My Day In The Attic!

   A mysterious fire that destroyed a classic home
in West Pittston this week rekindled some
mysterious memories for me as well!
   The year was 1986.
   My family and I were on vacation when we
heard about a story unfolding back home about
a family called the Smurls.
    It seems they believed their home was
possessed by a demon!
   What a time to be away!
    I got all kinds of Police and political stories.
    But how often does a reporter get a chance
to cover strange knockings, flying furniture,
and other mysterious noises?  OK. Maybe a
few of those things do happen at Council
meetings. But, come on, home owners
reporting strange odors and their pet dog
allegedly thrown across the room! I mean....
that's news!
    The reports attracted national attention
and even attracted well known "demonologists"
Ed and Lorraine Warren to town to conduct
an investigation.
    But it was another visitor that brought me
into the story.....and into the house that hit
the headlines this week.
    The "Amazing Kreskin," a well known
Television "mentalist" had decided to
capitalize on the interest in the Smurls to
prove that things are not always as they
seem.
    He invited members of the media, me
included, to a seance in the attic of
another West Pittston home owned by
Mr and Mrs Joe Castellino.
    Kreskin had us look around that attic
room then sit down and hold hands round
a table and call on any "spirits" that might
be around.
    Some reporters back then knew a great
deal more about "spirits" than I. But not
the kind we were looking for!
     As we sat there quietly listening
for....well.....anything.......the table started
to move and shake! A few of us shook
a bit too! Guess that included me!
    We still don't know how it happened
except for the fact that it was a trick and
nothing supernatural.
    Kreskin had proved his point!
    I remembered that story as I stared
at the burned out ruins of that house and
attic as I walked past yesterday.
     Sadly, there's a real mystery now
connected with the place as police have
determined the fire that wrecked it is a
case of arson.
     Hope they have better luck finding
the arsonist than the Warrens had finding
the Smurl's "demon."
     Hope your "spirits" are high and that
all your NEWS is good!






The Smurls







The Amazing Kreskin

The Castellino attic

   The Castellino home