An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural

by James Randi

  C: Not to my knowledge.

  M: I get a wedding or a birth. I always get confused and . . . uh . . . I tell you why, because your aunt said, "I would have liked to have been there." So perhaps she's talking about something that's happened. "I would have liked to have been there," she said. [pause] Is one of your sons married?

  C: No. No.

  M: Then that's not where it's at . . .

  C: I mean, he's courting, but——

  M: [interrupts] Yes. No, no, no . . .

  C: He's a bit young . . .

  M: Yes. No, that's not it, then. Don't . . . you shouldn't tell me any more than I can't find out. But she said it again, "I would have liked to have been there," so I think it's probably something that's gone and that there was a wedding. I'm sure it's a wedding, because of the flowers, et cetera.

  C: I could accept that . . .

  M: Could you?

  C: I believe so . . .

  M: Ah, that makes sense to you. And I think she was . . . a bit upset she wasn't there, but . . .

  C: I could accept that.

  M: Right. So, and then she just said, "Enough said, enough said," ummm, these are the memories she has, so it does make sense. And "Ron." Now, I don't know if it's "Ron" or "Rob" . . . 'cause I think Ns are getting in the way here . . .

  C: I can accept "Rob."

  M: Rob. Is Rob a cousin, or . . .

  C: (interrupts) He's, ah, an adopted nephew.

  M: Fine. (long pause) We search all over the place . . . (pause) Is your dad still here?

  C: No.

  M: Then you must be very like him. (pause) Because there was a . . . very much a double imprint there, and that's why I thought he was still here . . . but he's been gone a long time . . .

  C: Yes.

  M: Did you have a second dad?

  C: No.

  M: So there wasn't . . . by that I don't necessarily mean a step-father, but a man who sort of took your dad's place.

  C: Uh . . . well, a grandfather. I can accept that.

  M: Well, that's fine. And he became a second father and he certainly is in spirit.

  C: Oh yes. Yes.

  M: Because I felt very much then, that . . . that two . . . and "Fred." Oh, dear. Who's Fred? Or Frank. Frank?

  C: I can accept a Frank, but not really with any great meaning.

  M: OK. (pause) Again, if there is a reason, they will show me what the link is, and why it should be there. But I think, I think the Fred is better and I think it's Alfred, because I often I only get the second bit. The thing that I know about this man is that he's in spirit and that he's there with your grand dad and because the links are a little weak sometimes you get somebody come in obliquely, if you like, and say, "I remember him. I want to say hello." (pause) Something about the army. Who was in the army?

  C: (pause) Not only my grandfather was. Most of his sons were.

  M: Fine. And George. Somebody's called George, too. (pause) Or Joe, but it's "Juh . . . "

  C: I can't think of . . . well, that was half his name but whether that was the name that he used or his second name . . .

  M: (interrupts) It doesn't . . . OK . . . if it was, it doesn't matter, if it's there . . . and he would have had a link with the army?

  C: Possibly. I don't . . . I don't really know.

  M: And the Fred, you see, could have been "Florrie" . . . I'm not sure, because it's . . .

  C: (interrupts) I don't know anyone named Florrie.

  M: It doesn't make sense. OK then, go back to the Fred . . . ummm . . . I don't know, but it's in that area. And your grand dad . . . he's trying very hard at the moment with a bit of effort (long pause) very difficult . . . I think it's the recent passing of your aunt. That often has a sort of . . . uh . . . it sort of makes things . . . it's like somebody hitting the water quite hard and everything bubbling a bit and you don't get the clarity. It keeps breaking off in the middle . . . oh, she just said very sweetly, "I hope I'm not responsible for that." (long pause) Charlie. Charles. Charles. (pause) Does "Shirley" make more sense?

  C: Only in the neighborhood.

  M: (laughs) She's not Connie's mum, is she? (laughs) OK. I . . . I don't know. I can't . . . I'm not quite sure. (pause) It happens. You suddenly walk into a sort of . . . uh . . . a no man's land and you're not sure what's being said, but, it's about a soldier. And it's a soldier of the first world war, that's where I am. So that would be your grandfather. It wouldn't . . .

  C: I would have thought so . . .

  M: It wouldn't have been his son who would have fought in the last war, but your grand dad (pause) and I'm . . . I know I'm out in the trenches, so it's somebody who had experience of that. I get that that was your father . . . grandfather, who would have been in the trenches.

  C: Yes. He would have been.

  M: He's trying to tell me something, and I haven't a clue what it's about. I'm going to have to leave that . . . ummm . . . (whispers, pause) Sid. Sidney. Stanley. (pause) It doesn't make any difference, does it? My feeling is that he is probably talking about the people he remembers . . . and I . . . and the problem is when they've all gone, you haven't anyone you can go to and ask.

  C: No. No, that's right.

  M: There's probably nobody left now, so you can't . . . so I think you're just gonna have to take my word for it, that he's told me about people he knew . . . but I think one or two or those will make sense to you, he's saying, "yes, of course," so I feel that particularly the Fred or the Alfred . . . the Alf . . . should make some sense, and uh . . . it's going back to probably when you were a little boy, because I think you were a little boy when your dad passed. Is that right?

  C: Sixteen.

  M: Well, in terms of what we're talking about, that's . . . that's a young boy . . . and ummm (pause) You are like him.

  C: You said that last time.

  M: Did I?

  C: Yes.

  M: Well, if you had . . . if you had, or if he had lived, you would have been uh . . . uh . . . uh . . . a carbon copy of him in later life . . . if he . . . you know, in later life . . . 'cause I don't think the resemblance was as strong, although it would have been very obvious when you were young, it would have got stronger. And I think your dad passed very quickly.

  C: Yes.

  M: I think he had a heart attack, or something of that kind. Or an accident. Does that make sense?

  C: An accident.

  M: OK. Because when it's sudden, you see a sudden shock passing. Something hit him from behind, that I don't know.

  C: That . . . that wouldn't have been to do with his passing.

  M: But do you remember him being hit, or what it was about, being hit?

  C: Yes, yeah.

  M: And did he pass as a result of that?

  C: No.

  M: Well, that's interesting (long pause) It's funny 'cause I can just see his being hit, because I think it damaged him, whatever hit him . . .

  C: (interrupts) I think . . . that it wasn't, ummm, it wasn't like an accident that . . . he got knocked over and then . . .

  M: (interrupts) No, no, no, no. You see, I'm . . . all I'm doing is . . . is listening to him. And he's . . . I picture that he's sort of crawling his way through to get through something, and . . . Bill. Somebody called Bill.

  C: That's my dad's name. Well, my father was known as Will, my grandfather was known as Bill.

  M: Well, that's . . . we've got all the dads here as well. So I suppose the ladies have given way and let the men come through and talk. That's fine. (pause) It's funny, 'cause all that's what's hitting. Something hitting. It's almost up like a pole, but hitting, something . . . What actually hit it?

  C: Ummm . . . I don't think you're far from it when . . . when you say, "a pole." He was carrying something. He and another guy were carrying something like a girder or something, and dropped it on his foot, and crushed his foot.

  M: Yes. A girder. A pole. Because . . .

  C: That's . . . that's . . .

  M: That's it! 'Ca
use I got it . . . hit it . . . that's it. Uh . . . because, you see, he tried to say to me, after that, that it was something that he didn't recover from, in other words he recovered, but if his foot was smashed, he would have covered the . . . he would have carried the scar of that . . .

  C: (interrupts) Yes, yes.

  M: . . . from the damage done . . .

  C: He recovered physically, but not mentally.

  M: That's right. And, ah . . . it wouldn't have been all that long, several years or so, after that, that he actually died.

  C: It wouldn't have been as long as that.

  M: I think more damage was done with that than most people perhaps realized.

  C: Possibly, yes.

  M: It may have been a clot of blood, or something of that kind that, of course, nobody knew about until the heart attack took place. I'm that's what he's trying to tell me. And, ummm (pause) you've had a little party. (long pause) The lady that passed a couple of months ago . . . she didn't have an "N" in her name, did she?

  C: Only in her surname.

  M: Because, all the time, every time I'm found somewhere there, I've got "N," "N," and I don't know . . . Does her surname begin with "N"?

  C: No, no.

  M: What is it?

  C: "B." But that's Bennett.

  M: Bennett. Well, yes, if I take off the "B," then I've got the "N" sound and maybe that's what she was trying to give me, because I kept saying to you, "Well, where's the "N," and which . . . when I thought it was Ellen, she'd say . . . and then of course, now she said it's "L," which is your wife, but the "N" kept coming and her surname was Bennett.

  C: Yes.

  M: So, yes, I can understand why, just the dominant sound in Bennett is "N."

  C: Yes.

  M: Yes. Hmmm . . . hmmm. And uh . . . she's sorry she couldn't get it clearer, that's what she just said . . . but she's getting a lot of help and she's gradually sorting herself out. And I know there's Alice. (pause) That is her. Oh, she's so pleased. She's so pleased she's really . . . (whispers) And I suppose, if I go back to the Ellen, and then say Alice Bennett . . . because I said, "Where's the 'N,' then?" . . . I said, "Is it Lesley Ann?" . . . do you remember?

  C: Uh-huh.

  M: But now I understand what she was trying to give me, but it was a bit jumbled up. (pause) She's so happy.

  C: Good.

  M: And so happy to see everybody, and she brings me the beautiful color of violets, that lovely soft color of violets, which is lovely. I mean it's beautifully peaceful, and . . . uh . . . and then she just said, "Don't ever be afraid, don't ever be afraid. There's nothing to be afraid of." And, uh (pause) oh, it's lovely. She just leaned over and put a scarf round your neck and turned your collar up (laughs) which is her way of saying, "I look after you." (laughs)

  C: Yeah.

  M: It shows she'd have always been concerned if you're warm enough. (laughs) And her . . . her love to Lesley, because she's a nice girl, and ummm (long pause) swimming. Who's been swimming?

  C: Nobody, to my knowledge.

  M: I thought she was talking about your younger son. (pause) Did you used to do a fair bit of swimming at one time?

  C: Not really, no.

  M: (long pause) There's too many funny bits coming in now. It's a bit confusing. Somebody having a certificate or a little medal for something.

  C: I think he has got a medal for swimming.

  M: Hmmm. That's what she's trying to say.

  C: Nothing . . . I mean, not for swimming, particularly.

  M: (interrupts) No, but he has, just for, for an achievement. For something.

  C: Yeah.

  M: She didn't . . . it was obviously something that she wanted to remember because for some reason she's not giving me his name . . . and it's obviously not for wanting to try, because sometimes my mind gets in the way, you see, and I keep on wanting to say Alan, and I'm sure that's wrong.

  C: That's right.

  M: Oh, he is Alan. (laughs) Right. Thank you. I thought . . . too many things were getting crossed. Oh, great. OK. She's laughing now, so she said, "What's she going to say," and I thought she was giving me that just to say, "I don't want him not to be mentioned," so she's done it. From all of those, their love to you and . . . and very good wishes, and again, isn't it good? They're very pleased, and I think that in a business sense, there is something that isn't quite finalized yet. Does that make sense?

  C: It's not settled . . .

  M: (interrupts) But it's well on its way . . . and it feels good. So keep your head down and it all should happen.

  C: Great.

  M: Which is smashing. And, ummm, that, I think, is out.

  C: That's what I wanted to hear. Thank you.

  APPENDIX II

  Forty-Four End-of-the-World Prophecies That Failed

  Divine prophecies being of the nature of their Author, with whom a thousand years are but as one day, are not therefore fulfilled punctually at once, but have springing and germinant accomplishment, though the heightfulness of them may refer to some one age.

  — Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

  A favorite subject of prophets has always been the end of mankind and/or the demise of our planet and/or the collapse of the entire universe. Part of the technique, for some, is to place the date far enough ahead that when The End fails to arrive, the oracle is no longer around to have to explain why. Others, often to encourage the surrender of property and other worldly chattels by the Believers, prepare excuses well in advance and manage to survive the great disappointment that often follows a failed prediction. In any case, the resilient fans never discredit the notion; they merely redesign the details and settle back once more to confidently await doom.

  Here is a short list of some rather interesting end-of-the-world prognostications, beginning with biblical references and ending with some contemporary seers and their doomsayings. Judging from the record earned by the soothsayers in this matter, we may safely assume that our planet will continue very much the same as it is for some considerable period into the future.

  B.C.-A.D. According to the New Testament, The End should have occurred before the death of the last Apostle. In Matthew 16:28, it says:

  Verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

  One by one, all the apostles died. And the world rolled on for everyone else. . . .

  A.D. 992 In the year 960, scholar Bernard of Thuringia caused great alarm in Europe when he confidently announced that his calculations gave the world only thirty-two more years before The End. His own end, fortunately for him, occurred before that event was to have taken place.