Monthly Archives: May 2018

The Unaired Night Stalker

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 55
Occupation: Stay at Home Mother
Residence: Upland
Performance Date: 4/13/2018
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

The following informant is a stay at home mom from Upland. Here she is describing a legend about the Night Stalker, a serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles in the 80’s. This is a transcription of our conversation, she is identified as KA and I am identified as K:

KA: So there was this family, older man and lady, and he had got into the house, and they did not put this out in the news, but it was um… he had taken their eyes out and with blood wrote on the walls, that is what he had did

K: Do you know what he wrote?

KA: um… some devil, like the star and like devil symbols, like the zodiac symbols you know, but it was the star one, that’s the devil and that was on the wall

K: And this was never broadcasted?

KA: No they never put it in the newspaper, nothing, they did not tell nobody

K: so how did you hear about it

KA: at the salon, where I worked, people talk all the time, and some lady heard it from other people

K: What year was this?

KA: Probably in the 80s cause that was when he was going around

K: Do you think he actually committed this crime?

KA: oh yeah, he terrorized people, it sounds like something he did

Context: She was telling me this as we were sitting on her couch talking about scary stories my mother told me when I was a kid and she remembered this one that she heard.

Thoughts:

I am not saying whether I think he did or did not commit this particular crime, however I will comment on the supposed writing of the devil zodiac sign. I think that is a particular interesting piece of information, especially because it sounds identical to the Zodiac Killer, which is a completely different case. And maybe the Night Stalker did commit this crime, but it is interesting to see how despite terrorize the community, he persona has become a topic of urban legends.

Hide and Seek

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is a 12-year-old. In this account he is explaining how to play hide and seek. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: So you need a group of people, at least more than 2. One person is IT and they count to a certain number … and everyone else goes and hides and the person who is it has to find everyone after counting … Usually the younger you are the more you count and the older you are the less you count… oh, we also used to play but we would just count to a random number

K: Who was generally IT?

J: If we were playing video games who ever lost had to be the seeker and we chose the time you count depending on how big the place is… or we also we would play “Nose Goes” and you have to like touch your nose when someone said nose goes and who was last to touch your nose lost or had to be it. Some friends showed me that.

K: Where there ever off limit zones?

J: yeah… you say that are cut off points so you can’t hide past there, like have it to just the house you are at … and no parent’s bedrooms and sometimes the garage.

K: Who wins?

J: Uhh, I guess no one… We just stop when we are bored

K: Is this something you play often?

J: yeah, mostly at sleepovers at night

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

Thoughts:

When he said that they mostly play at night, made me think about how dangerous that can be, especially if you can play outside. But it also makes sense because kids like to push the boundaries and act a little reckless. And playing hide and seek in the dark allows you to do that, but still is considered okay by parents.

Salt and Ice Challenge

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is an 12 year old. In this account he is explaining what the salt and ice challenge is. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: The salt and ice challenge is when you put salt and ice on your hand and you keep rubbing and it burns a lot

K: Did you try it

J: Yeah I tried it with my friends after seeing it on YouTube … it was not really a viral challenge but we heard about it and wanted to try it

K: Wait why would you try it if you knew it would hurt

J: Well I did not think it would actually hurt… and like who could do it the longest

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

Thoughts:

This is another challenge where the outcome is known to end in pain, but people still partook in it. I think it builds some sort of camaraderie between the people who tried it because you can say you have done it and others have not. It also allows you to connect with people across the globe who are engaging and posting about the same activities you are trying.

Cinnamon Challenge

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is an 12 year old. In this account he is explaining what the cinnamon challenge is. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: There was this cinnamon challenge where you get a spoon-full of cinnamon and you put it on a spoon and try to swallow it and its spicy and burns and dries your mouth, I never tried it but my brother did and he coughed a lot

K: Did he do it to record and post it?

J: Yeah, he recorded it on his phone and posted it somewhere.

K: Wait but you know it’s going to hurt so why try it?

J: Well because you don’t think it’s going to be that bad… or like everyone else is doing it

K: Okay, so did your friends tell you about this?

J: No, I discovered it on the internet, like around fifth grade

K: What was your reaction to it?

J: I thought it was dumb and would not try it but it was funny to watch my brother try it and other people do it

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

  

Thoughts:

This challenge, like the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge has a proven outcome of pain, yet both are so immensely popular. In this case it seems like what is attractive to people to participate is trying to act tough and like you can do it. But I find it so interesting how many of these challenges on the internet, besides ones like the mannequin challenge, sort of end in hurt, but we participate in the anyways. Internet challenges continue to confuse but also fascinate me.

Medusa

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is an 12 year old. In this account he is explaining who Medusa is and how is father used to tell them stories about her. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: Our dad used to tell us the Medusa story. It’s about a women, like an evil evil women, and she has like… snakes for hair… and if you look in her eyes you turn to stone. And it happened to anyone that looked into her eyes, children, adults, anyone and you would turn to stone

K: That sounds like a scary story, how old were you?

J: He has been telling us this story for about like around 5 years old… and yeah it was more scary and had jump scares! He would tell us in a dark room and out of nowhere he would start tickling us. But it doesn’t scare me now.

K: Do you remember the story he used to tell?

J: Well no, he changes the details every time … but it always was about a women with snakes for hair that would turn you to stone if you looked in her eyes

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

Thoughts:

This reminds me of the Oral Formulic Theory, in that for the story to be effectively scary, the character of Medusa needs to remain the same. By using the mythical being and changing the formulaic (little details) the dad was able to adapt the tale as his son got harder to scare.

For another version of Medusa, here is a clip from Percy Jackson & the Olympians – Medusa’s Garden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPjZKKV37do