Author Archives: Patrick Cleland

“Paul Is Dead”

Nationality: United States
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/11/13
Primary Language: English

"Paul Is Dead" Magazine Cover

The informant is taking a class at USC on the Beatles and recently learned about an urban legend surrounding the group. The legend is that Paul died in a car crash somewhere between 1967 and 1969 and was replaced by a double so as not to stop the Beatles’ success. Because the Beatles were so popular at the time, this was a huge story and many devoted fans went hunting for clues to solve this supposed mystery. One radio DJ claimed to have found proof when he played the song “Revolution 9” backwards live on the air and it appeared to be saying “Turn me on, dead man”. This was taken by many to be definitive proof of the other Beatles subliminally hinting at Paul’s death. Still, there were other examples cited. For example, in the song “Strawberry Fields Forever”, John is heard saying something that sounds like, “I buried Paul”. Also, the iconic cover of their album Abbey Road, which came out right after these rumors were started, was thought to be a metaphor for Paul’s funeral. John is in front, dressed in white like a preacher, Ringo in black as the undertaker, Paul barefoot, symbolizing how he would be buried, and George in denim work clothes as the gravedigger.

Although the legend is now mostly defunct because it was proven that Paul is indeed with us, it is still talked about. Now, people joke about how ridiculous it was, but people took it very seriously. It seems that there are still rumors of celebrity deaths that turn out to be hoaxes fairly often. I believe this is somewhat fueled by our media-driven culture. Magazines, newspapers, and TV news are constantly looking for the most sensational story. Any time someone famous dies, it is in the news for weeks, if not months. Beyond that, if the legend were true, it would imply a very complex and high-ranking conspiracy on the part of the Beatles and their record company. I believe these two factors are why celebrity death stories, especially Paul McCartney’s, are so fascinating and lead to such a great deal of speculation.

Ghost Story–Surrey, England

Nationality: United States
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Great Neck, New York
Performance Date: 4/11/13
Primary Language: English

While the informant was studying abroad in London, he stayed with a host family who had family scattered across the area and other parts of England. While he was driving with his host family from London to Hampshire, they gave him an informal tour, telling stories of any landmarks they passed. Traveling on one winding stretch of road entering Surrey, he was told a story about a ghostly apparition that had happened there.

The legend goes that sometime in the early 2000’s, there was a report of a car seen swerving off the road and crashing. When the police responded to the report, they at first didn’t find anything. But they eventually found deep in ditch, covered in growth, an old car’s remains. It appeared to have been there for a while. This hypothesis was confirmed by a decomposed body found near the car. They determined that the body was five months old and identified it as the remains of a criminal who was on the run from the law. This has lead to much speculation as to what the people who called the police had witnessed days before, since there was no sign of a recent crash.

According to the informant’s host family, the ghost of the criminal is restless because his body was never found. They believe that what was seen on the highway was a ghostly reenactment of the incident meant to lead people towards his body. This seemed to be the consensus among the people of that area. There are also theories that the wreckage was disposed of by someone who wanted to cover it up. This legend comes from a need to explain what seems impossible. It captures interest and makes for a good story because  it naturally leads to speculation; whether you believe it be supernatural or otherwise, it is intriguing to think of possible explanations.

Notation:

This story was recently revisited in an online article by a Surrey news source because it was near the 10th anniversary of the crash. The article produces no conclusion and suggests that until one is reached, the story will continue to captivate travelers’ interests.

Bryant, Pete. “A3 ‘Ghost Crash’ Remembered 10 Years On.” GetSurrey. 14 12 2012: n. page. Print.  <http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2125720_a3_ghost_crash_remembered_10_years_on>.

Freshman Friday

Nationality: United States
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: New York, New York
Performance Date: 3/23/13
Primary Language: English
Language: French, Arabic

The informant went to high school in New York. It was a large public school that was not necessarily rampant with rebellion, but the large number of students often made it hard for the faculty to control them. Controversial, student-organized gatherings and events were somewhat common.

Freshman Friday is usually the first Friday of the school year at the informant’s high school. It was supposed to be the day when the upperclassmen would bully the freshmen by putting them in trashcans, hitting them with newspapers, pouring condiments on them, etc. However, during the informant’s time in high school, it was more of a legend than a tradition. This is because there never was any real organized harassment on that Friday, either because the teachers were on high alert or because the upperclassmen never planned on following through. Even so, every year during the days leading up to that Friday, the students fervently discuss what will happen. The informant recalls believing wholeheartedly in these rumors when he first entered high school.

This is another liminal or transition tradition. It is intriguing because it is really a faux-tradition. It is never actually practiced; any bullying or hazing on that day while the informant was in school were  isolated incidents. Yet the day is acknowledged and widely discussed annually without fail. Once the freshmen get through the day and realize that nothing bad really happens, they are now let in on the joke. They can now look forward to scaring all the freshmen next year with stories of how horrible the day is.

The En-En’s Mile

Nationality: Mexico
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 3/28/13
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

The informant is a college student from the Whittier neighborhood of Los Angeles. He marched drum line all four years and was drum captain his senior year.

The En-En’s Mile was a tradition performed by every freshman in the informant’s high school drum line since before the informant was a member. The second week of school, after weeks of practicing in the summer, the band has its first competition. Before this competition is when this tradition happens. En-En’s is a Chinese/Japanese/Continental all-you-can-eat buffet in the informant’s hometown. There are many legends and rumors surrounding this establishment, most of them making claims questioning its ingredients, cooking methods, and health standards. This is why En-En’s is picked. The entire drum line goes the morning before the competition and the upperclassmen bring plates of food to the freshmen. They typically pick the least appetizing food and always make sure to include plenty of Jell-O. The freshmen are to finish whatever is put in front of them (within reason). Then, the drum line goes to rehearsal early and all of the freshman must run a mile before it starts. Although there is no time limit, the rest of the band is usually watching and telling them to hurry up. Once they have finished the mile, they are allowed to compete as a member of the marching band.

This tradition is definitely hazing, which has to do with liminal points. The freshmen, in this case, are going from being inexperienced newbies to competing members. Completing the unpleasant task of eating bad food and then running a mile is symbolic of this transition. It shows that they are committed enough to put themselves through the pain and become a member.

Dropped Your Pocket

Nationality: United States
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/18/13
Primary Language: English

The informant is a college student from Malibu, California. She went to a large high school and was on the cheerleading team. It was during these long, somewhat boring practices that this tradition would take place. It was mostly to pass the time.

“Dropped Your Pocket” is a game played by the informant in middle school and the beginning of high school. The game involves only two people; the instigator and the victim. The goal for the instigator is to make a circle with their thumb and forefinger and get the victim to look at this circle. If the victim looks at it, the instigator can punch the victim in the arm. The only condition is that the circle must be held below the waist of the instigator.

Because of this condition, much of the game is centered around trying to get the victim to look below the waist of the instigator. This is where the phrase “you dropped your pocket” comes from. The instigator acts as if they have picked up what they dropped and has it in his or her hand in hopes that the victim will look. The informant  that it is more humiliating for the victim if they are fooled into looking by a statement that inherently does not make sense, such as dropping your pocket. Another popular one is “Your sock is untied”. However, the instigator does not need to say anything in particular in order for them to have punching rights. As long as the victim looks and it is under the waist, it is valid. Once this process is done once, the game becomes very contagious. Everyone is on high alert not to look down, as the attempts to get people to do so become more desperate. Most players of this game do not state outright why it is bad to look below people’s waists. However, it is true that children that age are often told of the dangers of sex. Although they may not know everything about it, they know that it has to do with parts below the waist. This may be part of the reason for the appearance of this game and its popularity among this age group.