wavePod

Dearly Departed - Spooked | Wave AI Podcast Notes

Dearly Departed

Fri Nov 29 2024

Dearly departed, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called Spooked. Most of the ghosties and ghoulies we meet on this show have sinister agendas. But sometimes, spirits reach through the veil to send tender messages: I’m here; I miss you; remember me.

Summary

Spooked: "Dearly Departed" – Episode Summary

Release Date: November 29, 2024 | Host: Glynn Washington | Produced by Snap Judgment Studios in partnership with KQED & PRX

Overview

In the "Dearly Departed" episode of Spooked, host Glynn Washington delves into chilling supernatural encounters shared by listeners. This episode features two compelling true-life ghost stories: Len's haunting experience in Victoria, British Columbia, and Desiree's unsettling encounters with apparitions linked to her family's past. Throughout the episode, listeners are transported into eerie narratives that explore the thin veil between the living and the dead.

Len's Encounter with Doris in Victoria

Setting the Scene

Len begins his story in the early 1990s on Beach Drive in Oak Bay, Victoria, a picturesque area reminiscent of an old English village. On a rainy evening, after enjoying fish and chips with friends, Len decides to cruise the dimly lit coastal road to catch the moonlight before heading home to watch Star Trek.

The Haunting Appearance

As darkness deepens and rain intensifies, Len recounts the moment when he first notices an unusual shadow in the distance. Upon activating his high beams, he and his friends witness a glowing woman in a white dress, seemingly floating with a featureless visage.

Len (07:09): "What we were looking at really was a glowing woman in a white dress. And she wasn't walking, she was floating, and she had no face. It was like a shifting nothingness."

The eerie silence within the car amplifies the tense atmosphere as they watch the spectral figure walk towards the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

The Revelation

Shaken by the encounter, Len contacts his Auntie Joyce, who reveals the tragic backstory of Doris—a nurse from the 1930s whose life ended violently. Doris had been arguing with her husband outside the hotel, leading to her untimely death and her husband’s subsequent suicide. This revelation identifies Doris as Victoria's most famous ghost.

Len (12:44): "I think we just saw a ghost, you guys. I think we just saw a ghost."

Aftermath and Reflection

Len reflects on the profound impact of witnessing Doris, highlighting the blend of fear and excitement among his friends for experiencing a genuine supernatural event together.

Desiree's Supernatural Experiences

A Night at Clearwater Lake

Desiree shares her experiences during summers spent at her parents' cabin near Clearwater Lake, a serene location that becomes the backdrop for her haunting encounters. One night, while sitting around a campfire with her Auntie Carol and Uncle Ken, Desiree recounts a vivid memory from her childhood.

The Apparition in the Nursery

At around six years old, Desiree wakes up to find her younger sister Jen crying inconsolably. Amidst a thunderstorm, she senses a presence in the room—a figure resembling her late grandmother, Daisy. This apparition unnerves her, leading Desiree to hide under her blankets to escape the terrifying vision.

Desiree (20:25): "I just saw that there's this white puffy hair on top of this person. And my mom has straight jet black hair. And I just froze. I could feel this weird sense coming over me, like, that's not my mom."

Later revelations connect this apparition to Auntie Carol’s own loss, as the figure Desiree saw was indeed her grandmother, who had passed away six months before Desiree was born.

The Bear Encounter in Manitoba

Years later, while working as a tree planter in Northern Manitoba, Desiree experiences another supernatural event. Amidst the repetitive labor of planting trees, she hears a voice urging her to "look up now." Trusting the warning, she notices a bear approaching with a cub, narrowly avoiding a dangerous encounter.

Desiree (29:37): "I could get into the zone... I just hear this voice right in my ear that startles me that says, you need to look up now. Just like, you need to look up now."

Desiree attributes this life-saving intuition to her grandmother's protective presence, reinforcing her belief in a guardian angel watching over her.

Host and Storyteller Interactions

Throughout the episode, host Glynn Washington interjects with insightful commentary and encourages listeners to share their own spooky stories. He bridges the storytellers’ experiences with broader reflections on the mysteries of life and the afterlife.

Glenn Washington (16:34): "Thank you Desiree for sharing your story of the Spooked Spook. Desiree is a spooked listener. She wrote in to tell us her story and you better believe I need to hear from you."

Conclusion

"Dearly Departed" masterfully weaves two haunting narratives that explore themes of loss, protection, and the enduring presence of loved ones beyond death. Through Len and Desiree's chilling experiences, the episode invites listeners to ponder the mysteries that lie just beyond our perception, emphasizing the profound connections that transcend the boundaries of life and death.

Notable Quotes

Len (07:09): "What we were looking at really was a glowing woman in a white dress. And she wasn't walking, she was floating, and she had no face. It was like a shifting nothingness."
Len (12:44): "I think we just saw a ghost, you guys. I think we just saw a ghost."
Desiree (20:25): "I just froze. I could feel this weird sense coming over me, like, that's not my mom."
Desiree (29:37): "I just hear this voice right in my ear that startles me that says, you need to look up now. Just like, you need to look up now."

Final Thoughts

"Dearly Departed" stands as a testament to Spooked's commitment to delivering authentic and spine-tingling real-life stories. By sharing deeply personal encounters with the supernatural, Glynn Washington and his storytellers create an immersive experience that resonates with both believers and skeptics alike.

For more chilling tales and to share your own spooky experiences, visit Spooked's official website.

Loading summary...

Transcript

Glenn Washington (0:04)

If one could peel back one's own skin and peer at that which lies within, then one might search and still not see. There is no you and there is no me. It's time. You're listening to Spooked. Stay tuned. This episode is brought to you by Progressive. Most of you aren't just listening right now. You're driving, cleaning, even exercising. But what if you could be saving money by switching to Progressive? Drivers who save by switching save nearly $750 on average and auto customers qualify for an average of 7 discounts. Multitask right now quote today@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates national averaged 12 month savings of $744 by new customers surveyed who saved Progressive between June 2022 and May 2023. Potential savings will vary. Discounts not available in all states and situations Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first person single player adventure video game set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade. The year is 1937. Sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them. Indiana Jones Adventure Calls Indiana Jones and the Great Circle releases on December 9th on Xbox Series X&S Game Pass and PC Pre Order Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Now Rated T for teen. Copyright and trademark 2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. When work gets crazy, I like to stop by the bar after have a few cold ones.

Desiree (1:48)

I don't drink at all until 4:00.

Glenn Washington (1:52)

We limit ourselves to one bottle of wine a night. Excessive drinking has a way of sneaking up on us. A few drinks a few nights a week, it can add up and suddenly we're at greater risk for long term problems like heart disease, cancer and depression. Reason enough to rethink the Drink more@rethinkthodrink.com an OHA initiative. No matter what happens to your phone this holiday, whether it crashes down the chimney or gets broken like a New Year's resolution, Verizon's got you this Black Friday. Trade in any phone, any can from one of our top brands and get a wonderful new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on Unlimited ultimate and iPad and Apple Watch Series 10. That's up to $2,000 in value, so you'll save big on three amazing Apple gifts. Hurry into Verizon. This Black Friday service plan required for iPad and Apple watch. Up to $2,000 value based on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Trade in and Additional terms apply seeverizing.com for details. Apple Intelligence available now. Want to shop Walmart Black Friday Deals First Walmart plus members get early access to our hottest deals. Join now and get 50% off a one year annual membership. Shop deals first with Walmart Plus. See terms@walmartplus.com My mother and I, we don't often see eye to eye. And as the years pass, I feel our chances for reconciliation, for healing. I feel they're slipping away, like we're missing basic understandings of why our core values so offend the other. And I want to understand my mother. I do. I want to know better from where she came. I have so very few pictures from her younger years. So few. It was a rare thing to aim a camera at a skinny brown girl when she was a child. But recently a cousin sent me a gift. A photo. Damn, it's water stain. There she is, a teenager, beaming, relaxed, with her sisters on the precipice of the unfolding of her life. And I stare at this crumbling picture into a happy space, this person I've never known, confidently smiling back at the camera. I want people to be nice to that girl. She is so sweet. She has such a big heart. I want to dive into this photo and tell people to please, please, please be kind to this little girl, treat her gently. I want the world in this picture to give her flowers and sing her songs and make her feel safe. And I know, I know it will do none of those things. It will not. And I want to tell her to run. Because girl in the picture, the bad thing is coming and you need to get out of there right now. The dark thing is coming. Run away. Please mother, run away. Look. Starts.

Lynn (7:09)

This was in the early 90s. I was with my two friends. It was a Saturday. We decided to go for a drive along Beach Drive in Oak Bay. It was raining a little bit when we left and we were riding in my red Volkswagen bag. The friend in the front seat was my best girlfriend and the friend in the back seat was another best friend of mine. We were wanting to have a bite to eat and we decided that we would go to Oak Bay for some fish and chips. And by the time we were finished with our fish and chips, it was dark and we weren't quite ready to go home yet. We thought that we would just cruise around a little bit along Beach Drive and try and catch the moonlight and just sort of kill some time before we went home to watch Star Trek. Well, Beach Drive is an old drive in Victoria. There's a marina there, an old hotel called the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, which has since been remodeled, and then a golf course. We drove past the golf course and we could still see the moon. It was dark. And then we continued on towards the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. It was quite dark, but it seemed to get even darker than dark. And it started to rain. What I first see is the moonlight coming through the trees. And then we didn't have any music on, but we all just sort of naturally fell silent because it just seemed. Seemed darker than it should be. And in that darkness, I saw a shadow. I was quite worried because it was so stormy all of a sudden that there was a person caught out in the rain. And I turned on my high beams, and as soon as my high beams hit the object, what we were looking at really was a glowing woman in a white dress. And she wasn't walking, she was floating, and she had no face. It was like a shifting nothingness. A glowing, shifting nothingness. And throughout the car was this sound of, oh. When we finally realized what we were looking at, my friend in the back seat screamed, step on the gas. Because we just needed to get out of there. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I did, slow enough where we were able to watch her walk. She was walking towards the hotel, and at least that seemed like it was her destination, like she knew where she was going, like she knew what her fate was going to be. And she just seemed really sad. My friend in the backseat started to cry. And I just kept on saying, I think we just saw a ghost, you guys. I think we just saw a ghost. And we were a little nervous about the whole thing, but we were also quite excited that something like that had actually happened with us all in the car. And we all saw the same thing. When I got home, I called my Auntie Joyce because I used to like sharing exciting things that happened to me in Victoria. And so I called her and I said, auntie Joyce, we were. We were driving along Beach Drive and we saw a ghost. And she paused and she said, you're very lucky you saw Doris. Well, the story my auntie told me was that in the 1930s, Doris was a nurse and she had a husband who had an alcohol problem and they had separated and on this night he had invited her to try and reconcile to the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. She had gone there that night to meet with him and they had had an argument in the hotel, but they decided to take it outside. So they started to walk towards the golf course and I guess they did make it to the golf course and go quite deep into the golf course because it's quite dark at night. So they were there at nighttime and they had an argument and he beat her to death. And the next day a caddy found her body and they looked into the water and her husband was floating in the water. He killed himself shortly after killing her. She's the most famous ghost in Victoria.

Desiree (20:25)

I woke up in the middle of the night, and what woke me up was her crying. This very loud screaming crying. As I was opening my eyes, there was just lightning. There was a thunderstorm. And it was just crashing and booming and crashing and booming. That lightning that was happening would just flash and light up the whole room. And a second would go by and go dark, dark, dark. And then it would flash and light up the whole room. I was looking at her because she was so upset. She was standing up in her crib towards the door with her arms outreached. That's when I looked at the door, because I was like, what is she doing? And I could see someone Standing in the door. And I just thought it was my mom because that's who would come and get the baby if she was crying. But as I focused in my eyes to like look closer, like, why isn't my mom moving? So, like, why hasn't she gotten the baby? The figure didn't move. And then my attention kind of started slowing down of like, something's happening here. This person was wearing like a long old fashioned style nightgown. It just seemed very unlike something my mom would wear. But I couldn't see anything on the front. It was just dark. The lightning is backlighting this person. It's so dark in my room. But the windows from the living room behind are lighting her up from behind. And that's when I see that there's this white puffy hair on top of this person. And my mom has straight jet black hair. And I just froze. I could feel this weird sense coming over me, like, that's not my mom. Who is that? And why is this baby screaming so loud and looking at it? The baby is seeing what I'm seeing. I knew I was looking at something that wasn't supposed to be in the house. Like everything tensed up and I couldn't move. And when I did move, it was the one movement of diving under my blankets. And I just stayed there, petrified. I wasn't going to look again, just in case. I just didn't know what would happen if I looked again. I just remember it going black and dark. And I don't remember anything after that. I knew I was scared at night a lot after that, but I think I pushed it so far down. And I didn't think of that memory until that night around the campfire. And as I'm telling Auntie Carol this story, she turns white. And I look at her and she just looks at me and says, that's the weekend I went to my mother's funeral. That had to have been my mother. That's why I left Jen with your mom. That weekend my mom had passed away, I just excitedly said, that had to have been. It had to have been your. It had to have been your mom. And I described her. I said she had fluffy white hair. And Carol said yes. I said she was short and Carol said yes. Hearing that story, she was pretty emotional and she was really happy. My mom got to say goodbye. My mom did come and say goodbye. And it was such a full circle moment of knowing who it was. It wasn't anything I did. It wasn't trying to scare us. It was just this grandma who loved her granddaughter. Kind of like my grandma, right? Desiree had never known her own grandma. Six months before Desiree was born, her.

Glenn Washington (25:59)

Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first person single player adventure video game set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade. The year is 1937. Sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle. And only one person can stop them. Indiana Jones Adventure calls Indiana Jones and the Great Circle releases on December 9th on Xbox Series X&S Game Pass and PC. Pre Order Indiana Jones and the Great circle now. Rated T14. Copyright and trademark 2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. If you could hear love, what would it sound like? Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should. Helping those closest to you think about their excessive drinking. Maybe that's what love sounds like. More@rethinkthedrink.com An OHA initiative. Your word is formaldehyde. Can you use it in a sentence as you're sitting in your basement? You hit your vape, but then your mom walks in, freaks out, and starts listing the toxic chemicals you could be inhaling into your body like formaldehyde, which she singles out because it's the same chemical used to preserve your Uncle Rico's funky smelling taxidermied fox. Formaldehyde Vaping can expose you to toxic chemicals like formaldehyde. No need to spell it out any more than that. Brought to you by the Real Cost and fda. No matter what happens to your phone this holiday, whether it crashes down the chimney or gets broken like a New Year's resolution, Verizon's got you this Black Friday. Trade in any phone, any condition from one of our top brands and get a wonderful new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple and Intelligence on Unlimited ultimate and iPad and Apple Watch Series 10. That's up to $2,000 in value. So you'll save big on three amazing Apple gifts. Hurry into Verizon this Black Friday service plan required for iPad and Apple Watch. Up to two thousand dollar value based on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Trade in and additional terms apply. See verizon.com for details. Apple Intelligence available now. Want to shop Walmart? Black Friday Deals First Walmart plus members get early access to our hottest deals. Join now and get 50 off a one year annual membership. Shop Black Friday deals first with Walmart Plus. See terms@walmartplus.com.

Desiree (29:37)

I could get into the zone. Like I could really zone out really quick. And I'm nearing the end of a trench at the back of my land and I know the tree line's coming up, but I just head down one Tree after the other, and probably about three trees away from the end of the trench. I just hear this voice right in my ear that startles me that says, you need to look up now. Just like, you need to look up now. Like, just stop what you're doing. It definitely scared me where I literally jumped and looked to the left side that I heard it. I knew there was no one near me, but I saw a bear at the end of my trench. So, like, pretty close. I was closer than I'd been to a bear before. And I just went, oh. And I stopped. You're supposed to really kind of put your eyes down. You don't want to look aggressively at a big animal. And I just waited to see what she would do because she wasn't moving. I could see her whole side, and she was just looking at me. And she just took a step forward, and behind her was a baby cub. And that's when I got really scared for the first time of, now what is she going to do? Because she's going to protect her baby. My heart was pounding. I've never been scared of being eaten by a bear, but being mauled by a bear is what I picture. It would take you down with its paws and scratch you too deep. Like, you'd just be beaten up and really, really hurt. That would be what I would be the most scared of. So I tried to get as small as I could in my trench. I put my shovel kind of back behind me so it didn't look like a weapon. And I just started to back away, Keeping an eye on her to make sure she wasn't doing anything to come at me. But give her the out of, you know, you have to just take your baby and go. You don't have to attack me. So I just backed away, and she ran off into the tree line with her baby. I was shaken. That voice saved me. It was so real. It wasn't in my head. Like, if I didn't look up, I would have been super close to her, and she would have just defended herself and defended her baby because I was so not paying attention. I just wasn't at all. It was an outside source that told me to be careful. And it had to have been my grandmother. Like, my grandmother saved me. I left my peace. I grabbed my bag with my lunch and I walked down the road, and I just said to my neighbor who was tree planting, I said, I can't plant alone today. Like, I just had an experience. I'm. I'm shaken. I gotta plant with you today. I'm sorry. And I don't even know if I told them what happened. I just said I saw a bear. I couldn't shake it for the rest of the day. I've always thought of my grandma Desiree as my guardian angel. I felt like we had a connection because I was named after her and she just really needed to step it up in that moment.