College is a time for exploration, hard work, and even romance. Many people find their true love/soulmate/life partner/honey muffin during their college years, and I will preface this post by stating that there is nothing wrong with that. However, I have noticed a strange phenomenon going on at the Blair house recently. For those of you who don’t go to Queens, the Blair house is located in the direct center of the quad, just inches away from a junction of two very busy walkways. The very peculiar thing I have noticed is that when people swing on that porch swing with their significant other/girlfriend/boyfriend/pookie bear, they feel as if they are shielded from all eyes on campus.
The first time this spectacle presented itself to me was
during my freshman year. I was walking back to my dorm with a group of friends
across the fateful walkway I described earlier when we noticed a couple on the
porch swing. As we inched towards the infamous Blair house, we noticed that the
couple were kissing (almost violently), and they continued even as we passed
within about four feet of them. It was a haunting encounter to say the least,
but that night was the first of many awkward walks past that terrible swinging
bench. Dozens of couples repeated the offense all year, and soon it began to
drive me mad.
It is as if the house itself, if not just the bench, has some
sort of otherworldly power which tricks its victims into thinking they are
invisible. The question of whether or not all humans, not just those in some
sort of relationship, were affected by the incantation was lingering on my
mind, so I began to experiment.
I would sit on the
bench in complete solitude and wait for a casual passerby. When someone’s
commute brought them past my post, I would talk loudly to them and wave my
arms. While this didn’t earn me any friends, it proved that only couples were
under the spell of the Blair house, because people looked at me rather
quizzically and hurried away. It was a major discovery for the case, but I
regret to say that, to this day, little else is known about the effects of the
curse. The truth will soon be found, but I suggest that the students at Queen’s
either take alternate routes or where blinders until safety is restored.- Eric Richard
I've never actually noticed a couple kissing or doing anything in front of Blair House. Maybe I've never actually paid any attention or maybe there some sort of black magic that surrounds the house. However I would have to think that maybe the magic only works when the person sitting on the bench is relatively quite and not attempting to speak to those not on the porch. We could try your experiment again but this time simply hold up a sign to passerby's and not even acknowledge their presence. I would think the magic would hold true then. But whatever the case, I'll have to start paying more attention to the Blair House from now on.
ReplyDeleteAs a freshman I have yet to see such an occurrence happen, but for me most of my classmates have yet to find their honey muffin. I commend you for your experiment, it's good to have investigated and make sure there truly isn't a spell surrounding Blair House. It has only been a month that I've been here so maybe canoodling on the quad isn't in full swing yet. Or maybe couples have realized they are visible to the naked eye. I'll definitely be on the look out for this strange phenomenon as I pass by from now on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! I think you are absolutely right about the timing issue. Last year it really got into "full swing" in early October because a lot of people haven't had time to get into a relationship, or if they have they are still in the awkward new phase. I'm working with Pamela Davies right now to see if we can literally pick up the Blair House and move it entirely to a new location and I'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress.
DeleteI love this, as there are so many truths to what you are saying right now. However most probably ignore the couples over at the Blair House because they feel like that's how the crowd of passerby and the couple over at Blair House want to be treated over there. Also were I a freshman and I had a significant other at the time I would have wanted done the same exact thing. But to each their own right?
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is an invisibility complex at blair house. But I have never seen couples making out or anything while there. The thing I have noticed since being at Queens is that most people forget its actually there. Hence the reason why so many people probably feel its safe to make out there. But I agree with you there is totally a weird magic surrounded by the Blair House.
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan of PDA. In my book, hand-holding is fine. Pecks are fine. But sometimes I find I have this irrational resentment towards happy couples. Maybe it's cause I'm bitter and single, who knows? What I do know is that if I do find myself in a happy relationship, I hope I can remember that there is a world outside of that relationship. If I see a couple off in their own little world, I'm kind of peeved, ESPECIALLY if I'm being ignored.
ReplyDeletePorch swings are for relaxing, not for make-out sessions! :)
If it was socially acceptable to use LOL in an academic post, I would. I really enjoyed that you used some humor in your post. I have noticed couples at the Blair House but I never thought anything of it. I can understand why couples gravitate to the porch swing. I suppose that and the gazebo attract a lot of couples. I think another part of the appeal is that those couples like PDA. Not everyone wants to see people during their private time but I suppose they don't care. Anyway, very interesting post.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an interesting point: that couples may actually be doing it on purpose! That is something I had not even thought of, but it is certainly as valid as assuming the house is bewitched. To see if this is the case, I will try to seek out the couples who frequent the porch swing and have a professional psychoanalyze them to see why, in the name of all things good on this earth, would they do something like that. No matter how you slice it though, something is deeply disturbing about the situation...
DeleteThis post is hysterical! I have not personally witnessed the blasted curse of the Blair porch, but I will certainly be on the lookout from now on. I love how you made the entire post sound like a mystery documentary (something you'd see on Discovery Channels ghost hunters, or the show Unsolved Mysteries, which used to terrify me as a kid). I really enjoyed the "extent" to which you went to in order to collect your "data". And I must say that I truly look forward to more posts of a similar nature.
ReplyDeleteI agree I think that some pda is acceptable but full on making out in public is a little much. Yes the swing on the blair house is very secluded but I feel as if people don't understand that they can still be seen. Anytime you are in public with a significant other you need to be mindful of how you behave and what you do. I wouldn't want to watch other people making out in public, therefore I choose not to make out in public.
ReplyDeleteAnna Kirwan
This was a great post, really funny. It took me almost a whole semester to realize the Blair House was even there, I would just pass through and ignore the whole building. I wonder how many make-out sessions I failed to spot due to this invisibility complex... Anyways, great read!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! This was so hilarious! I have been at Queens for a few years now and I don't think I have seen this happen yet, thank goodness! I could imagine people doing that though. It seems to be a intimate place! Me, i'm just not one for PDA too much lol but to each's own! I thought this blog was really creative and it kept my attention the whole way! Big Props to you!:)
ReplyDeleteOf all the comments above, mostly everyone has mentioned that they have not witnessed this PDA occurring. Hmm... maybe it's because we can't see them. MAYBE it's because they actually ARE invisible and Eric is the only person who can see through the invisibility complex. Although I'm not sure why people would use the Blair House anyway; there are plenty of bushes around campus.
ReplyDeleteThere is a sort of invisibility to Blair house. Since there isn't much traffic going in or out of it, most people see it as safe haven to engage in PDA. Which isn't the case, seeing as we've all seen our share of couples romancing it up on the swing. I find it interesting that you're giving Blair house a voice, albeit one that involves an awkward swing placement; most people ignore it's very existence on our campus. Your post makes me appreciate the small stories that Queens (or any place) offers.
ReplyDelete