DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Acolyte, v. 2, issue 4, whole no. 8, Fall 1944 |

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Acolyte, v. 2, issue 4, whole no. 8, Fall 1944

THE WAY I HEARD IT 
Anthony boucher

They were telling ghost stories. It was an odd assortment of guests; but then you expected that at Martin's. There were an actress and a reporter and a young doctor who made amateur films and an elderly professor of English and several just plain people.
Martin finished the one about the female medical student, and they were all duly horrified, even though you couldn't call it a ghost story proper. somebody threw another log on the fire, and there was a pause for refilling glasses.
Then the actress spoke. "Now I know this one is true," she said. "because the girl who told it to me heard it from a man who knew the cousin of one of the people it happened to. So there."
"What you call direct evidence," the reporter murmured. 
The actress didn't hear him. "It happened in Berkeley, "she went on. "It seems these people were driving up in the hills on a dark, dark night, when all of a sudden they heard -- Only I ought to tell you about the car first of all. You see, it was a two-door sedan - you know, where you can't get out of the back without climbing over the people in front."
A man who worked in a travel office interrupted her. "Sorry, but I know this one. Only it happened in New Orleans. A friend of mine who's a steward on a boat--"
"That must be something else. I tell you I know this happened in Berkeley."
"I heard it in San Francisco," the reporter put in. "A friend of mine tried to run the story down, but he didn't get anywhere. "
"Don't quarrel, children, " Martin said. "It is a Berkeley legend; I've heard it a dozen times up there. And I don't know where else it might be current. Let's go on to a new story."
The doctor objected. "But I don't know it. And besides, I'm looking for something for a short supernatural picture. Would this do, do you think?"
"It might at that."
"Then somebody tell it."
"Yes," said the professor of English. "By all means tell it."
The actress unruffled herself. "All right. Now please be quiet everybody. These people were driving up in the hills...."
"A doctor and his wife," the reporter added.
"I've heard a clergyman," Martin said.
"I don't think that matters. Anyway, they heard these moans, so they stopped the car. And there under a hedge...."
"The way I heard it," the travel man protested, "she was standing on the curb."
"But don't you see, she has to be lying down, because she's realy --- But that would spoil the story, wouldn't it? I'm sorry. So they go over to her and help her into the car..."
"Don't forget the suitcase."
"What suitcase?"
"But she has to have a suitcase, because..."
"I don't see why."
The doctor was getting impatient. "For the Lord's sake, will somebody tell this story? I don't give a hang about suitcases. I want to hear what happened."
Three people started at once. The actress won out and went on. "So they ask her where they can take her, and she says she doesn't know."

Saving...

THE WAY I HEARD IT Anthony boucher They were telling ghost stories. It was an odd assortment of guests; but then you expected that at Martin's. There were an actress and a reporter and a young doctor who made amateur films and an elderly professor of English and several just plain people. Martin finished the one about the female medical student, and they were all duly horrified, even though you couldn't call it a ghost story proper. somebody threw another log on the fire, and there was a pause for refilling glasses. Then the actress spoke. "Now I know this one is true," she said. "because the girl who told it to me heard it from a man who knew the cousin of one of the people it happened to. So there." "What you call direct evidence," the reporter murmured. The actress didn't hear him. "It happened in Berkeley, "she went on. "It seems these people were driving up in the hills on a dark, dark night, when all of a sudden they heard -- Only I ought to tell you about the car first of all. You see, it was a two-door sedan - you know, where you can't get out of the back without climbing over the people in front." A man who worked in a travel office interrupted her. "Sorry, but I know this one. Only it happened in New Orleans. A friend of mine who's a steward on a boat--" "That must be something else. I tell you I know this happened in Berkeley." "I heard it in San Francisco," the reporter put in. "A friend of mine tried to run the story down, but he didn't get anywhere. " "Don't quarrel, children, " Martin said. "It is a Berkeley legend; I've heard it a dozen times up there. And I don't know where else it might be current. Let's go on to a new story." The doctor objected. "But I don't know it. And besides, I'm looking for something for a short supernatural picture. Would this do, do you think?" "It might at that." "Then somebody tell it." "Yes," said the professor of English. "By all means tell it." The actress unruffled herself. "All right. Now please be quiet everybody. These people were driving up in the hills...." "A doctor and his wife," the reporter added. "I've heard a clergyman," Martin said. "I don't think that matters. Anyway, they heard these moans, so they stopped the car. And there under a hedge...." "The way I heard it," the travel man protested, "she was standing on the curb." "But don't you see, she has to be lying down, because she's realy --- But that would spoil the story, wouldn't it? I'm sorry. So they go over to her and help her into the car..." "Don't forget the suitcase." "What suitcase?" "But she has to have a suitcase, because..." "I don't see why." The doctor was getting impatient. "For the Lord's sake, will somebody tell this story? I don't give a hang about suitcases. I want to hear what happened." Three people started at once. The actress won out and went on. "So they ask her where they can take her, and she says she doesn't know."