NJ T-Shirt Tuesday 19: Paranormal Books in Asbury Park

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“Back from the Dead” a vampiric Tillie T-Shirt found just in time for Halloween at
Paranormal Books in reanimated Asbury Park, NJ

Remember Ray Stantz’s book store Ray’s Occult in Ghostbusters 2? Ever since that movie came out I wished a store like that actually existed in my area, and now THERE IS ONE! Last year Kathy Kelly opened Paranormal Books & Curiosities on Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park. The store sign even gives off a creepy vibe as you walk passed it on the sidewalk.

Books detailing ghostly encounters, urban legends, ESP, and paranormal investigations fill the shelves of this awesome shop. Paranormal Books also carries an extensive array of books on ghosts in the Garden State as well as tomes on The Jersey Devil. Coming Soon at the shop is an exhibit on The Jersey Devil which I was able to get some dirt from proprietor Kathy Kelly herself. From hearing her teasers, this is sure to be a truly chilling, must-see exhibit!

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Zombie Tillie, Asburied Park, NJ

Paranormal Books is on its way to becoming New Jersey’s spectral hotbed. Books aren’t the only thing Kathy offers up, in addition to T-SHIRTS, action figures, and other oddities, they also host events including paranormal lectures, classes, psychic readings, book signings, ghost walks and exhibits.

If you’re an Armpit reader who has never been to Asbury Park, then start planning a day trip! Now is the best time to visit Asbury Park thanks to the city’s resurgence. Asbury Park is a perfect example of how eclectic New Jersey is. We need more places like this in NJ that evoke personality and benefit from having owner who is as inspired and passionate about what they love as Kathy Kelly. (*cough*…*cough*…comic book store?)

Click here to visit the Paranomal Books & Curiosities website and online store

“Yesterday”: An Unexplained Occurence

As I write this, it’s technically Sunday morning but the incidents I will describe happened in the afternoon of Saturday 12/9/06. Please keep in mind I’m not the type of person who thinks everything is freaky. Some people think everything that happens to them is freaky and only happened because of some greater or mystical power. This isn’t me. I do have to write that I am a person who believes in fate, as well as the unexplained. Ghosts and the paranormal have always fascinated me but not to the point where I tell people that I see ghosts and my condo is haunted by a spirit of an evil great, great grandfather.

When incidents that happen in everyday life seem coincidental some people really blow them out of proportion and think there was some magical reason for it happening. Scientifically, lots of things happen because there’s a good chance that they CAN happen that way. It becomes simply a numbers game. Sometimes, though there’s occurrences that can’t be explained by an equation much like what happened to me today.

My mother has a vintage doll that my father or uncle bought for my sister when she was a baby. This isn’t like a Cabbage Patch Doll or anything, it almost has a China doll type face and an ornate maroon dress. It’s on a stand and it’s eyelids open and close. On its back it has a key that you wind up to make it play music. The song it plays is the Beatles “Yesterday.” There’s a name of the line of dolls but I don’t recall what it is, all I know is that they go for a lot of money on eBay.

My mom keeps this doll on the top of her dresser and it’s immediately noticeable when you walk into the room. I stood in the hallway by her door to her bedroom and she was laying down on the couch in the living room. No one else was home and the television was on very low playing “Only You” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei. I called for my mom but she was in and out of sleep trying to relax from her head cold. I called for her but heard nothing. “Mom?…” At that very second I heard the chimes of a music box playing the Beatles’ “Yesterday.” I attempted for a moment to figure out what I was hearing and where it was coming from. To be honest, I didn’t even remember that my mother had this doll in her room let alone what song it even played.

Jay: “Mom, do you have a music box?” I asked.
Mom: “No, but the doll on my dresser plays music.” she admitted
Jay: “Did you just turn it on?”
Mom: “No, I haven’t moved off the couch.”
Jay: What song does that doll play?
Mom: The Beatles’ Yesterday
Jay: That doll was just playing the song, did you put it on?
Mom: No, I didn’t. Where’s your father, maybe he did.

Needless to say, my father wasn’t home and he didn’t get home for a few hours afterward. My mother reminded me that it was YESTERDAY 12/8 in 1980 that John Lennon was shot in New York City.

**People, this is 100% true, no exaggeration. I also went into NYC Saturday night to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday which was Friday 12/8.