really appreciate.
Em Schulz: And they're loud. They're always loud.
Christine Schiefer: Always appreciate it.
Em Schulz: Ugh. Well that's at least those are great cities to start your tour, and they'd give you, like, a boost.
Christine Schiefer: It really kicked it off strong. Yeah. And then Cincinnati's like, "Mm, nevermind, we hate you, hehe." And I'm like, "Well fine. Fuck you." Umm.
Em Schulz: I would love to have a sh... A tour either begin or end with a, a Portland/Seattle leg because you're gonna get so jazzed either way.
Christine Schiefer: I do recommend it. I do. Umm, but we are going to DC, Em, as well, so, you know.
Em Schulz: I do know about that. I do know about that.
Christine Schiefer: "Do you wanna come visit? Maybe Em will be there." I'm just gonna keep telling everyone maybe Em will be there and that'll like maybe drive ticket sales up.
Em Schulz: My mother has already asked if I'm coming to DC soon.
Christine Schiefer: Yaay.
Em Schulz: And she knows about your show so. Uh, anyway, so, uh, I am, yes, good luck on the rest of your tour. I can't believe you're touring.
Christine Schiefer: Oh! I have big news, just now, opened Facebook, got a message request in my, like, folder that I don't ever check from none other than Esther Marie Flonaze my favorite drag queen.
Em Schulz: Wait, what?
Christine Schiefer: And she just messaged me. Eva can probably hear me somewhere. And it says, "You talking about me on that podcast?!" Oh my God. I am... My... I am so starstruck right now I could just cry. Holy shit. This is the biggest moment of my life. Eva? Eva, are you there? Okay good.
Em Schulz: First of all, amazing for you, second, love that you have to browse Facebook to talk to me, while we record. But.. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Well, I was kind of pulling up the list of cities that I posted on Facebook yesterday for the tour, so I promise it was relevant, and then I got totally...
Em Schulz: Esther Marie Flonaze...
Christine Schiefer: Sidetracked. Yeah.
Em Schulz: Messaged you. You're one step away from an autograph, my friend.
Christine Schiefer: I... It sounds like she's...
Em Schulz: It feels better than an autograph.
Christine Schiefer: It's like she's mad at me, but not really, you know, like she's talking to me in all caps and I'm like, "Are you yelling?"
Em Schulz: But she's drag-queen mean, that's, that's... You're in.
Christine Schiefer: Exactly. I feel so honored. Eva said, "I'm screaming! Icon." I love her and I...
Em Schulz: You have to, we have to, you have to get a shirt or something now.
Christine Schiefer: Wait, oh my God wait, she's on my computer. The one I'm on right now, she's on there. My sticker. Shit. I wish I could show it, but it's on the back.
Em Schulz: Awww. Tell her... Tell her I'm screaming about you on the podcast again. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Sorry Esther. You're never gonna get, get off. It was actually on Beach Too Sandy now I got him on... Got her on this one. So I feel like we've got uh... Esther Marie's all over the place spreading the good word.
Em Schulz: Wow. Well, I was gonna ask why you drink, but there's obviously no better answer than that, so.
Christine Schiefer: Umm, thank you so much, Em, and, Em, I hope you're having a lovely July not touring. How's that going for you in the future? [laughter]
Em Schulz: Chef's Kiss 10 outta 10. Uh, I do love touring...
Christine Schiefer: Oh, oh wait, I, I, I, I'm not...
Em Schulz: What?
Christine Schiefer: I'm not, I'm sorry I'm interrupting you, but I feel like on that note, Eva did say, oh, this, these stories that Eva picked today, a handful that Em and I have not read yet, are all of a very specific familiar place. And I kind of can see just from the subjects what place that is.
Em Schulz: Oh, I haven't... I haven't looked yet.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. Okay. Sorry, I didn't know if you knew, so you'll find out. But, anyway, go ahead. You're having a lovely time not touring.
Em Schulz: I'm having a lovely time not touring. I do love touring with you. Right now Christine and I are currently petrified because our tour hasn't been fully written yet, and ticket sales are already happening.
Christine Schiefer: Hasn't been fully written. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Hasn't been written yet and like...
Christine Schiefer: Hasn't been even conceived. We're literally like in the fertility process right now, trying to get this thing off the ground.
Em Schulz: So right now, I'm scared about going back on tour just because they're... I'm not prepped, but when we are prepped, I will feel good about it. I'm loving not having to, I mean, I was just on an airplane yesterday, but...
Christine Schiefer: I know. It doesn't probably feel like you are off tour yet but almost.
Em Schulz: I'm happy for, like, one breath to not be in an airport. There are obviously chunks of our lives where it feels like we just live in airports and hotels.
Christine Schiefer: We live in them.
Em Schulz: And, yeah, I'm, I'm feeling cozy. I might take a shift on the bar-ship tonight. I don't know, things might get crazy.
Christine Schiefer: I literally thought you were about to say take a shit. I was like, "I don't think we need to know that. Thank you though." [chuckle] I was like, "Em, wow."
Em Schulz: Shift.
Christine Schiefer: Shift at the bartender. Gotcha.
Em Schulz: I've got my night shifts and, I haven't, I haven't been to the bar recently, but I gotta go get those tips, so I might hustle a little bit this weekend.
Christine Schiefer: Wonderful.
Em Schulz: Yeah, I'm having a good time. Umm, I, I don't have any drag queens reaching out to me, but.
Christine Schiefer: That you know of. I mean, again, I never checked that folder. I don't even know how I ended up there. I just like clicked on it. I was like, "Who is that little icon? That looks like [gasp] Esther Marie? Ms. Flonaze herself?
Em Schulz: That's amazing. Do you know if you were to be a drag king, I suppose, what your name would be?
Christine Schiefer: I think about this all the time, and somebody else, when I visited Spotify recently, asked me that same question. It was almost like their icebreaker question. And I was like, "This is such a powerful intro question." That's a very...
Em Schulz: That's a hard icebreaker question because it... You have to ask soft, soft, like low ball questions because you have... The icebreaker is like, "Oh, here, let me ask you an easy question so you don't have to, like, feel pressure."
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Like, put you on the spot. Umm.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Eva, Eva loves the name Clam Boleyn, uh like, Anne Boleyn?
Christine Schiefer: Clam Boleyn is ridiculous. What's yours Em? Clam Boleyn is very good.
Em Schulz: I don't have one. I never know. I, I definitely put you on the spot.
Christine Schiefer: The way Eva spelled Boleyn, instead of Boleyn it says "Boylen", which is also very funny. It sounds like Clam Boilin, which also kind of works. Uh.
Em Schulz: I think mine would be, umm, Tess Tosterone.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, that's good. You did tell me that one once. I really like that. I really like that.
Em Schulz: It's a good backup one until I come up with my real name.
Christine Schiefer: Umm, yeah, that's good. I'll brainstorm it. Maybe like in the middle of one of your stories, I'll just scream the the drag name out.
Em Schulz: That's great. Okay. I love it. Well, happy July to everybody. And if this is your first time listening to our listeners' episodes, [laughter] this is where we read your true crime and paranormal stories, hand-selected by Clam Boleyn herself, and...
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: I'm gonna call her Clam Boilin until she fixes the spelling. [laughter]
Em Schulz: And we've got apparently six from a very... A location we're familiar with. So do you want me to go first or you, Christine?
Christine Schiefer: I would love you to go first so you know... So you get the idea pretty quick where we're, where we're going.
Em Schulz: Where we're heading? What direction this takes us? Okay. This is... Well, I see immediately the title is On The Rocks.
Christine Schiefer: Yep.
Em Schulz: On the Rocks Follow-Up. Oh my gosh. Well, hey, I thought our On the Rocks rope was over. Apparently not. We've got some updates for everybody.
Christine Schiefer: This is like our... Like, our like, umm, looking back as we prep to go forward, you know?
Em Schulz: Oh, beautiful.
Christine Schiefer: It's like kind of like, we're in limbo between tours right now, so it's kind of like we're reminiscing as we prepare for our future, future tour.
Em Schulz: That's stunning. That's... That's beautiful.
Christine Schiefer: Honestly, thank you. Even though Eva did this and we just found out, I feel like that that feels like a power move.
Em Schulz: [laughter] Well, the letter starts with "you all", not y'all. "My name is Christina and my pronouns are she/they." Love a double pronoun. Hello Christina, thank you for normalizing pronouns. "I found your podcast September, 2023."
Em Schulz: Wow. You are new. Welcome.
Em Schulz: "We planned a family trip to San Diego in April 23 for April 24, and my spouse connected that the Whaley House," aha, "Was really close to where we would be on our trip. It kind of fell off our radar, but then we went to your live show in Minneapolis."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: [laughter] So you had no idea that they were connected. I see.
Christine Schiefer: That's actually very funny. Yeah.
Em Schulz: "The Whaley House," in parentheses, "(By the way your live show was awesome. We had a great time)."
Christine Schiefer: Oh.
Em Schulz: The next...
Christine Schiefer: Eva added that in. She's like, "I'm just gonna add some annotations here and just talk about how... "
Em Schulz: Oh Clam you shouldn't have.
Christine Schiefer: Ms. Clam [laughter]
Em Schulz: "The next morning after your show we left for San Diego and saw Eva at the airport." Holy shit. You saw a drag queen?! That's amazing.
Christine Schiefer: You saw Clam Boleyn? [laughter]
Em Schulz: My wife...
Christine Schiefer: Better known by her Christian name, Clam Boleyn. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Uh, "We had... My wife had the courage to go talk to her..."
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: "And we asked if we were... She asked if we were going to the Whaley House." Wow. That really is a lot of layers there. Wow.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, it is. That's like... It feels like the universe was like shoving you into the Whaley House with all this.
Em Schulz: Yeah. You were like... By the way, we're gonna start this show like a couple months before our live show, which, so we're gonna hear about the Whaley House only a few months before going to the show about the Whaley House. Oh my gosh. And you met Eva. Okay. And now I feel like Eva only inserted the story in because [laughter] she got a very specific shout-out. Anyway, "We experienced lots of cold spots at the Whaley House. We got a couple of pictures with unexplainable shadows?"
Christine Schiefer: Okay. It's two people who were there overnight with no air conditioning. I can say that has to be paranormal because that place is fucking hot as hell.
Em Schulz: Oh yeah. There's no... I mean, we were there a year ago? Two years? A year-and-a-half ago? Two years ago? I don't know anymore.
Christine Schiefer: Two years ago. Wait, I don't know.
Em Schulz: But it was as hot as we were complaining about earlier.
Christine Schiefer: It's out-of-control hot.
Em Schulz: Um. So to feel cold spots, that was... That had to be...
Christine Schiefer: It's ghostly presence...
Em Schulz: Fun for you.
Christine Schiefer: For sure.
Em Schulz: "We got a couple pictures with unexplainable shadows, a creepy woman in the window that others seemed to get, and a really unexplained malfunction with our 13-year-old's camera when the flash kept getting turned on in the theater, and the scent of lavender was so strong to me..."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "And I thought they had laven... That I ha... Thought they had a lavender bush outside." Um. Which by the way, lavender was one of the smells of Anna Whaley, um. Okay. But also as two people who spent two nights in the Whaley House looking for evidence, we did not get any of that [laughter] We did not...
Christine Schiefer: No. I smelled a lot of cigar smoke in certain areas that it would be weird because I would smell it and I'd be like, "Whoa, this room's really strong smelling of cigar smoke." And you guys were like, "I don't smell it." And then half an hour later you were like, "Whoa, I just smelled the cigar smoke." And I was like, "I don't smell anything." So it was kind of weird.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: We had that.
Em Schulz: But no lavender, no creepy woman in the window, no shadows...
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: Our flashlights didn't malfunction.
Christine Schiefer: Mm-mm.
Em Schulz: "I attached photos of us, as responsible parents. The weird photo from the theater, the shadow room that looks like someone was sleeping in it." Euh! "And maybe Christine napped in there." Oh, okay, uh. "The woman..."
Christine Schiefer: Does it say that?
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Oh. I never nap anywhere, but yeah, maybe [laughter]
Em Schulz: I did think in the Whaley House at one point I was like, "Maybe we should all just take turns sitting in different rooms and maybe just try to fall asleep." 'cause we were there until like 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning.
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah, I as well.
Em Schulz: So I remember thinking, "Let's make a designated sleep room and see if anything happens while we're in there."
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. But it was like either the fucking room where the dead people slept on the bed or like the wooden benches in the theater. So it wasn't the most cozy place for sleeping.
Em Schulz: Yeah. "Also the unexplainable photo from the theater. Keep in mind, this photo was taken at night. It is not distinguishable. And the flash would just turn on."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: My kid was kind of a skeptic until she went. Thanks for your fun show. Stay spooky. All of... " and then their last name, but Christina, Althea, and The Kid.
Christine Schiefer: Awww.
Em Schulz: Which I love that they just called her kid The Kid.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. So we wanted to add as well, Eva put folders for all the photos here, and we're gonna reach out to... Eva's gonna reach out to these folks and see if we have permission to share them on our YouTube video. Potentially our Instagram as well. Just so people can follow along, right?
Em Schulz: Yeah. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. Should I open... Should we open story one pics?
Em Schulz: Sure.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. So let's see what we got. We got...
Em Schulz: Story 1.
Christine Schiefer: The group outside.
Em Schulz: The group outside. Oh, being responsible parents. Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Awww.
Em Schulz: And then the shadows, the weird shadows in the, in the bedroom.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, ew look at the pillow. It looks like there's an indent on it.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Gross. This was the bedroom I thought we should sleep in [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Which one is this? Is this the primary bedroom or the...
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Okay.
Em Schulz: This is, this is where the little kid was jumping on the bed, right?
Christine Schiefer: Oh, yes yes yes. Yeah. What was I gonna do? Sleep where the fucking kid is jumping on my stomach? [laughter] And this is... Ooh.
Em Schulz: Oh, weird. You can see something in the...
Christine Schiefer: Ooh wait. Oh my God. Zoom in. You can literally see a full dress.
Em Schulz: Yeah, I see the ruffles.
Christine Schiefer: With puffy sleeves and a big, like, oh my gosh, that's really weird. It's like her head is behind something.
Em Schulz: And then just a... And then a blurry photo.
Christine Schiefer: Let me see. What is that one supposed to be?
Em Schulz: That is supposed to be...
Christine Schiefer: When she dropped her camera?
Em Schulz: Oh, okay. That must be it. Yep. Wow.
Christine Schiefer: No, I was kidding.
Em Schulz: I know.
Christine Schiefer: Oh [laughter] okay.
Em Schulz: Unexplainable photo from the theater, keep in mind this photo was taken at night and it is not distinguishable and the flash would just turn on.
Christine Schiefer: So it just, like, took itself.
Em Schulz: Mmm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Yuck. Yuck.
Em Schulz: Wow. Well thank you Christina.
Christine Schiefer: I love this. Thank you Christina and The Kid.
Em Schulz: And thank you for the photo evidence. Oh, and Kid. Yes.
Christine Schiefer: I also really like the idea that now we're getting, like, some cool stories about the place we just covered for like two years. It's just neat to see, like, other people's experiences now, you know?
Em Schulz: I am also though slightly jealous 'cause I'm like, "Wow. Could have used that evidence for our show." I'm like, and...
Christine Schiefer: Em our show was like two and a half hours long. We did not need more evidence.
Em Schulz: I'll always take more evidence, but...
Christine Schiefer: No. We had to cut shit out!
Em Schulz: I know. But anyway, thank you Christina. That was... Apparently I think we're gonna be having a Whaley-House-themed listeners' episode. So I'm about to see quite a lot of evidence.
Christine Schiefer: It's like the Whaley family reunion and we're just inviting ourselves.
Em Schulz: We're good at that.
Christine Schiefer: So this is, uh the second email. It's called "Ghostly picture evidence that the Whaley House is truly haunted." Um, this is, now let me go scroll down and see. This is from Rachel, she/her, it says, "Hi Em, Christine, Eva, Allison, petrified fruit, fur babies, and of course Baby Leona." Love that Allison got a mention, but not Blaise. Ha! "My sister Rebecca keeps telling me I need to submit the story to you both. And I finally was able to write and send you this. By the way, we both went to your shows when you came to San Diego and we loved hearing Em tell the story of the Whaley House during the first show. So here's even more ghostly evidence for you, Em." Ha ha too late.
Em Schulz: Thank you.
Christine Schiefer: "I grew up in San Diego, but had never had the opportunity to tour the Whaley House in Old Town until this last year. My sister and her girl... " Imagine growing up in San Diego and never going to the Whaley House till you're like an adult. That's crazy.
Em Schulz: Couldn't be me.
Christine Schiefer: Couldn't be me. "My sister and girlfriend took me out for tacos and a tour of the Whaley House for my birthday, which is like the perfect birthday present for me." And probably I'm adding every listener of this podcast. "My birthday lands right around Halloween, so perfect time. Don't worry, I'm a Libra, and not a Scorpio. We started the tour in the Whaley House and everything was pretty normal, nothing felt odd or eerie, and we had an amazing tour guide who told the story in this wonderfully creepy sort of way. It wasn't until we entered the parlor area of the house where I started to get this irritating sensation on my neck, right under my jawline. It felt like a burning sensation, and I kept feeling my neck to see if there were any bug bites or bumps, but couldn't feel anything. It was hard to describe and I didn't think much of it, so I didn't tell my sister until later. It wasn't until the tour guide started telling the story of the parlor and that before the house was there, the parlor archway was where the public hangings took place in San Diego."
Em Schulz: Oh, good.
Christine Schiefer: Yes, the archway was the gallows, then they turned it into this delightful little, delicate, beautiful parlor archway. Why not?
Em Schulz: Of course.
Christine Schiefer: Of course. "My blood ran cold as I realized I was probably feeling the sensation of a rope around my neck. That's what it felt like, a rope burn."
Em Schulz: Hmm. Forget it.
Christine Schiefer: "Thankfully," oh, and then wrote "eek".
Em Schulz: Wait, is this just a message from Eva? I'm confused.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, no, it has too many Es for for Eva.
Em Schulz: Oh [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Thankfully, the sensation went away as soon as we left the room. The tour ended outside in the grounds behind the house. I started to take some pictures around the house just to see if I could catch anything. As I was taking the pictures, I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary on my phone's camera. It wasn't until I looked through the pictures with my sister as we stood outside the house when we realized we caught something clear as day."
Em Schulz: [gasp]
Christine Schiefer: "I attached the photo for you guys to look at. Based on the features, my sister and I are pretty convinced that we captured Mr. Whaley's spirit posing for us outside his home."
Em Schulz: Posing?
Christine Schiefer: Posing. I'm picturing like an Ester Marie Flonaze pose, you know?
Em Schulz: Yeah [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: "For reference, I attached another photo of the back door without the spirit there so you can see the difference. You can see my shadow on the right side of the photo, so clearly that's not me. We think the black area is a top hat, and then the gray area could be hair, mustache, or a beard. I also attached a photo of Mr. Whaley to see if you can see the resemblance too. I showed this photo to our tour guide, and she was floored and asked me to send it to her. She said this is one of the clearest photo captures she has ever seen."
Em Schulz: Yeah, I'm looking at the pictures now.
Christine Schiefer: Wait, don't look yet!
Em Schulz: Oh, okay.
Christine Schiefer: I mean, you can, but...
Em Schulz: Okay, keep going. Sorry.
Christine Schiefer: There's just several more paragraphs. "I was simply elated after capturing that photo, and unlike my poor sister's girlfriend, who was terrified during the entire tour, I'm not sure if she slept that night. I found it hard to sleep because I couldn't believe I caught a ghost on camera. Anyway, hope this story and picture gave you goosecam, and my sister and I look forward to seeing you again. I also just got back from my honeymoon, and I think I successfully hooked my husband on the podcast too, so maybe he'll come along as well. But like, imagine trying to explain to someone else Em's troll hole, Gio's butt curtain, and Lemon without any previous context. Anyway, love you both. Thanks for what you do, Rachel."
Em Schulz: Thank you for all your hard work, by the way.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. Okay, let me go look at it with you.
Em Schulz: So I see it in picture two. I don't see it in picture one.
Christine Schiefer: No, remember she said one is without, one is with, for...
Em Schulz: Okay, that makes more sense.
Christine Schiefer: For relative...
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] The hat!
Em Schulz: That's a big-ass hat. Is that the hat you saw?
Christine Schiefer: Literally.
Em Schulz: That's pretty wild.
Christine Schiefer: But it was on top of the stairs more, you know, but he... So... Oh my God, that's crazy. So I saw an apparition of Mr. Whaley years ago before Em and I ever went. And um, it was this man walking by with almost like a half a top-hat-looking thing walking past the top of the stairs. That is crazy.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: The fact that there's one and then right next to it, it's just gone. Super weird.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I wonder if... 'cause it feels like almost like he was sitting or something or... 'cause he looks too short.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Yeah, true. Or maybe just like really close.
Em Schulz: Or maybe really close. Yeah, I don't know. But that's super weird. I mean, you of all people would be able to confirm this hat because you're the one who saw it.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Well, they also have a cardboard cutout out front, not cardboard, but like a wooden cutout with that same hat...
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: That big old hat he wears. So that definitely matches.
Em Schulz: I like to think that if it was his like favorite fashion accessory, I hope he's like really stoked that when people make recreations of him, he's in his little hat. He's like, "Aww."
Christine Schiefer: He's like, "This hat got... " "I got the bang for my buck out of this damn hat." You know?
Em Schulz: Yeah [laughter] So whoever whoever sold him that hat had no idea how much investment was going into the hat for eternity.
Christine Schiefer: Do you remember... Do you remember that book 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'? [laughter] Okay, I don't know if you read that. She... It was like a whole...
Em Schulz: Yeah. It was written by Thomas Whaley, I think.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: There was like a whole part where she said, "Okay, so what I'm going to do is when I buy something, I'm going to figure out how many times I'll wear it and then divide it by that time to know how much I would...
Em Schulz: Yeah, girl math.
Christine Schiefer: Girl math. How much I would spend on it every day. I feel like this hat is fucking free.
Em Schulz: Pennies not even.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, yeah.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Oh, my God.
Em Schulz: Um. Only because I'm thinking of old men in black and white currently. I just learned recently, did you know that there was once a hundred thousand dollar bill?
Christine Schiefer: Woah.
Em Schulz: And I wanted to ask if you knew who was on the one hundred thousand dollar bill.
Christine Schiefer: I don't know. Was it Mr. Whaley? I have no idea.
Em Schulz: That'd be hysterical. No, it was... I think it was FDR.
Christine Schiefer: I was like, "Do you know?" [laughter]
Em Schulz: FDR was involved. I don't know if... I think it was approved by FDR, but someone else was... I think Cleveland maybe.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, Woodrow Wilson.
Em Schulz: Woodrow Wilson.
Christine Schiefer: Just before we get tweets, not that I'm on Twitter, but uh, wow.
Em Schulz: It makes me... Makes me feel bad that I don't know more about presidents because I'm kind of like, "What did you deserve to get that bill versus like... "
Christine Schiefer: Ah, Em, I don't think that is going to answer many questions for you, to be honest.
Em Schulz: But I'm just like, Of all the presidents, how come you versus another one? You know?
Christine Schiefer: Well, probably because like they didn't have any left.
Em Schulz: I mean, there's like 10 bills, right?
Christine Schiefer: I know. I'm just saying, like when Woodrow Wilson was president, they were like, "Oh, we'll put you on one, but we kind of used up all the bills already. We can make a hundred thousand. You want to be on that?"
Em Schulz: Oh, I see. I see.
Christine Schiefer: I don't know.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Anyway, I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: Your turn.
Em Schulz: Fun fact, if you... My turn? Okay, as I pull it up, tell me if you had to be on a bill, which one would you want to be on?
Christine Schiefer: [sigh] Like, if I replaced someone on the bill?
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, I'd love to be on a fiver.
Em Schulz: Really? I think I feel best on a 20.
Christine Schiefer: 20 is good.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: 20 is...
Em Schulz: Not a 50, because 50 is like, I think the least used one.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, exactly. I do too. And like on an ATM, it's always in 20s.
Em Schulz: Everyone would be seeing my face everywhere if I were on a 20.
Christine Schiefer: All over the place.
Em Schulz: Yeah. And then a five is nice because anytime I see that I have like a random dollar on my wallet, I'm like, "What am I gonna use that for?"
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: But if I see a random five, I go, "Oh, that's an FLT bill."
Christine Schiefer: That's an FLT built in right there. And then it's me smiling on the cover.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Would you be smiling for your bill portrait?
Christine Schiefer: Hell no.
Em Schulz: I think I would just do like, like one of those like coy little like, umm, like...
Christine Schiefer: Like a Mona Lisa?
Em Schulz: Like a, like a, you know, like a little, like bitchy smile, like...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: I know what you're gonna use this for and it's not gonna be anything good.
Christine Schiefer: I would do... I would do this.
Em Schulz: It's totally looking at... It'd be funny if it was just you looking in the complete wrong direction.
Christine Schiefer: [laughter] It's... Just back of my head. [laughter] It's like the dime, you know, where they have like the silhouette of...
Em Schulz: Uh-huh.
Christine Schiefer: You know? Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Umm, that, that, that would be me, except I would be like, turned too far. And you would just see my head.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Because FDR is on the dime, I think, but he's sideways.
Em Schulz: Yeah. You know, who doesn't get enough appreciation? The nickel. Nobody cares about nickel.
Christine Schiefer: The sad nickel.
Em Schulz: If someone, I'd rather have a penny than a nickel, what the hell am I gonna do with a nickel? All right.
Christine Schiefer: What are you gonna do with a penny?
Em Schulz: I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: At least it's good luck.
Em Schulz: Yeah okay, here's number three. This is titled "My brother definitely saw Yankee Jim"
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: Again, another thing we did not experience, but...
Christine Schiefer: Wow.
Em Schulz: We did... Very jealous. Very jealous. Okay. This says, uh, "Hey, Christine and Em. I heard about your podcast from Morbid, and I love it. I sent in the following listener tale to Morbid a while back, but after getting into And That's Why We Drink and hearing what big fans you are of the Whaley House...
Christine Schiefer: I unsent it...
Em Schulz: I had to share it with you too.
Christine Schiefer: To Morbid. [laughter]
Em Schulz: And I had to share it with you.
Christine Schiefer: Just kidding.
Em Schulz: Feel free to read it on a Listener tale if you would like." Well, here we are. This, by the way, I don't know, maybe they don't want me to say, oh no, this says Macy at the end, but I don't know Macie pronouns. Tsk, tsk, tsk Macie.
Christine Schiefer: It's okay. Some people just don't feel comfortable.
Em Schulz: "Back in October, 2015, my family and I went on a little trip to California and one of our stops was Old Town San Diego. We loved the old-timey and fun vibe the town gives off, so we decided to spend the evening there. We had no idea that the most haunted house is located there. My family and I are really into paranormal true crime stuff, and we saw that they were doing a ghost tour that night since it was close to Halloween. After dinner, I suggested we do the tour, but my parents said it was too expensive and it was getting dark, so we were gonna shop around."
Christine Schiefer: Boo!
Em Schulz: I know, tomato, tomato, tomato. "Shop around for a few minutes before heading back to the hotel. My mom's sisters and I checked out some shops while my dad and brother got ice cream and waited outside. When we came out, we found my dad and brother across the street, right outside the Whaley House. They told us they decided to get tickets." Of course, as soon as they wanted to do it, they were like, Okay, well now we're gonna get tickets. "They told us they decided to get tickets for the Ghost Tour, after all, and we were super excited, but confused as to why my dad had changed his mind."
Christine Schiefer: Oh.
Em Schulz: "Side note. My brother sees spirits quite often."
Christine Schiefer: Great.
Em Schulz: Oh. "They said they decided to get tickets for the tour because my brother had already seen a ghost in the yard of the house."
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: I love that. He's like, "Totally just saw a ghost. Now can we go?"
Em Schulz: I like how the parents are like, "Well, that's a clear indicator that we should do this... "
Christine Schiefer: In that case.
Em Schulz: Versus, "Nope, let's run away."
Christine Schiefer: Right.
Em Schulz: "My brother had already seen a ghost in the yard of the house, so it must be worth it." [laughter] Which is interesting because the last listener story we just did, someone... The picture of the ghost was in the yard.
Christine Schiefer: True! I don't think we even realized that was something that happened there.
Em Schulz: Never occurred to us to even look in the yard. I mean, we knew that Violet Whaley...
Christine Schiefer: We did. You and I took a ton of photos outside, but we didn't get anything.
Em Schulz: It was of you drinking out of 10,000 flasks?
Christine Schiefer: No, no. It was of the windows and stuff. We were hoping to get a silhouette, but...
Em Schulz: Violet Whaley is seen a lot in the yard, but it didn't even occur to me that anyone else would be seen out there. Anyway, umm, "My brother said the ghost was weird though, because it was standing several feet above the ground.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Oh-oh, I know what that means.
Em Schulz: Yep. "And he'd never seen a spirit do that before. While we waited in line, we decided we would pass the time by looking up the house's history, and my sister suddenly gasped and started freaking out. That's when we learned that where the Whaley House stands was the town's first gallows. So this ghost was probably reliving his death. It was..."
Christine Schiefer: Mmm.
Em Schulz: Yeah. "We showed my brother and he goes, 'Oh, yeah, that would make sense.' The tour guide told us about the most famous ghost people report seeing on the property named James or Yankee Jim Robinson, who, as you know, was hanged on the property for larceny in 1852, and basically strangled to death since his neck wouldn't break."
Christine Schiefer: Ugh.
Em Schulz: "During the tour, my brother also saw a little girl's spirit in one of the doorways." That's Marian. The granddaughter.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: The one who likes to tickle.
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: "And a woman in the kitchen. I 100% believe Christine's story about the man peeking at the tour from upstairs."
Christine Schiefer: Euh.
Em Schulz: "Also for the record, if I would have been there when she got fake proposed to out front, I would've made the biggest deal about it and clapped and bought you drinks."
Christine Schiefer: Haha! Thank you.
Em Schulz: Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story. Love you guys, Macie.
Christine Schiefer: What does it feel like that your girlfriend proposed to me? I ask you this all the time, before...
Em Schulz: I... Honestly, she got it out of her system. That makes me so happy for her. Um...
Christine Schiefer: Hilarious.
Em Schulz: Umm, yeah. How did it feel for you to be proposed to by...
Christine Schiefer: Well, just literally the best.
Em Schulz: Okay. Hey, well, we all got what we wanted, except you didn't get any drinks out of it.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, I got so many drinks. I mean, we went and bought us... Ourselves a ton of drinks.
Em Schulz: I know, but I, I feel like someone, per Macie, should have, you know, said...
Christine Schiefer: Mm. I mean, who knows?
Em Schulz: Congratulations.
Christine Schiefer: We probably shouted we were engaged and got a few, umm, I don't recall. It was a long night.
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. I have another one here. This is from Morgan. Thank you, Morgan. It says, "Hey guys, my name is Morgan. I love your podcast, and I'm currently listening to it on Spotify. I did the dumb thing and listened to all of your episodes backwards." Oh, for God's sake.
Em Schulz: Oh, Morgan.
Christine Schiefer: "So I only just recently listened to the episode you did on San Diego's Whaley House."
Em Schulz: That's episode two.
Christine Schiefer: That's episode two! [laughter]
Em Schulz: I only recently got to the second to last episode.
Christine Schiefer: Em's pronouns are going backwards. [laughter] Like you're now they/them.
Em Schulz: I'm becoming girlier.
Christine Schiefer: I'm becoming more ignorant. We're both becoming more ignorant. [laughter] Let's...
Em Schulz: Definitely.
Christine Schiefer: "I visited there in 2013." I wonder if like when Eva started, if there's, like, a clear, going backwards where you're like, "Oh, yeah, I can tell Eva started."
Em Schulz: The quality went down. Yeah. If we're going backwards, the quality went down.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Let's see. I visited there in 2013 with my mom and sister, and we had some interesting encounters. Oh, this was written in 2018, so, oh...
Em Schulz: Oh.
Christine Schiefer: So they just heard the episode. They didn't even, this is like before we ever did a show on it, like a live show.
Em Schulz: Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
Christine Schiefer: First off.
Em Schulz: Well, Morgan, I wonder if you listen anymore, but um...
Christine Schiefer: We'll find out.
Em Schulz: Hopefully, so.
Christine Schiefer: We probably won't find out. "I visited there in 23rd," we will find out when we're like, "Can we use your photos in a show?" And they're like, "Who is this? [laughter] It's been... "
Em Schulz: Oh, sorry. It's the girl and the ignoramus um actually but...
Christine Schiefer: It's those idiots. Okay. The girl and the idiot. Yeah. "I visited there in 2013 with my mom and sister, and we had some interesting encounters. First off, let me say, we were the first people in the building with me leading the way. Before we were ushered inside, our tour guide told us to have our cameras out, to take pictures of everything. I had my iPod touch, I know, so vintage, and was the first person to walk into the courtroom. As I entered, I saw a girl that was green just staring at me."
Em Schulz: Mm.
Christine Schiefer: "She had bangs, long hair and was wearing a pinafore. We just stared at each other for a minute before she began to sink into the ground."
Em Schulz: Girl. No way.
Christine Schiefer: What. "I snapped a quick pic, not really thinking anything of it, and sat in one of the benches with my family. I should also mention that as soon as I stepped into the house, my neck felt really hot. I felt like I was developing a fever and my neck felt raw."
Em Schulz: Mm.
Christine Schiefer: "Keep in mind that I hadn't touched my neck at all because I'd had my iPod in my hands." [laughter] Yes. The unwieldy iPod with two hands. You have to hold it.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: "The tour guide started sharing some of the basic stories of the property. The big one, I think Em mentioned in their recap of the house and its stories. I don't remember his name, but there was a cowboy hung on the property," That would be Yankee James, Yankee Jim, "who was too tall for the gallows. His neck didn't break on first drop, and he ended up strangling to death for about 25 minutes. The tour guide said that some people feel like they're being strangled and that some guests actually develop a rash around their neck. I recognize that this might be what was affecting my neck. I was very careful for the rest of the tour not to touch my neck. I was waiting for my sister or my mom or anyone to say something to confirm my fear that I was actually being haunted, but they didn't say anything."
Christine Schiefer: "The rest of the tour went by smoothly, but I felt horrible the whole time. My neck felt like it was on fire, and I started to feel like I couldn't breathe. By the end of the tour, I was just freaking done with the whole thing. When the tour guide said it was over, I ran out onto the porch. As soon as I stepped outside, I started to feel better. That's when I pulled out my iPod to glance through my pictures and see if I'd caught anything. I had actually forgotten about the little green girl."
Em Schulz: Insane to me, by the way, because that's something you should never forget.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. But is that not the most... Astonishing legends talks about this all the time of paranormal apathy...
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Where something happens and, like, for example, in the middle of the night and you just go back to sleep, and then the next day you're like, "Wait, what the fuck? Why was I sleeping?"
Em Schulz: I mean, it's happened to me. I get it. It's just still wild as a sentence...
Christine Schiefer: Totally.
Em Schulz: To be like, "Oh yeah totally forgot about the... "
Christine Schiefer: "I forgot about the girl who sank into the ground right in front of my eyes." [chuckle]
Em Schulz: "And we both stared into each other too when it happened."
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. I wonder. I feel like also probably she's like, Well, let me stop choking to death first, and then I guess I can think about her. Okay. That is... "So, I'd totally forgotten about the little green girl, that is, until I saw her staring back at me in one of my pictures!"
Em Schulz: Mm.
Christine Schiefer: Holy shit. "That's freaking right. I caught a picture of a ghost. I'm going to attach it to this email so you guys could take a peek and see what you think. I snapped it as she was sinking into the floor. So basically only her face is seen. She's peeking over the table and her face is in between the white pitcher and glass. If you zoom in, you can actually see her eyes and the outline of a face. It's pretty flipping crazy. So while I'm looking at this picture, my sister and mom joined me on the porch. The first thing my sister says is, 'Mom, look, it's going away.' Guess what they were looking at? Yep. My neck."
Em Schulz: [gasp]
Christine Schiefer: "It turns out during the whole tour, I had this huge, horrible looking red welt or mark all across my neck. My mom and sister had been waiting for me to talk about how uncomfortable I was, and I was waiting for them to say something about my neck, turning red. Crazy stuff. I have lots of stories. We'll be sharing more of them with you in the future. Thank you, Morgan."
Em Schulz: Wow.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. Let's pull this bad boy up. This is story four, right?
Em Schulz: Yeah. I see the green thing, but it's definitely sinking and it's definitely like behind the table.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, over there. Oh, weird. And it for sure is green.
Em Schulz: It's definitely green and definitely like almost see-through, you could tell, like, it was probably see-through. I don't see the eyes I see at the top of a hat or something.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, like a girl's hat? Yeah.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I don't see eyes, but it is obviously green. It's very weird.
Christine Schiefer: That's freaky. I wonder, I wonder why she's sinking into the floor.
Em Schulz: I don't know. I have no id... Just descending like an elevator was there or something. That's so odd.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. 'Cause like, we've never heard that story before.
Em Schulz: No, but also, I never heard of any of these people being seen outside or Yankee Jim literally still seen floating. Like, that's crazy.
Christine Schiefer: I know. I wonder.
Em Schulz: Everyone is reporting on things I've never even heard of online. That's one of the best and worst things about being someone who talks about ghost stories for a living, is that there's only so much information you can find online...
Christine Schiefer: Right.
Em Schulz: But everybody's got a completely unique story...
Christine Schiefer: The anecdotes. Yeah.
Em Schulz: And most of them have never been posted online, so I'm only ever telling a chunk of a story.
Christine Schiefer: I mean, we should search our inbox next time we go somewhere haunted and see if we have like other people's you know?
Em Schulz: Extra sources. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Anecdotes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That is so creepy. Well, I'm sorry about your neck. I mean, the fact that we got multiple emails about that, I'm just honestly relieved we didn't experience that.
Em Schulz: I am happy about that. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. [laughter] For once I'm not jealous of that. [laughter]
Em Schulz: We've got, uh, two more stories?
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: So this one is called, oh, this is just point... To the point. "Full apparition at Whaley House."
Christine Schiefer: Oh my gosh! That's like what I saw.
Em Schulz: This is from Mary who's a she/her pronouns. Thank you for normalizing pronouns, Mary. And, uh, the email says, "Hi Eva. I just visited the Whaley House this weekend, and while I had no experiences while inside, I caught a picture of an apparition of a woman in one of the upstairs bedroom windows and one of the," I think that might have been Violet. She's seen a lot in her bedroom upstairs.
Christine Schiefer: True.
Em Schulz: "I went back to the house to check and there, uh, are trees outside that window and nothing else. Uh, also, also showed the staff member working there and our waitress at the restaurant across the street, and they both had interesting stories." Oh, I also showed the picture to the staff members, and they both had interesting stories. "The waitress mentioned that the toddler girl, Marian, that died in the house goes to the restaurant a lot..."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "And has left flour footprints all over the floor."
Christine Schiefer: Wait, that's like your cookie story, sort of, like back in the day.
Em Schulz: That's exactly... That's just like my cookie story. Yeah. It's, it's so, it's so wild. Like, now I'm like, "Oh, should we have brought flour?" Like, you know, it's like, "Should we have... "
Christine Schiefer: I know. "Should we have dumped baked goods all over the floor?" [laughter] Shouldn't that have helped? [laughter] Our security deposit would not have been given back. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Uh, uh, "One of them working at the Whaley House said that she's been pushed upstairs...
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "While conducting a paranormal investigation and showed me a picture of Ms. Whaley holding up her hand to her mouth like she was shushing them." Oh my God.
Christine Schiefer: Ha-hah! "Keep it down."
Em Schulz: Which is wild. She's like, "Please, please, I'm, I'm so busy here in the silence."
Christine Schiefer: Please. I'm resting my eyes. I'm busy in the silence. Please let me enjoy.
Em Schulz: Ultra introvert [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: I get it.
Em Schulz: "I'll attach my photo. Feel free to share if it gets read. I always approach the paranormal with a healthy level of skepticism, but I have not been able to disprove it. I'd like to add other people have caught pictures of the same woman, but in different poses, so I know it's not a reflection." Umm, and that's the whole email, so...
Christine Schiefer: Okay, I just opened it. Let me see. [gasp]
Em Schulz: What? A picture of...
Christine Schiefer: I just upped the brightness on my screen, upped the brightness all the way. I literally got just the biggest jump scare of my life.
Em Schulz: Oh my God. Okay, now I... Okay. What a fun thing to hear right before I...
Christine Schiefer: I'm like really genuinely freaked the F out by this. This is so, this is one of the best...
Em Schulz: Oh hell no.
Christine Schiefer: This is one of the best ghost pictures I've ever seen. I think.
Em Schulz: That's me too. That literally looks like you're holding... That looks like a picture or something.
Christine Schiefer: It looks like somebody is holding one of those old timey cameras that you have to wait three years standing really still, you know, to get your photo taken. And she's just standing there stuck, still staring at the, like, flashbulb.
Em Schulz: That is super freaky.
Christine Schiefer: That's creepy. Yeah. If Megan posts this, we should, or when Megan posts this, we should definitely brighten up the image. 'cause I feel like that will show it.
Em Schulz: Ooh! I hate that.
Christine Schiefer: That is, that is like the most... That's a full body apparition. That is...
Em Schulz: That's really, truly, and like, you can look at like... 'cause my first thought was maybe it's one of the cutouts from outside, but like there's, you can see that there's no feet.
Christine Schiefer: No. And you can see the collar and the, like, the eyes.
Em Schulz: The hands, the arms, the...
Christine Schiefer: How the hair is parted. Like you can see everything.
Em Schulz: Yeah. The eyes, and she's looking right at you, girl.
Christine Schiefer: That's creepy too. It really looks like...
Em Schulz: Is she's smiling. I swear to God if she's smiling.
Christine Schiefer: No, I think she's almost just like...
Em Schulz: Just there.
Christine Schiefer: Just kind of staring neutrally like they used to.
Em Schulz: I almost would give anything in my entire life for her to not be smiling, just in case. I just like...
Christine Schiefer: I, I'm just gonna say she's not, just for our own sanity.
Em Schulz: For our own sanity. [laughter] Okay, great. Wow. Hey, that's a great one. All right, well that was a, that was a quick one, but that was Mary...
Christine Schiefer: That's a goodie.
Em Schulz: You killed it. That's, that's terrifying. Thank you so much.
Christine Schiefer: For a lack of a better term. Umm, okay.
Em Schulz: Oh my God.
Christine Schiefer: This is from Julia. It's called "My Whaley House story", and this is our last one, and it also has pictures, I believe.
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: "Hey, Christine and Em. I'm Julia from Nashville, team wine here, sorry Em," oh, this is also from 2018! Oh my gosh. "I recently discovered your podcast and I'm addicted. The thing that caught my interest was the second episode when you talked about the Whaley House, because..."
Em Schulz: Aww.
Christine Schiefer: My friend and I went there last year and we had a really creepy experience. I've been meaning to tell you guys about it ever since I heard that episode, and then I just listened to episode 23 when Christine talks about going to the house." Wow. This is the ultimate throwback.
Em Schulz: Wow. Throwback. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: "So here goes, my friend Allie and I were on vacation in San Diego. We were walking around after dinner when we came across the Whaley House. I love anything haunted or scary, so I got really excited when I saw it, but Allie was like, 'Hell no, we are not going in there.'"
Em Schulz: I like Allie.
Christine Schiefer: But somehow I convinced her to go in anyway. [laughter] Allie's that person. That's like you with Ouija board where I'm like, "I'll break down your willpower. Just wait."
Em Schulz: Yeah. Yep.
Christine Schiefer: "So we're on the tour and I'm taking pictures like crazy, trying to catch something on camera. We get upstairs and Allie goes into one of the bedrooms, which we later learned was Violet's bedroom. Then a minute or two later, she runs out of the room, clutching her chest, breathing really hard, and her face is white as a sheet. She could barely speak, but told me to go in the room and take pictures because she thought something was in there with her. After I took the pictures, I asked her what happened when she was in the room. She said that the minute she walked in, her heart started racing and then all of a sudden she felt like something punched her in the chest and knocked the wind out of her."
Em Schulz: What?
Christine Schiefer: "It was only after this that the tour guide told us a story of Violet's divorce and how she shot herself in the heart."
Em Schulz: Mm.
Christine Schiefer: Super creepy. "We were also looking through the pictures outside once the tour was done and got a live photo during the tour of a person or ghost looking back at us in Mr. And Mrs. Whaley's room. I converted it into a GIF in this email, but I don't know if you'll be able to see it. It's one of the rooms that's glassed off. So at first we thought it was just a reflection, but we were at the end of our tour group, so I don't know whose reflection it would be. The tour guide also let us go back inside to test it out. Allie walked around behind me while I got pictures from the same camera angle and we could not see any reflections in the pictures, so who knows, but maybe we caught a ghost on camera. We also got... "
Em Schulz: Yeah it's... Sorry.
Christine Schiefer: Hold on. Hold on. Stop opening them. You're spoiling it. "We also got margaritas after the tour like Christine and Allison did because... "
Em Schulz: When in Rome? [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: "We also got margaritas after the tour like Christine and Allison did, because Allie said I owed her a drink for making her go in there. We went to Old Town Mexican Cafe. I'm curious where y'all went." No idea. This was so long ago now. I'm sorry. I never got back to you back then. "Some other random side notes. I got super excited when I heard Em's trip to Nashville, and I'm also from Kentucky, so I loved when Christine taught everyone the proper way to say Louisville." And now I live in Kentucky. I wonder if you listen, Julia. Still probably not. [laughter] uh, "Love you guys. Can't wait to get caught up, Julia." Okay. Sorry. So you see the, you see the, you've seen it?
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Is it creepy? Like I'm trying to open it.
Em Schulz: I think what I'm seeing is it looks like... Is it open for you?
Christine Schiefer: Oh, yeah. There it is. [gasp]
Em Schulz: To, to me it looks like a face... Like a face that's like on our side of the doorway in a rocking chair.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] You're right.
Em Schulz: That looks like a really incredibly detailed face.
Christine Schiefer: 'Cause you can like, see the, the whole body kind of shifts backwards...
Em Schulz: Like the lips and everything. And then even if you look at in the, on the left side by like that dark cabinet...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: You can see the hand rocking with the...
Christine Schiefer: And it moves.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Like, it's like the whole body tilts. You're prob... That's such a good point Em, a rocking chair.
Em Schulz: I, I really wanna like, screenshot right where the face is kind of in the middle. 'cause that's a fully detailed face right there.
Christine Schiefer: The fact that it's a live photo. I never thought about checking a live photo to watch back.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: That's so smart to make a gif out of it. Okay, that is...
Em Schulz: That's so wild.
Christine Schiefer: Honestly, the more I watch it, I'm getting scared. That's like really really freaky.
Em Schulz: And again, looking directly at you.
Christine Schiefer: It is looking and it's really close. Like why are they all up in everyone's business?
Em Schulz: Yeah. I, I don't know... I don't know. I have no idea. But it is super freaky.
Christine Schiefer: I feel like I wanna download this and pause it, you know?
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: On the...
Em Schulz: Yeah. That's what I wanna do too. 'Cause you can see the details of like, the shadows of the nose. You can see the shadows of the lips. You can see the eyes and the...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: I think you can even see the hair maybe on one part.
Christine Schiefer: I'm gonna open it.
Em Schulz: The thing that freaks me out is the hands down down there. 'cause it really...
Christine Schiefer: The hand...
Em Schulz: It really feels like they're sitting in a way where they're in a rocking chair. Which by the way, Anna Whaley is always seen in her rocking chair.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God, Em. Okay. If you download it to your computer, it turns into a bunch of stills. Like twenty...
Em Schulz: Oh perfect.
Christine Schiefer: Twenty six stills. So you can like go piece by piece.
Em Schulz: Perfect.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Oh my God. You can see the lips on this person.
Em Schulz: That's what I'm saying.
Christine Schiefer: This is freaking me out, man. This is a really weird one.
Em Schulz: Let me see if I can.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God. You can make like a flip book almost when you do this. Ah!
Em Schulz: Yeah. Like you can see everything.
Christine Schiefer: And they look old-timey.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Seems almost sunken.
Em Schulz: It looks again like a tin type or something. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Yes. Yes. It totally does. [gasp]
Em Schulz: Oh man, that's a great one. The, the we...
Christine Schiefer: These are creepy as fuck.
Em Schulz: I've never seen so much photo evidence in a listener's episode before.
Christine Schiefer: I know folks. I know that like, maybe it's not the best for audio, but like, maybe we should get more people sending in like your photos. This is so cool to see.
Em Schulz: Yeah, that's really, I mean between like...
Christine Schiefer: And then if we put them in the videos, then we'll have them on YouTube too.
Em Schulz: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: That would be dope.
Em Schulz: The, the blur in one of the first stories we did and then the, the woman standing outside and now this like, and then they all feel like they're Anna Whaley. Well, no, the last two feel like Anna Whaley. The other one with the top hat was obviously Thomas Whaley.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I'm looking now again at the one of the woman. Oh, God. Yes. Standing in the reflection. Now I wanna go back and take a...
Em Schulz: They look like they're the same person. Like the...
Christine Schiefer: It does look like the same person.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Ew. Oh, I wonder if there's something to that, like, to the reflection being like more easily for them to show themselves. I don't know.
Em Schulz: And the green, the glowing green. That's crazy.
Christine Schiefer: Ohh, these are creepy you guys. I'm really impressed. I'll be honest.
Em Schulz: Man, I don't know what to say.
Christine Schiefer: Me neither.
Em Schulz: That's all very freaky. I'm, I don't think I'm jealous anymore.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Eva back there was probably like, just wait, wait. Oh, I, you know what I just did? I just upped the brightness on the Whaley, uh, Mr. Whaley picture too.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: And like, you can definitely see a lot more of like his, it's almost like...
Em Schulz: Features.
Christine Schiefer: You can see facial hair and shoulders.
Em Schulz: Oh, weird.
Christine Schiefer: God, this is so spooky. Euh.
Em Schulz: Well, thank you everyone for sending in all your pictures and your stories and thank you Eva, for giving us a Whaley House...
Christine Schiefer: Awww.
Em Schulz: Almost like a closeout from the...
Christine Schiefer: A recap.
Em Schulz: On the Rocks tour. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Umm, I'm excited to tell everyone, uh, more about our, our future show when it's been written, but, umm.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. But, but just so you know, we are working, we are diligently working on it, so it is in progress. Umm, and we're, we're very excited about it.
Em Schulz: And, uh, until then, I guess everyone we're gonna... You're gonna hear more stories in August, so I hope everyone has a great July.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah!
Em Schulz: And, uh, if you... Oh, and also this is where we shout out Christine's tour with Beach Too Sandy.
Christine Schiefer: Awww.
Em Schulz: This is where we shout out our book, 'A Haunted Road Atlas: Next Stop'.
Christine Schiefer: And our tour, which is on sale right now.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm. And, uh, that's, I think that's all we got going on right now, but please, uh, tune in on, you know, for our regular series, but also for on August 1st for the next listeners' episode. And...
Christine Schiefer: That's...
Em Schulz: Why...
Christine Schiefer: We...
Em Schulz: Drink.