After reading As I was Singing’s post “Unwelcome Visitors and Candy Men” it brought back my own childhood memories. You know the one where you take the dare, walk into the dark bathroom, turn on the tap water, repeat bloody Mary five times and wait to see if her morbid face appears…
Mary, Queen of Scots
The coward I was I never tempted fate, I always said her name once, and then ran out the bathroom in fear of that face appearing in the mirror.
I would then have a restless sleep for the next week. I would lie awake wondering “What if she did appear? Would she haunt me? Would I face my death?” It is all of these nervous thoughts that would run through my brain as a young girl with an over active imagination.
That was until last night, I decided to tempt fate, I walked into the bathroom, shut-off the light, I turned on the tap water and went to say, “Bloody Mar…”
And then is when I heard the knock on the door, “Honey! Is everything alright?”
“Yes! It’s fine. I’m just washing my face.”
“You are washing your face in the dark?”
“Yes! The dark! Could you give me some peace and quiet!”
It was with that I waited and heard foot steps slowly walk away.
I started again, “Bloody Mary.”
“Mom! Can you open the door I need to go to the bathroom!”
“Fine.”
I open the door and the little one does his business. After he leaves I try one last time. I turn off the lights, turn on the tap water, look in the mirror…
“Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary.”
“Honey! Are you sure everything is okay?”
It’s with that I exasperated “Bloody Hell! What does it take to get some bloody privacy?”
It was then I sauntered out of the bathroom deciding it was best not to tempt fate. The gods must have been telling me something! Sadly, my husband is still perplexed as to why a grown woman was in the bathroom with the lights off and tap water running. Sometimes some things are best left secret…
Have you ever tempted fate by putting a superstition to the test?
I loved this post! I’ve actually never met someone who has gone through with it- or gotten past the second bloody mary. I’d never do it because just the thought scares the living daylights out of me…
Phew! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one!
Oh my gosh, I can’t stop laughing! Nope, don’t think I ever did that! Something to look forward to – right after I dye my hair bright blue! ( Hey, my daughter suggested it would fit my personality!)
I’m glad I made you chuckle! If you ever need your hair dyed blue I’m your lady…I’m a beauty school drop-out! Blue Hair is my specialty;)
I have a tendency to mild OCD issues. There was a time when I virtually enslaved myself to little idiosyncrasies that accumulated into a jumbled morass of personal goofiness quite capable of torment. When my world blew up, on the climb back, I vowed to never be in the grasp of those things ever again. And I pretty much succeeded, because when the urge to do so stirs, I give it a what for think down.
I rather like the bloody hell, the expression, as opposed to the bloody hell, the place, which I don’t believe in anyway, har. I think on a dear British friend, her distinctive voice playing in my head, and I smile.
I’ve digressed. Tempting fate? Here is one vote for you giving it another go, and admitting your mirrored quest to hubby and children. I can pretty much guess that the children will full of curiosity – and probably quite ready to run if a steamy silhouette of a face flashes in your mirror.
If a face ever flashed in the mirror it would be every man for himself! Besides I would never have made eye contact or it would be doom
Bloody is my choice word of expression, my children don’t view it as a swear word, and I don’t have to put money in the swear jar. I hope they don’t catch on! I sometimes have a sailor’s mouth and have to be cautious.
OCD, I’m beginning to wonder if I have a little of that…
When Melissa Ferrick played for Denise, she admitted to a little OCD, and can still recall how many steps it was from her front door to the threshold at school.
A sailor’s mouth…hmmmm!
That’s funny! When I run I count steps. Maybe there is a little OCD in all of us?
Maybe… a spectrum of sorts, some of us worse than others. I refuse to let it own me ever again.
It shouldn’t and it’s good you can recognize it
This made me laugh. sometimes the sanest things we do seem quite mad to others. You were attempting to put a fear to rest but family life intervened. There’s always another day.
There is always another day. Maybe…I don’t think I’m brave enough to try it again.
I’ve never done the Bloody Mary thing. It’s too much like the Candyman, and he really freaks me out.
You have to have the water running? So…if I did it without the water on, I’d probably be fine?
I can’t guarantee you will be fine but I suspect the whole water business is just an added effect to make you more nervous or maybe to summon spirits. Who knows? I think you should give it a try
He probably thought you were mixing Bloody Mary’s in there…
I could actually have one for breakfast! I wish I had some tomato juice! Maybe I’ll wait until you visit
You should attempt it again when the house is empty. And tell me me how it works. Well, assuming that hopefully you’ll be able to
Much thanks for the props Love!
I don’t think I could do it in an empty house! Every noise would send a shiver down my spine and I would jump every time the dog barked. Just call me a scaredy-cat…
I remember this… except our was a little different in that you flushed the toliet several times.
I have no idea why Bloody Mary would haunt from a bathroom…
You would think she was to regal for that…Good Point!
I remember people talking about the “bloody mary” thing as a kid, but I never knew the particulars (I NEVER tried any such thing – being both too sensible and too chicken).
And the thought of you trying to carry it out and being interrupted by the family is now one of my favorite images for the week.
Hahaha! Thanks! I’m blaming the interruptions for failing on my follow – thru
I’ve never heard of the Bloody Mary business. Or the Candyman, for that matter. I’ve been trying to remember superstitions, and the only one I can come up with is “step on a crack, break your mother’s back”. We all stepped very carefully over those sidewalk cracks, and I’ve never known anyone whose mother broke her back.
There was that ladder thing, too – but the only reason I learned to stop walking under them is that a cousin dumped a half-bucket of paint on my head when I did.
I think I would remember the ladder thing to if I had a bucket of paint dropped on my head. What a very unpleasant surprise…
Great stuff – scary and funny!
http://anilbalan.com/
Thanks!