I bought a haunted(??) Halloween item on Ebay

    If you know me, you know that I'm obsessed with jack o'lanterns and pumpkin men/scarecrows with jack o'lantern faces. I mean, obsessed. I have to restrain myself from buying too many of them at this point in my life because we live in a small apartment and there's hardly any room for storage. When I moved out east I had to leave most of my collection of blow-mold and foam pumpkins behind at my BFF's place. The only consolation I had in leaving them there is that I know I can retrieve them at any time I wish, though shipping that many over 3,000 miles is kind of impractical right now. But at least I know they are there waiting for me.

    Lack of storage space, and my partner sighing & repeatedly telling me "No more pumpkins!" does not deter me from keeping an eye out for them, however. Most of the time I just browse wherever jack o'lanterns might be found: retail stores, yard sales, thrift shops, online, etc. Every once in awhile though, I'll find one I cannot pass up. 

    Freddy is one such character. I spotted him while looking thru Ebay a few late evenings ago.

    My first impression upon seeing him was that he looks quite a lot like a jack o'lantern scarecrow guy I already have, one of my favorite pieces in my Halloween collection, pictured below. 

    I bought him from an RX Place pharmacy (now long gone) in Connecticut in the early to mid 90s. He's been through a lot with me, including surviving a flooded basement one very very rainy October, and of course traveling across the country to live with me here in WA. He's a bit stained and beat up, but he still lights up and I love him. My guy doesn't have a name really, he's always just been Pumpkin Man.

    And until I saw the listing for this pumpkin man called Freddy, I had never spotted another one similar to mine since probably the late 90s - not online, not in secondhand stores, yard sales, anywhere.

    I instantly fell for his happy grin. He was a little pricey, but shipping is kind of a lot for large objects like this, so it's to be expected. I added him to my Ebay watch list, but kept thinking about him.

    One of the most intriguing things was the background story that the seller wrote up in the description box. I'm sure they must have made it up to help sell him during Halloween shopping season, but I found it entertaining all the same. 

    The full text reads:

GRANDMA'S VERY LARGE & SCARY VINTAGE HALLOWEEN LIGHTED SCARECROW PUMPKIN DRESSED IN BURLAP OVERALLS. RARE!!!

My Grandma Named Him Freddy Back In The 80'S.

This Creepy Pumpkin Scarecrow Measures A Healthy 22” High & 15” Hand To Hand...

I Can't Put Him Out Anymore. Both The Kids And The Dogs Freak Out!!! Even Though He Doesn't Move Or Talk, He Just Stares Straight Through You With This Evil Smirk On His Face. The Dogs Won't Come Out From Under The Bed And The Kids Can't Sleep Alone...

In Our Home He Sometimes Changes Positions Slightly To The Left, Then Again To The Right. One Time We Came Home From Dinner Out And He Was Completely Turned Around!!! I Think He Is Possessed And I Want Him Out Of My Home Now!!!

It Seems When We Play The Creepy Sound Music At Halloween Time His Smile Gets Larger And Sometimes We Hear A FAINT SINISTER LAUGHING.

This Belonged To My Grandmother & She Loved This Pumpkin Scarecrow. She Proudly Displayed Him Prominently Every Halloween Season. She Had Him Back In The 80'S. There Were Never Any Problems Until She Passed. He Sat Entombed In His Sealed Box For 7 Years Before We Even Realized We Had Him Up In Our Attic!!! This May Explain The Constant Rumblings And Sudden Change Of Climate Up In The Attic That We Did Not Understand Until Now. Once We Discovered Freddy We Excitedly Added Him To Our Fun Halloween Decor. But Halloween Has NEVER Been The Same Since Then.

How We Inherited Freddy Is Anyone's Guess. We Have Offered It Back To My Grandmothers Surviving Children Several Times But For Some Reason We Are Shut Down Upon The Mention Of This Creepy Decoration. THEY DO NOT WANT IT IN THEIR HOME!!!

ALAS, It Is Time For Freddy To Find A New Home. Maybe Your Experience Will Be Different. Maybe Better... MAYBE NOT.

Please Give Freddy Another Chance. He Was Once A Beloved Part Of Our Family. Perhaps With Your Family He Will Find Happiness Again....

Freddy Is In Really Good Vintage Condition. His Burlap Overalls Show Minor Signs Of Normal Distress. The Pumpkin Head Is In Outstanding Condition. His Hat Comes Off So The Bulb Can Be Replaced. He Is Not A Toy To Be Played With. 

This Is A Indoor Decoration & Truly ONE OF A KIND.

    After thinking about him for a couple days, I finally caved and bought him. How can such a happy looking guy be that spooky? I don't get it. He looks warm and friendly to me. 

    As of this entry, Freddy has been shipped and is en route to my home. I guess time will tell if he is really "haunted" or not. I'll post more updates once he arrives and is settled in.

    Do you have any haunted objects in your home?