I Go to the Afterworld and Learn a Lesson

The weekend before Halloween, I went to the afterworld.

I became a ghost in the Hillsborough Spirits Tour, a production put on by Orange Community Players and the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough. I played Mrs. Coffin, expert pie baker, sadly poisoned by my husband. Seems Mr. Coffin grew tired of my delicious pie over the years (and my unpleasant manner).

As I dressed for the tour that night, I had such fun putting on creepy makeup and  mussing up my hair. When I emerged from the bedroom as Mrs. Coffin, my real husband Cliff seemed a bit taken back by his now ghastly-looking wife. He was nice enough to snap my picture though (above).

My haunt was an old cottage on the grounds of the Hillsborough Visitors Center. I donned my apron and cap when I arrived and snapped a selfie.

Soon my ghostly husband appeared, played by my friend David Hecht, actor extraordinaire. David told me I looked wonderful, which was a nice compliment coming from a man who would soon poison me. I guess fellow ghosts learn to appreciate the ghostly pallor.

That night, we performed our skit every twenty minutes as the tour leaders brought groups by to watch.

I’m a fairly new actress, but I’ve learned that you really do become your character.

So what did I figure out when I was Mrs. Coffin? How can she help me live my best life right now?

It sounds simple, although it’s easier said than done: Solve you differences. Don’t act them out again and again like David and I did. Sure we had a blast, but it was pretend.

Repeatedly acting out the same arguments is a a waste of your good life in this world. Figure it out now. Or soon.

And in case I really do become a ghost someday, I want to be a kind, upbeat, and humble one. I don’t want to become a Mrs. Coffin.

Although I’d love to learn to make a really mean apple pie.