On Being Haunted: So, I Starred In The Story (The Real End)

Earlier, I posted the final piece of the story, the haunting that’s been going on in my life. I had a hard time with that, now that I know what (and who) happened to me. So, here’s the REST of the story, because I can tell it. It’s not personal in a way I can’t talk about publicly, but I wanted to leave some of the mystery there for a little while. Specifically, I wanted to preserve the story that’s been told for my benefit. I figured that the best way to do that was to finish the telling my part in the story with a little mystery, and then explain it separately.

So, if you don’t want to know the final details of the elaborate (and awesome) hoax I’ve been subject to, then you should stop right about now.

Kept goin’ hunh?

Ok, so, the story so far is that I have, over the last three months, received a series of package. If you don’t know THAT much, go here and read the first seven or eight parts, and then read the Conclusion, here. What has happened is that the lovely @dogandgarden, despite all her protestations (and my belief) to the contrary, has been pranking me. For my birthday, in October. Out of spite.

You see, in late September, I decided I wanted a tactical axe.

I totally dig tools, tools are AWESOME. And who wouldn’t want a good axe? Especially when it’s a military/law-enforcement grade one. Especially when one has a zombie-plan, and explains it when people actually ask what it is, because one has a “Ask me about my zombie plan” hoodie.

Obviously, the “one” is me.

@dogandgarden was not thrilled by this idea. I have no idea why.

So, she contacted a fledgling company called The Mysterious Package Company, and gave them some details about what I like, and the way I think. And they did the rest. She was in contact with them the entire time: while she didn’t know exactly what was coming to me, she knew when it was going to happen, and was party to their reactions to my responses, via here. And, of course, via my blog. Like I said “fledgling” company. So, they’re still learning. And it appears that I provided a treasure-trove of information on reactions, by blogging.

Which, honestly, is wicked cool.

I, apparently, frustrated the shit out of them, and her, and a few others who were “in on it”, because I didn’t “get” one of the clues properly.

But, you know what? That’s ok.

I cannot imagine what a full-on, theatrical, shoot-for-the-moon experience from these guys would be like. Keep in mind, @dogandgarden got a mid-range package from ’em.

There were, actually, a couple of points at which the whole thing, (and keep in mind, this is just stuff via the mail) creeped the ever loving shit out of me. The repeat of the flyers, specifically, while I still didn’t ‘get’ what I was supposed to do, just really wierded me out, because it was appropriately stalker-y. “OH, you didn’t pay attention the way I wanted you to when I sent two flyers? Ok, here’s SIXTY. I’M WATCHING YOU”. No note, nothing. That is, well, creepy. What this was (and what I missed), was that this was an invitation (and a kick in the pants) to interact. It’s been suggested to me (because a few people know about all this now, and know that I know, that they know, that I know and ohmygodinfinityloop) that I could have sent a ‘demo’ to the recording company, which may have solicited more/different responses. It never even occured to me. I have a feeling that, given the voicemail message at the website’s phone number, a mucisian would have connected the dots better than I did.

But, despite that, I know where the story ends.

It’s different than what @dogandgarden envisioned. But I know, from the clues, in my mind, where the story ends. I may even write it, just for kicks.

But the good Dr. Moran? He ain’t dead. Not entirely. Not properly. And I’m pretty sure he wants his hand back, and the formula with it.

Seriously, insane props and respect to the guys/girls of The Mysterious Package Company. They did pretty damn much everything right, even when I didn’t play along properly. I had a freakin’ fantastic time, and I’m NEVER going to be able to match what @dogandgarden set in motion for me.

So, here you go. The ACTUAL contents of the final Mysterious Package.

The ‘personal message’?

Yeah, dead giveaway. There’s the aformentioned tactical axe, but also, in the style of The Rubberbandits – Horse Outside. I introduced her to the hilarity of the Rubberbandits, and the phrase “Fuck yer subaru, I’ve a horse outside” has become meme-like to us. It’s our language. We’re weird like that.

I was really torn on putting this out in public, I’ll be honest. I’d hate to ruin someone elses experience. At the same time, I really, really wanted to give credit to these guys, they did an unbelievable job. For the group of people who will, actually, really appreciate this kind of interactive/transmedia experience, they are gonna be awesome in the long term. The attention to detail? Totally stunning. There was no point at which I questioned the veracity of the material. My suspension of disbelief was maintained the entire time. In fact, I’m kinda disappointed it’s over, and I’m really, really envious of anyone who gets sent a package. It’s a mother of an experience.

On Being Haunted: The Final Chapter

So, I got another message on Thursday night. It’s very specific. This is the final utterance from the source. The story is told.

This is what I received:

Inside, a simple card, logo the same as the seal.

And that’s it, that’s all, and I understand now. I know how the story ends.

On Being Haunted, Part 7 (For Real)

So, right after the last post (like the next day) a large manila envelope showed up. Once again, addressed to “M.R.”.

Not a lot to work with on this one. Just the envelope, and forty or fifty of the same flyer as last time, jammed fairly haphazardly into said envelope.

I guess we’re waiting for the next one.

On Being Haunted, Pt. 6.5

Nothing new recieved, but I did call the number for Mad Dog Records.

What you’ll see from the history page, is that the company was founded by William “Billy” Savage. It’s now run by his son, Rudolph.

Well, Rudolph, or rather, Randy, as he’s called on the message is openly soliciting for band submissions, tapes, etc. He’d be happy to get right back to anyone, as they’re either not in the office, or on another call.

It should be noted that “Randy” isn’t a standard shortening of “Rudolph”. Randolph, yes, but not Rudolph. No idea if THAT means anything.

Randy.

Rudolph Savage. Son of William.

RANDY SAVAGE.

Yup, it appears that The Macho Man, RANDY SAVAGE runs Mad Dog Records

Ok, not that Randy Savage, I’m sure, but all I heard in my head was OOOOOOOHHH-YEAAAAAAAAAH.

Otherwise, the voice is familiar but I’m sure I don’t know it. Radio familiar? that kind of voice? A Mister Moviefone kind of voice. that kind of voice.

Definitely not MachoMan’s voice.

I gotta say, it’s nice to see a little humour injected on top of this actually fairly creepy prank.

I’m Being Haunted, Pt 6

Well, here we are again. Got a no-return-address piece of mail on Tuesday (This’d be mid-December, actually, I’ve been reaaally busy with work/life, and this is about the first time I got to get all the material together), same M4L (Toronto) postmark, similar labeling. What’s funny is, I can spot ’em in the mailbox now, I’m getting used to the regularity (although, I did figure it’d be a little while until the next one).

What I got was two copies of a band flyer, promoting a “new release” of a single:

So, HellSword is a real band. Mad Dog Records, however, may be real, but the site there is a fake. Even if they layout and style from 1996/geocities wasn’t a give away, the whois report is.

Created 2012-11-13. About ten days after my first encounter, and just about the same day (I’d guess) as the second piece was mailed.

Under the assumption that at some point, the site will just go away, here are screen caps!

So, like I said, the site appears to have been created just for this prank. Again, a couple of bucks, not much more than the postage/shipping was on the third item.

What have we got there?

Well, not much. The phone number is legit (I’ve not called it, but someone else has, it gets “Mad Dog Records” voicemail). I’m guessing the email is too. the AOL link does nothing. Maybe that’ll come later, or was put together and then taken down?

And, I say “legit” as in “they work, and represent what they claim to represent”.

The interesting stuff:

On the “history” page, there’s a reference to William “Billy” Savage, son “Randolph Savage”, and “Pianist Gregory Delainy”. Delainy apparently ‘disappeared’ after signing with Big Town Records around 1917/1918, in 1919.

There’s no record of a pianist (and definitely not a famous one) named Gregory Delainy.

However, I took a quick boo back through the “patient records”/admission records I was sent in the third mailing and… lookit that. Gregory Delainy.

Same as the rest, self-admitted, minor mental issues, violence (which doesn’t actually fit the character of what I now know about the Muskoka Free Hospital for Consumptives: It was a cottage community for rest and relaxation (the treatment of the time for Tuberculosis), not an “asylum” as people think today of the word “Sanitarium”) and basically, late stages Tuberculosis.

The list of bands is varied, and vaguely interesting.

Pale Cobra: Only exists on the Mad Dog Records page

Hell’s Compadres: awesome name for a band, but only on MDR’s page

The Killer Bees: wierdly, a band of rappers associated with Wu-Tang Clan

Iron Wolf Snake Only on MDR’s page

Rage Inferno: an energy drink

The Death: Too generic to search. There MUST be an indie band out there with that name though.

Leather Monster: Only on MDR’s page

HellSword: A real band.

BattleScream: A real band.

One Gun Charlie: A neat story of wartime agreements from Vietnam

In other words, the only connection I can see is the made-up pianist, “Gregory Delainy”. And, interestingly, the spelling of “Delainy” is so distinctive that Google initially only provides results after it corrects it to “Delany”: if you tell it to do “Delainy” only, as you typed… the only reference on the intertoobs is, yup, you guessed it, Mad Dog Records.

If you google Big Town Records you get compilations of blues music from the “Bob Geddins Big Town Records Story”.

In other words, along with MDR, it appears “Big Town Records” of Bracebridge, ON is made-up too. There’s a bunch of “Big Town Records” studios, through the last hundred years or so, but all in the states (primarily Michigan and California). Another dead end.

of course, assuming this is a prank, there may be no REAL cohesion to the whole thing, just a continuing stretch of mailings that vaguely reference touch stones, real or imagined. There may be no ‘lead’ to chase down.

Unless you, dear readers, have any insights I’ve missed.