Rules for the Contest

by James Paradiso
(Highland Park, IL USA)

Ghost Story: Rules for the Contest

HAUNT

Function: verb
1 a : to visit often : frequent b : to continually seek the company of
2 a : to have a disquieting or harmful effect on : trouble b : to recur constantly and spontaneously to c : to reappear continually in
3 : to visit or inhabit as a ghost

Let me preface my tale by telling you I'm not easily scared, don't believe in ghosts, and pray I had enough hair on my head to raise - but don't. A product of Chicago parochial schools, I might disappoint St. Bride's Mother Hugo if I didn't confess, however, that walking on the Michigan Avenue Bridge across the Chicago River sometimes leaves me breathless and worrying about Social Security always leaves me trembling and aghast. Will kids be telling my story around campfires for years to come? How do I know? What I can tell you is that the rules for "The Great Chicago Ghost Story Contest" put to rest a haunting question for at least one aging kid.

My tale begins and ends with my Mother, who lived and died on Chicago's North side. Immortalized by Eric Clapton's love song, "Lala," she attended St. Andrew's grammar school on West Addison and St. Benedict's High School on North Leavitt. Although she held several positions with the Lill Coal Company in the Edgewater neighborhood, she most enjoyed her hobbies: piano, astrology, and word games. She died on her 60th birthday, and was buried in Graceland Cemetery on North Clark Street.

An accomplished piano player and song writer, my Mother performed at Chicago clubs, and "Stardust" Greene recorded one of her songs, "The Hard Way." She subscribed to Dell's "Horoscope" magazine and belonged to the American Association of Astrologers. Most of her free time, however, was devoured by word games like Jumble, Scrabble, and Cryptoquote.

On the day she died, my Mother and I talked until her last breath. She told stories about growing up in Chicago, marrying my Father, enjoying her work, and raising me. Most of all, she talked about her beloved hobbies especially playing word games.

One thing she said totally surprised me: "Jimmie, after I die, I'll haunt you." I didn't question it at the time. I thought I misunderstood her. But, since her death, I've often wondered what she meant. Did she mean she'd often visit me, have a harmful or disquieting effect on me, inhabit me as a ghost?

Sunday, October 18, 2009, my 60th birthday, was a dreary morning. About 6 AM, I made coffee, fed the cat, and staggered down the drive way toward the "Chicago Tribune." An evening downpour had strangely soaked through the plastic wrap around the newspaper. Some print was missing, and some was distorted. On page 12 in the "ARTS and Entertainment" section to the right of my horoscope (Libra - "You know exactly what you want."), I discovered the rules for "The Great Chicago Ghost Story Contest."

Tell ____ your scariest tale

Breaking news: Rod ________________has _________ the __________ office!

OK, now ________you're really scared -- ---------------------talk ghost story. The best ghost story in Chicago. A _________story that leaves you breathless ______ trembling ____ aghast. A _____ story that kids __________________ around campfires FoR years tO coMe.

Who's Going to wRite it? You Are.

The rules for "The Great Chicago Ghost Story Contest" are simplE.

Your originaL, previously _________________ must:

--Be _____________ Around ______Chicago _______.

--Mention ________________ Chicago-area locale or ___________. (____ example: "The Witches of "________" or "___ DemoN From Damen Avenue" or "The Ghost From the
" _______or "From _______________ to ____ Tribune.")

--Be no longer than _____ words. (Story _______________ count toward your Word total.)

--Be _______ to prInt in __ family newspaper. (____ demons musT watcH their Language.)

--Reach __ by midnight ChicagO time, _________2009.

Only e-mail ______________ will be accepted. E-mail ______________ to________. No attachments, ________; paste ______________story into the body of your ___________________ are not eligible; howeVer, anybody Else --------------- is welcome _____________________.

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