Title

Roundabout Oxford Podcast Episode 2: The Unknown

Authors

Lee Harper
Thad Lee

Type

Podcast

Episode Length

43:40

Publication Date

10-30-2020

Description

Welcome to Roundabout Oxford, a podcast from the University of Mississippi Libraries.

Last spring, a student reporter interviewed me for a class assignment. We were sitting in my office in the basement of the J.D. Williams Library and it was a perfectly normal interview, mostly about what I do in my everyday job.

A completely ordinary interview that is, until the very last question.

"Do you think there's something here?" he asked. "something strange here in the library?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He cleared his throat before continuing "Have you ever felt like something is here with you, you know when you're alone in the building?"

I looked at him and realized that he wasn't joking. In fact, he was quite serious. I paused a moment before asking my own question. "You mean after the library is closed, and everyone is gone? When the building is empty and I'm walking around in the quiet...You're wondering if anything...unexplained ever occurred?

The young reporter's eyes were wide as he leaned forward, waiting for my answer.

"No." I answered. "I have never felt...a presence."

The reporter's shoulders sagged and I actually felt a pang of disappointment myself.

Libraries I suppose, seem like they should be haunted. They are usually old, large and drafty, with shadowy nooks and echoey stairwells.

So to be honest, that vibe does kind of get in my head as I walk through the library at night, alone.

Perhaps the air conditioning system does sound a little like whispers.

And why is the air suddenly freezing cold.

Are those my footsteps I hear?

And what about the shadowy movement behind that bookshelf...could it be a trick of the moonlight?...or could it be something...something from the beyond?

On this episode of Roundabout Oxford, we explore human's fascination with the dark and the unknown. Stay tuned.

Episode 2 guests: Oxford artist Lee Harper, who started using small plastic Halloween skeletons to make miniature dioramas of historical scenes (History Bones) and screenwriter/filmmaker Thad Lee, also of Oxford, who recently took advantage of Stephen King's Dollar Baby Program to film an adaptation of King's short story "All That We Love Will Be Carried Away."

The episode ends with recommendations from the podcast team for spooky films and books.

Relational Format

audio recording

Comments

Roundabout Oxford is hosted by Christina Streeter, Abbie Norris, and Alex Watson, edited by Brian Corrigan, Aex Watson, Christina Streeter, and Taylor Fields, and features Gail Herrera. Music by Brian Corrigan and Gail Herrera. The podcast is produced through the University of Mississippi Libraries.

Recommended Citation

University of Mississippi Libraries (2020, October 30). The Unknown (Episode 2) Roundabout Oxford Podcast. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/roundaboutoxford/2

Streaming Media

Accessibility Status

Audio or Video Captioning