February 2002

Crossing John Edwards

Up until 2 weeks ago, my friend Alie had a void in her life.

Most days, Alie wakes up at noon and sips coffee. We live in Manhattan, so with her coffee mug, she stares out the window at people in suits on lunch breaks. Other times we flip channels together, but her gaze falls from the TV to the floor, to the kitchen, to my breasts. I knew she was missing something in her life. We have DVD, we have satellite, Sex and the City had a bonus season this year. My life is complete, but Alie has a void.

One day we opt to channel surf the whole spectrum of satellite. The Baby Story didn't start for another hour. We stopped at CBS and watched the widely-acclaimed Crossing Over with John Edwards. You must have heard of him, his fame has swept the entire eastern seaboard.

Edwards contacted a Long Island woman's dead father and Alie was mesmerized. John Edwards knew from talking with this man that he had served in a war. He even knew that this man had died in a hospital AND that he was not ready to go when he did.

Everybody likes to say they are a skeptic, but I used to be the biggest skeptic. No, really! Until I heard John. Last week there was a special episode where Deborah Gibson contacted her dead father. John Edwards knew everything about her life! Everything! He passed on some comforting words, her father was okay and he was happy where he was. And Alie began to cry. John filled her void.

From that day on we watched Crossing Over twice a day

Now, the story of how we came to appear on the show goes back a few years. One of our best friends, Andy Beaton, shared a dorm room with him in college. They were close but Andy says that John was possessive. Possessive, pretty ironic, huh!? Andy's funny. The friendship dissolved, and they haven't talked since then. But Alie pleaded and so did I, and eventually Andy called the show and used his weight to get us seats in the audience. In fact, we got 3 so Andy could come. He was reluctant, a skeptic like I once was.

The day of the show came and we sat in the back row. I tried hard to think of all those I had on the Other Side. A guy my dad used to work with and a great uncle. Alie had her grandparents- all four were dead! Andy lost an aunt and some others, but he was vague. We were running late that morning. He seemed annoyed.

John came out and warmed up the crowd, preparing us.

Many times, certain dead people sense that a contact is here and rush to speak, not letting others speak. Sometimes these people aren't friends or family at all, but a friend of a friend who wants to pass a message on to someone not there. John said not to feel cheated, it just happens that way.

Seeing John in person was a special moment for both Alie and I. Here is someone who has a connection with the Other Side, a link. He's not just 'of this world' like you or I, and with so many con artists out there, he might be our ONLY connection. We were about to have the most surreal experience of our earthly lives. John looked our way and nodded at Andy. Andy said nothing, but I think he felt better at having settled an old rift.

The show starts, and right away a man that died of a heart attack and loved his family and pasta, made contact with his wife a few rows ahead of us. She cried and smiled and nodded. After commercial break John is ready to make a new contact. There were only a few minutes left so I could see Alie was afraid she might leave without being picked. I was a little nervous myself, but I really was only hoping that Alie would get picked, she's my best friend.

"I'm getting someone…does anyone here have a family member that was on welfare?"

the room was quiet. A few hands crept up. You could see he was concentrating.

"Someone… a mother… severely overweight. Was on some sort of government support. Does this sound like the mother of anyone in the room?"

A few more raised their hands. John scanned the room. None seemed to stand out to him.

"A mother who … she says she sent you rice crispy treats, to someplace far from home."

John looked in our direction. Andy looked up.

Still silent. All hands went down after hearing about the rice crispy treats. Not a word.

"Okay, let's drop that one for now." John kept looking into space and concentrated.

"I have someone new reaching me now. Someone with a heavy drug habit, perhaps crack or heroin, he says he spent a lot of time with someone here, a lot of time partying. Someone that ….yes… Wait… someone here that is a big fan of Phish and the Bogmen…Yes… and…anyone here like that? Anyone that played varsity baseball?"

Now I don't know why he stayed so quiet, maybe he was hit by the same disbelief that muted me when I first became a believer, but Andy said nothing and I knew it was him.

"Over here! That's my friend here!" Alie jumped in her seat when I spoke up.

Andy appreciated my help, I read the gratitude in his face when he shot a look at me.

"Well I played baseball but I don't anymore."

"I've got someone here who knew you years ago. He says he spent a lot of time with you, always sleeping on your futon. Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"His name begins with a B…or nickname maybe."

"Bonzo, he slept a lot." Some people chuckled when Andy said that.

"Yeah, he's telling me that he had an addiction to drugs, maybe acid, marijuana, a lot of things. He says you introduced him to it. He did it with you to all hours of the night and don't worry, he doesn't blame you for his last painful years."

Andy looked around the room, obviously shaken by the connection.

"I'm getting something more from him…wait…he's expressing love…he's saying something about…did you two try something in college? I'm getting a message that he…he tried something--but he's not gay. Yes…that's it, he's telling me to tell you that he was only experimenting."

Others in our row were leaning over now to get a look at Andy, some were laughing. and he was getting red.

"No. No...uhhh…I don't know what he means…umm-"

John interrupted him with another surge of contact.

"Yes, he's saying yes, he's sure he is not gay and he's sorry. And he says he's sorry…for…it's hard to make out."

He was quiet and everyone was very curious, this was the strongest connection made all day. Alie was very excited, as was I. Andy was too, he was sweaing and shaking his legs.

John continued, "Something about a bacteria? A fungus? Something….I'm getting something about a fungus and he says he's sorry."

Andy is terrified by this connection to the Other Side.

"A disease, a fungus…something he gave you or passed on to you…wow this is embarrassing but I have to ask you…something about herpes? Does this sound familiar?"

Andy has always been a simple guy. He's a good friend and I love him, but he's simple, and this was too much for him. He flipped out, screaming some nonsense and tried to make a run at John.

He was restrained, and the show ended. Andy was shown to a back room while we waited with everyone else. The room cleared out and people left. It gave Alie and I some time to make friends with the security guards and a chance at more free tickets. I don't know if John Edward will ever do a live session again, but I'll take what I can get.