On the street

Creepy Campus Crawl

People struggled a bit with this week's question, and I can see why. As parents herded their little ones through the Creepy Campus Crawl Friday at the Old Capitol Museum, I asked them this: If you were a ghost, who or what would you haunt, and why?

A lot of people picked a place to haunt. That makes sense. Even though we can all think of people we wouldn't mind getting back at - the bully from elementary school, the militant boss or the unfaithful ex, who wants to name names in the paper? Those who did pick a person got around the finger pointing by being vague, and I'll do the same.

Here are my potential answers to the question:

• The mustang I drove in high school. It earned the nickname "bustang" because it was always busted. It looked cool, but the amount of money I spent fixing that darn thing could have paid at least a year's college tuition.
• The restaurant that overcharged me by $70 when I signed a receipt for a $20 meal. My checking account went into the red, and the restaurant owner refused to call me back for a week as I tried to get him to credit my debit card. When he finally did get back to me, he was unapologetic and rude. I boycotted the place and was sure to warn all of my friends about the bad experience.
• The college professor who ripped on my writing so harshly that I thought I had no business being in journalism. Constructive criticism is one thing; crushing a student's hopes is another.

If I did haunt someone, I wouldn't be a bitter ghost that stuck around forever. I'd be like the ghosts in "A Christmas Carol." I'd haunt just long enough to give my hauntee an epiphany, and then let them turn over a new leaf and go on with their lives.

Check out Monday's Gazette to see who or what other young adults would haunt.

And, if the Creepy Campus Crawl is held next year, go. It was a great free family event that showcased the newly renovated Old Capitol Museum, and it was a lot of fun seeing the kids parade around in adorable costumes ranging from Tigger to an iPod. The event also included spooky tours at the Museum of Natural History, and spooky cinema in Trowbridge Hall.

Tune in next week. I'll either be at a political event, or family fun night at the North Liberty community center.

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