It's that time of year again, when getting the bejeezus scared out of us is expected and sometimes welcome. Last night, I went with our best friends and two other friends to "learn" more about the Goatman.
For those of you not from the DC area and are not aware of the Legend of the Goatman, here is the quick skinny. In Prince George's County, Maryland, a creature supposedly roams, feasting on small animals, causing damage, and in several cases, abducting and murdering several people. Most of the sightings have occurred in the vicinity of the USDA research facility, where a doctor, Stephen Fletcher, worked on some of the first instances of gene splicing in the early part of the 20th Century. His efforts were alleged to be experiments to save his sick and/or dead wife. His experiments went awry, turning his assistant into a half man-half goat creature that quickly escapes and begins his murderous rampage.
A group of locals have decided to inform a new generation of residents about the Goatman. I'm still waiting. I love a good scare, I would have liked one last night. The show continues through Halloween and by all means, go and see it. You might get scared, but you'll certainly enjoy yourself.
2 comments:
From Sleepy Hollow to Goatman Hollow -- do I detect a pattern in your places of employment?
As a Hyattsville resident and Goatman Hollow veteran, I was really excited about the return of the Goatman to our neighborhood after a year off. The hollow was originally a stand of trees (small forest) in the middle of the Hyattsville Hills area on 42nd Ave.
So in the past: darkness + chilly October night + in the woods + totally creepy urban legend = a very good scare. But now: well lighted parking lot + office building in Riverdale, MD + disjointed storytelling + NO HOLLOW = not-scary Goatman Hollow experience.
My first trip to the Hollow in 2004 in the "Hyattsville Hollow" scared the absolute crap out of me. And I wanted to go again as soon as I had escaped the forest.
The new Hollow, inside the office building in Riverdale was anything but scary. Cheesy fun, pherhaps, but not scary by any stretch.
Since I know that the money raised by the GH goes to a worthy cause, I do recommend it to others, but be prepared to have more laughs than screams.
Jerry "Missing the Goatman" Simmons
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