Prologue
From surround-sound speakers hanging in each corner of the small space, adorned with red Styrofoam sound baffles, upbeat music played for about ten seconds, then met a crescendo that reminded Seamus of an actual television studio.
Suddenly, the podcast was live, going out to tens of thousands of listeners.
“Welcome to Nationwide Live. I’m your host, Tom LeFever. This evening, I’m pleased to be joined by one of the country’s premier paranormal detectives, Seamus Fitzsimmons.”
“My friends call me ‘Moose’,” I interjected, trying to provide a comfortable lead-in. I always hate the initial part of these types of shows, having to tell my story from the very beginning. I fear it always sounds so rehearsed.
“Of course, ‘Moose’ it is,” Tom mused through a grin. “Well, enough of the formality; let’s dive right in. Just give us some background on the origin of your work and your particular talent.”
“Most of it was really by accident, truthfully. When I was young, I started doing realistic portraits, where the details seemed to come from some other place, honestly, out of the stratosphere. Not to sound like I’m bragging, but I seemed to be able to capture personalities and subtle details in my portraits that defied logic or explanation.
My family encouraged my work all throughout high school, and ultimately, I began to shift my focus to law enforcement.
So, in college, I majored in criminology with a minor in psychology.
As my career advanced, both became relevant to my cerebral side and to my ‘gift’.
Ultimately, I became a sketch artist, specializing in the field of forensics.
I’ve been able to assist with several cases that had previously remained cold for decades.
My goal was to help bring peace and closure to victims. My grandmother has also been incredibly supportive; of course, she has the same ability. ”
“That’s fascinating.” Tom leaned slightly forward, honestly interested. “Can you share with our audience some of the genesis of this talent that you shared with me earlier?”
“I’d be more than happy to,” I continued.
“I was in my early teens, visiting a large antique shop with my parents. I rounded a corner of one of the displays and found myself inexplicably drawn to a particular brooch. I picked it up, turned it over in my hand, and suddenly, it was like my reality faded away. I was experiencing a different time altogether. Because this was the first time this had ever happened to me, I was seeing a large man, dressed in dark clothing. He was wearing an old work jacket and a black hat. I still distinctly remember the features of his face. He raised his fist and swung at ‘me.’ Feeling the shutter, but not the actual impact, I knew that something very bad had happened.” I paused only briefly, then continued.
“My mother came up and grabbed me loosely by the arm. She told me that I had looked as though I was in a trance. I gave her the details of the experience, and she admitted that it was really strange, but smiled, because she knew exactly what was going on. I didn’t know then, but it was an indicator of a much bigger world, and one my grandmother has helped me navigate.
Anyway, before we left, the shop owner remarked about my interest in that particular piece.
She explained that it had belonged to her great-aunt, who was murdered by her abusive husband during the late 1930s.
She didn’t know what to say when I looked her in the eye and said, ‘I know’... ”
“His portrait turned out to be one of the most detailed I have ever done. My mom drove me back to the antique store a couple of weeks later to give the shop owner the portrait, and she told me that it was eerie, just how much of his essence I had captured in my portrait.
“That is truly amazing, Moose,” Tom said, pushing his square-framed glasses up on his nose. “Does this ability have a name or definition?”
“It does; it’s called psychometry, which is a person’s ability to touch an object or be in a particular place and ‘experience’ a vision, or other inference, simply an important moment in their life or their last moment of life, like you’re living it side by side with that person.
Some people only experience sounds or smells, and some are like me and get the full range.
It’s like I’ve been transferred into a different time or place.
I can see through the eyes of the last person who left an impression on an object or place, so when I’m getting ready to do a ‘reading’, I ask to hold something, some object that the person was holding at the time the event happened to them.
It is not temporally specific. It can be ten minutes, ten years, or one hundred years ago. Time is irrelevant.
“As I said, I’ve been able to assist with a great many cold cases.
Some of my colleagues have referred to what I do as pseudo-science, but it’s because they’ve never ‘lived’ the last few seconds of a child who is drowning, or the absolute terror of someone who loses their life in combat. I’ve experienced these things.”
Tom shook his head slightly. “I’m sure that’s what nightmares are made of, but still, this is a fascinating subject.”
“Exactly,” I agreed, “But it seems as though my talent, or curse, however you want to look at it, has served me well and has been of great help to others. I’m not sure how far I would have gotten with it if my grandmother hadn't helped me navigate all the ups and downs, and especially how to turn it off. She is the reason I have accomplished everything I have in my life.”
After a few more moments of more light-hearted conversation, Tom concluded the interview and thanked me profusely. I thanked him in return and told him that I thought it was awesome that he allowed me to come on to the show in order to bring the phenomenon of psychometry to a wider audience.